During this Olympics it seemed like there was a lot of talk about what the female athletes were wearing and how they looked. A few stories popped up about female athletes wearing makeup during competition. Shannon Rowbury Team USA 2 time Olympian) made headlines running with her bright red lipstick.
“You can be a strong, athletic, courageous woman and you can wear lipstick,” Rowbury said. “I like being able to be all those things or try to help inspire young women to be all those things. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. It’s a form of expression, especially in track and field where my uniform is provided by my sponsor (or the USOC). I basically have my uniform and my shoes and there’s not a lot of expression that’s allowed and there aren’t many ways to show your personality. (source)
Some women thought this was great, some women could care less and others thought it was another way of caving in to our misogynistic society.
All of this got me thinking about my own thoughts about wearing makeup. I am wondering how all of you feel about the subject?
Wearing Makeup While Working Out-Do or Don’t?
At the risk of sounding vain, I am going to lay it all out there. When I am running or working out in the gym, it’s my “me time”. I feel good about myself when I am sweating it out. When I wear clothes that I feel good in, I feel good. I like to express my personality through my style. Wearing eyeliner, mascara and a little lip gloss yep that makes me feel good too. I am not one of those people who wakes up bright eyed and ready to go. I appreciate a little boost from my mascara and lip gloss.
I know lots of my friends do not feel the same way I do. Lots of women could care less about what they are wearing or how they look while they are exercising. Their workout time is their time to escape those pressures. Many women are more comfortable in baggy shirts and baseball hats while running.
I love that we have choices to wear what we feel most comfortable in and what makes us feel best about ourselves. Now that is girl power!
How do you feel most comfortable? Running with makeup? Do or Don’t?
Linking up today with:
Wild Workout Wednesday: AnnMarie, Nicole, Jen, Jen,
Coaches Corner: Suz, Coach Debbie, Running on Happy, Crazy Running Girl
So true! I noticed this also and it seems to be a sprinter style thing! Funny how each niche kind of has their own style, lol. Considering I never wear that much makeup, I’d look pretty silly if I wore it to work out!
The sprinters were very into it this Olympics and all the power to them!
If it makes you feel good? Then do it. Just like if it makes you feel good to have a completely color coordinated outfit or to have your hair in pigtails. You aren’t hurting anyone! Just make sure to wash your face after.
Yes definitely have to wash your face right afterwards don’t want to clog those pores 🙂
Does lip balm count? 🙂 I don’t wear makeup for a workout only because my sweat will wash it all away anyway, but if I could invest in workout proof makeup, I will. As for the Olympians wearing makeup, I think it’s pretty cool to see women with so much strength and power still showing off their feminine side. Now, that’s what I call real girl power. 🙂
I totally agree! I usually just wear something on my eyes and lips and it stays put.
I sweat WAY too much to wear makeup when I workout. In fact, yesterday I had to go into work for an early meeting (on a day off) and as soon as I got home, I washed off my makeup and went for a run. I knew that if I ran with mascara, it would all drip into my eyes and mess with my contacts.
You definitely need a great waterproof mascara to pull it off 🙂
I don’t go anywhere without my eyeliner and mascara!
Right there with you!
I tend not to wear makeup but in 2014 before the NYC marathon I met this girl who shared her bright violet lipstick and it felt empowering to wear it!
Love that! It can really boost your mood
This drives me crazy that we have to even contemplate this idea. It’s a woman’s choice if she wants to wear makeup or not at anytime. It affects no one else.
That’ is true! I personally love the boost I get from it
I never wear makeup when working out because when I sweat it tends to clog my pores.
I only wear eye makeup and gloss for that exact reason.
I wear foundation and mascara to races. I don’t want to scare the little kiddies, you know. I am more comfortable that way in public. But on my solo, dark mornings runs — I don’t give a flip. And my clothes don’t match either. LOL.
Ha ha I won’t tell anyone 🙂
Haha…this is a great topic. I don’t go out in public without my makeup on (can’t help it, it’s far too ingrained in me to change that now! lol!). But I don’t like wearing it around the house, and I don’t wear it when I am working out (which I do at home) or riding my bike, although I do apply facial sunscreen if outdoors. I’m planning to teach exercise classes soon, and I will most definitely be wearing my makeup then 😀
It just has a way of making you feel more confident sometimes doesn’t it?
I don’t think I could do it. I would end up looking too streaky!
