It’s an age-old conundrum: How do you fit a daily workout session in without complicating the rest of your day? Sure, there are endless reasons we don’t make it to the gym, despite our best intentions, from legitimate time constraints and last-minute schedule changes to simple logistics and general lethargy. One reason that should never be an excuse? Vanity! Ideally, most of us would have ample time to exercise in the morning, then head back home to get ready before embarking on our day. Or hitting the gym in the evening, without having to rush off to go out to dinner, home to cook dinner or the next social obligation. There’s no need to take your entire beauty counter along with you to the locker room, nor should you avoid your HIIT or hot yoga class because it feels like more of a disruption than a necessity. You can go right from cardio to cocktails! Here, a no-sweat guide for simplifying your post-gym routine and in turn, igniting more daily motivation: 

Face:
Skip any products that require a brush, in lieu of no-fuss staples that require nothing more than a swipe or two of the (thoroughly washed) fingertip. Start with your U Beauty Resurfacing Compound in the super-portable 15ml size; the antioxidants will fight skin-stressing toxins in the air, while building your skin’s natural barrier. It also leaves you primed and ready for anything, so you can skip the actual primer. 

Next up, RMS “Un” Cover-Up is a cult-favorite foundation-concealer hybrid that never wears like a mask; Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream has got you covered with SPF 35, while evening out your complexion with a smooth finish; and Ere Perez Avocado Waterproof Mascara promotes lash growth without budging or smudging through your workout. Capitalize on your natural flush with a product that enhances your cheeks and lips in equal measure: Ilia Color Haze Multi-Use Pigment offers buildable intensity in a tube, while Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Crème Pigment comes in a multitude of hypnotic hues (and it’s designed to be worn as eyeshadow, too). 

Hair:
Sweat isn’t the enemy. You don’t need to wash your hair each time you sweat. Actually, a bit of natural dampness can be used to your advantage. Use the locker room dryer to blow out the root, sans product, for a little bit of lift. If you’re going to bring a product along, make it a breezy multi-tasker, like Drybar’s Triple Sec 3-1 Finishing Spray, which absorbs oil, adds texture and refreshes, and opt for the travel size. And if you simply can’t bear the thought of carrying on without perfectly smooth hair, pick up T3 Micro SinglePass Compact Straightening & Styling Iron. Plus, it’s baby-sized and baby-pink. 

Nothing compliments a straight-from-the-gym glow like an insouciant ponytail, accented with a playfully sporty hair accessory: Scrunchies are back, and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. How far we’ve come from the 2003 Sex and the City episode when Carrie professed that no self-respecting woman would ever don a scrunchie! Are You Am I’s Nini scrunchie comes in silk-charmeuse for an elegant upgrade. 

Body:
Swap out your old deodorant for Agent Nateur’s holi(stick) No. 3 stick. It’s aluminum-free and features honey, lavender and eucalyptus, instead of harsh toxins. Speaking of smelling good, Heretic Parfum comes in a petit, go-anywhere size and their Dirty Rose scent is as versatile as it is seductive. Mist it around your decolletage for a swift mode change. 

Finally, what you put in your (toned) body is just as important as what you put on it. Enter The Beauty Chef Hydration Inner Beauty Boost: Pour a splash of this blend of coconut water, aloe vera and lemon myrtle in your water bottle before leaving the house for an extra kick of probiotics, vitamins and electrolytes.

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Anya Hindmarch Lotions and Potions Metallic Leather-Trimmed PVC Cosmetics Case: Clear your body, clear your mind...and opt for a clear beauty case, so you won’t waste precious time rummaging around while you get ready.