If you’re a regular gym-goer, you know that sometimes you’ll need to run errands or go somewhere around people while still sporting your sweaty gym clothes. While I don’t mind hitting the gas station up looking like a hot mess, I DO mind when I will be wandering the aisle of Target and being paranoid I smell like a foot. So aside from a gym towel, I carry a few other things with me that help me get through some post-workout errands with confidence.
Pacifica Beauty Underarm Deodorant Wipes
I love using this for a full wipe-down after a sweaty class. It says underarms but I wipe down my arms, stomach, and chest with it too. Drying down and wiping off any excess sweat will help curb the funk I adore the coconut milk scented ones, but a few others exist in the line like coconut & gardenia, rose, and coconut with pineapple. They’re biodegradable (yay!), aluminum-free, vegan and cruelty-free.
Briotech Topical Spray
I’ve never heard of this magical spray until my friend Jen from My Beauty Bunny introduced me to hypochlorous spray. If you’re wondering what that is, hypochlorous acid is something that our bodies produce as part of our body’s defense system to fight infection and inflammation and assist in wound healing. You can even use this on your kids! The antimicrobial effect of Hypochlorous acid (HOCL) helps keep acne breakouts under control so I mist my face and chest right after class too if I know I’ll have a non-stop morning. To be honest, itt’s become a pretty big habit of mine since I know a shower is usually a few hours later. You don’t feel any tingle, you don’t smell anything at all either, it feels like you are just spraying water on your face and I’m here for it.
Beach Bum Lip Balm SPF 30
Having a lip balm has been a MUST in my gym bag for years. With all that heavy breathing, my lips get super dried out so I always prep before a workout with a good slather of lip balm, and then again after class when it has worn off. I’ve gone through several lip balms over the years, but right now we have Beach Bum all over the house so I’m using their pomegranate lip balm right now which smells super yummy and gives me SPF 30 protection too! The lip balms are vegan, go on smooth, and not too melty, Bottom line is that it feels really good on the lips and I’d happily swipe it on all day.
Daily Concepts Bio Cotton Makeup Removers
I made the switch to reusable cotton pads in the last year and if you haven’t tried them yet, I’m going to urge you to try these! Guys, they are incredibly soft on the skin. This set also comes in a variety of sizes and a bag for washing them in the washer/dryer. I’ve grown to love my Fresh Beauty Kombucha Cleansing Treatment and when I’m feeling like I need an extra step to feel refreshed I use this cleansing toner that not only cleans but gives my skin a healthy dose of antioxidants and prebiotics to balance and moisturize. When I get home I toss the pads in the little baggie and wash when they have all been used!
Cleo & Coco Deodorant
I am on my second stick of Cleo & Coco and I know I’ll be buying more in the future. Not only are the scents great, but they use magnesium-rich bentonite clay, plant powders, and activated charcoal to absorb funk, remove impurities, all without leaving behind messy white marks or gritty, scratchy formulas. Sweet Surender Lavender Vanilla was the first scent I tried but now I am loving Basil Mint which has a cooling effect on me because of the mint. An extra swipe of this aluminum-free deodorant helps me feel fresher before stepping into a store.
Cleo & Coco Dry Shampoo + Body Powder
I’ve dabbled in using dry shampoo but it’s not something I need or use. My hair is a sopping mess after a workout so my best bet is to just undo the ponytail and retwist it into a bun. I do, however, use body powders — something I NEVER really used ever until moving to Arizona. I think I told my CA friends how hot it was for almost the full first year I was here. It was a serious adjustment that required me to up my sunscreen usage, water intake, and now body powder consumption to a level I never thought I would see. Plain and simple, body powders sprinkled in areas where you sweat a lot can help with odor and keeping the skin free of irritation. I love the pump bottle on these because it makes it’s easy to control the amount used and where it’s applied. I am also obsessed with the basil mint scent which truly an uplifting and refreshing scent. Cleo + Coco Body powder is talc free, gluten-free, and doesn’t use any synthetic fragrance, only therapeutic essential oils.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Crossfit does a number on my hands from the pull-up bars, to chalk and barbells. Even using grips to protect my hands doesn’t mean they come out looking like all that great and callouses from weightlifting take a lot of care so you don’t tear. I like to apply First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream all over my hands after I’m done working out. Chalk dries out your hands immediately causing cracked cuticles that split and hurt but a small dab of this cream moisturizes my hands and makes them feel more comfortable again. I actually like to use this cream wherever dry skin hits. It’s a great all-over option for dry or problematic skin and comes in huge tubs, large tubes and more portable 2 oz tubes like this one for my gym bag.
Some other runner ups that I should quickly give a mention to are:
Wet Hair Brush Mini Detangler – I own a few of these brushes in various sizes. The mini is great for backpacks, gym bags, and purses and helps smooth out sweaty, wet knots.
Pulse Skincare Muscle Rub – Eucalyptus -A good muscle rub to massage tired, sore areas of the body.
Anthony For Men Invigorating Rush Hair + Body Wash – If I had to take a shower at the gym, I would choose this all-in-one. My husband uses this and I love the way the shower smells afterward. Eucalyptus, birch leaf and Canadian balsam make up this invigorating and awakening wash. If you needed any more waking up to do, you can skip the coffee and try this wash instead!
What items would you add to your gym bag? Share in the comment section below!
What a great collection of gym bag picks. I have been wanting to make the switch to reusable cotton pads, and really need to do it!
You are so drenched when you finish that I’m surprised your bag isn’t filled with towels. These all look like they’d be so useful even for wimps like me.