That’s why I just do the eyes and lips 🙂
I love that we have the choice! If women feel more confident or happier with make-up while they’re working out, I’m all for it. I don’t wear make-up while working out just because I don’t like the feel of my sweaty skin with it and I break out so easily 🙁
Choice is good!
A no-no for me. It barely stays on my face without smudging without my sweating! haha
Very minimal makeup…mascara and bit of blush that’s it…and sometimes no blush! I can’t imagine no mascara 🙂 I have blonde hair, lashes, eyebrows gotta have some mascara! But I htink it’s great whatever people choose to do…gotta do you!
Mascara is a necessity for me too!
If I am at my house and I know no one is going to see me, I will not put on makeup. I am not one of these women who look great without it on though. My fair skin and eye lashes make me look as if I don’t have lashes at all. So I most always have on eyeliner and mascara. Not heavy but a light line and some color.
I don’t wear any kind of foundation cause well it would just end up on my shirt!
Yup mascara is a necessity for me too!
Lipstick is the only makeup I wear regularly, so if I’m already wearing it I see no point in taking off just to run/go to the gym. But if I’m wearing full foundation for some reason I will wash that off first, otherwise once I start sweating….ewww.
Yes foundation would be all over me if I wore that. I just wear mascara and lip gloss. 🙂
I’m with you. I never leave the house without light makeup of eyeliner, mascara, cc cream and I ALWAYS have lipgloss on. LOL!
A woman after my own heart!
If I workout after work, I have make up on, but if I work out in the morning I tend to go bare-faced. I’m just going to sweat it off anyway. That said, I have no problem with women that want to put a little mascara or lip gloss on (especially if they’ll be on camera), but if you go full on fake-eye lashes and airbrush… that I’m not sure about haha.
ha ha no full on airbrush here!
So this is my 4th try. I’m using my phone to see if it will work. If my previous comments are floating somewhere in cyberspace and suddenly appear, I apologize in advance. ????
Confession: I often forget to remove my makeup at night so I usually have a little on when I run in the morning. ???? I do wear it when I go to the gym.
I wear it at the gym too-it just makes me feel a little more confident and put together
If I’m working out in the morning, I’m likely not wearing makeup because I’m lazy. After work I am, also because I’m too lazy to take it off.
Honestly, I say do whatever makes YOU comfortable.
I agree thanks for sharing!
I saw some of those interviews too. Another athlete mentioned it helps make the race feel like a performance for her and it’s part of her mental strategy which I could totally see! I just can’t be bothered to put on make up for a 6 am gym class – and don’t usually wear that much makeup anyways, but whatever makes you feel good, I say go for it!
What ever makes you feel good for sure!!
I do not leave the house without eye liner, and most times I also have lipstick, too. I don’t do the heavy raccoon-eyes, or flaming fire-engine red lips…but a little something never hurts. I used to do image consulting (many, many moons ago), and I learned it’s a fact that a little bit of makeup makes a huge difference not only in how you feel, but also in how others treat you.
I typically don’t wear any makeup to work out in because I’d just sweat it off (which goes along with my post today pretty nicely).
However, I do want to look good, that is wear cute clothes, even if I’m the only person who sees me! Because yes, if you feel good, you do good.
I totally agree!
I do both. I workout during the week after work, and I don’t remove my makeup beforehand. I sweat, and I need to clean my face anyway. Weekends are morning runs and I normally don’t wear makeup on the weekends. To each their own, really, and it’s not hurting anyone either way.
I don’t go to the gym by my husband and I walk every night around our town, so I make sure my hair is decent and I at least have mascara on. I do it more just because I feel comfortable.. just in case I run into someone.. and I’m walking with my husband so I like to still look good for him. LOL.
I don’t wear makeup 90% of the time, because I sweat from the head down and it would smear and run all over the place… If I already have makeup on for another reason and am working out later in the day, I don’t take it off and just let it run, but if exercise is the first thing I’m doing on a day, it’s makeup free…
I think it’s totally ok to put on a little makeup if that is your me time and what makes you feel better…. In the hospital setting, you’ll see a lot of people who have to wear the same exact scrubs every day express themselves through makeup and jewelry, especially earrings… reminds me of the red lipstick with the olympian
I generally don’t wear makeup anyway. Just some days when it sounds like fun. But that’s not my personal form of self-expression so to me makeup generally just sounds like work. However, for those who enjoy makeup, I like to see those athletes with their red lipstick or flowers in their hair. It’s their way of showing that the competition is an important, significant event and they’re going to bring it!
