gym essentials | be beautiful.

Treadmills, ellipticals and exercise bikes. Sounds scary, right? As someone who frequents the gym, I love working up a healthy sweat. OK, maybe I don’t LOVE sweating but I DO love the satisfaction of staying fit and putting my health at the top of my To Do list. There’s nothing more exhilarating than finishing a workout, muscles fatigued and mind reenergized. But did you know there’s one common mistake people make during their workouts? Rubbing their face.

When we work out, our internal temperature rises, causing our capillaries to dilate. As our face releases the extra heat and sweat, we quickly grab for that towel to swipe the sweat off our hot and sensitive skin. Unfortunately, all that rubbing elevates redness and blocks our pores, leading up to — you guessed it — major breakouts!

Before you start pumping more iron or sprinting on the treadmill, think twice about wiping your face with a towel. Avoid unwanted redness by taking a soft towel and gently patting the sweat off your face.

And if you can’t break the habit, try a cooling serum like Enza Essentials RosaCalm to tame redness and calm reactive skin. The solution is really that simple. 🙂

xo Krista

Lately my friends and I have been heading to the gym more than ever. This weekend I tried Pilates, and OMG my back is so sore. Going to the gym has been great because I’ve been getting my fitness on, but that also means my gym bag must be filled with the right essentials all the time.

Check out what’s in my Vera Bradley gym bag right now:

Nuti-Grain bar. It’s the best when I don’t have time to eat something before/after the gym. Working out with a rumbling stomach is the WORST. I’ve read if you must eat something before you work out, make it something super light.
Deodorant. Need I say more??
Hair accessories. I never remember to bring hair-ties or headbands otherwise. The only time I work out with my hair down is when I attend a hip-hop dance class. And that’s because I feel most confident when I’m whipping my hair back and forth while moving around. 😉

Extraction Toner. The number one rule for beautiful skin is cleansing and toning – and this is especially important right after working out when you’re all sweaty and gross. Cleansing is one thing, but toning will really bring your skin’s pH level back to normal and prevent future breakouts. PLUS, the peppermint extract and menthol in the Extraction Toner are so soothing on my skin after a workout.
Body spray. In the winter months, I love Bath and Body Work’s Winter Candy Apple scent. It puts me in the best mood.

Oh, and before I dash out the gym door, I pucker up with the Enza Lip Treatment! Then I can go straight from the gym to wherever else I need to be and still look 10/10. (PS – Yes, that is a Lily Pulitzer phone case in the picture below. I like to pretend I was raised in the South.)