I think women should wear (or not wear) whatever makes them feel most confident. I never put on makeup before a run, but if I were going to an event that I’d be hanging out all day and be broadcast around the world, I probably would!
I am all about doing what makes you feel most confident and comfortable! I usally workouts/ run without makeup because I get so sweaty and don’t like things getting in my eyes, etc. If I already have makeup on I wont go to thr trouble to take it off tho!
I didn’t hear anything about the talk on the Olympians wearing make up. It’s interesting what the media focuses on sometimes. I personally like how they showed their badass skills but still wore make up to show that you can be both strong and feminine!
I thought it was kind of cool as well!
That IS girl power! I usually wake up and put my hair in a ponytail and go. But there have been times I’ve gone for a run in the middle of the day with makeup on. Guess what? I felt great both ways! #girlpower
It does feel great both ways!
I say, “Go for it if it makes you feel better.” I know I feel better about myself if I have a little color. When I run, I put sunscreen on my face and lips and lipstick on top of it -lipstick on top of the sunscreen on my lips only, not my face. Ha!
I wrote today about our American runners looking radiant – and not just because of their perfectly applied makeup. Apparently you and I were thinking along the same lines yesterday while writing!
We were thinking along the same lines today for sure 🙂
Lipstick and mascara help me feel more confident, but I admit to being a hot mess when I workout… I’m all the more impressed by women who can compete and still keep their makeup looking good 🙂
I wear it too but I think sometimes I do look like a hot mess for sure
I say whatever works for you! I’m not a makeup wearer at all so non issue for me. I sweat like a crazy person though so even if I did wear it, i’d be a hot mess, lol
Hot mess here too all summer!
I only keep my makeup in my car….bc my 4 year old steals it;) So morning runs- no but if I am working out later in the day yes!
Ha ha you have to hide it from her already wait until she is a teenager then you are in trouble friend
I’m with you on the vanity girl. I like to feel like I look good, which is why my workout gear budget can get out of control! I sometimes wear makeup too out of pure laziness of removing it after work.
Well lets not talk about the workout gear budget!
I actually never wear makeup when working out – but only because I am pretty sure it would end in a horrible mess once I got sweaty AND because I’m not much of a makeup wearer anywhere. I’m usually bare-faced unless I have meetings or are heading out to church or going out somewhere.
I think everyone is entitled to make their own choices and no one should be judged on that!
Agreed you should wear what makes you feel comfortable 🙂
Vegas teases me, but I ALWAYS wear make up to the gym. Not a ton – a little eyeshadow and mascara, plus some lip stain. It makes me feel better – more awake and ready to attack.
Right there with you!
i typically dont put makeup on to go to the gym, but i don’t take it off either. i do think it is such an individual choice as to hair, makeup, and clothes for the gym. you have to do what works best for YOU and what makes you feel comfortable/motivated.
Yes I totally agree 🙂
I never go to the gym without lip color and waterproof mascara, because I never leave the house without them. It’s not about what other people think, it’s about feeling good in your own skin, and I happen to love lipstick/gloss.
I totally agree! Right there with you 🙂
I rarely wear make-up so it’s a no for me. But as you said everyone has their own style and personality. I haven’t ran into many runners who wear make-up when they’re out for a run though but definitely a lot more in the gym who are working out.
Definitely a personal choice and what ever makes you feel confident
This is such a good topic. When I’m just working out in the gym, I don’t usually wear make-up…but if I’m at a race where I know I’m going to want race pictures, I have definitely been known to put a little more effort into my appearance.
And I say why not!?
Love this! I like my brink pink lip color for races- it is like car paint! It is on til the end! Hello, gotta look good for the camera, right? I like a little mascara too and I don’t leave home without my tinted sunscreen- doctors orders! 🙂
Girl after my own heart!
I have terrible dark circles under my eyes, so I really don’t leave the house without dabbing a little under eye concealer on. I’ve been known to do a little waterproof mascara too. Just makes me feel like me (in a backwards way!)
Right there with you!
Great question ! I don’t usually wear makeup while working out but if I am running a race ? Maybe some earrings, possibly mascara. During the week I wear make up all the time so while I workout, I usually don’t, because it runs all over my face with the sweat. I think if you want to wear make up, then do it. Who cares what others think. And I fully agree with Rawbury’s position.
I wasn’t aware of this, as this kind of topic doesn’t make French news. LOL
ha ha funny that no one talks about that in France!
I think girls can wear makeup whenever they want. They just make them look prettier and it isn’t a wrong thing. My girl friend use a light lipstick when running in the morning. I see no problem.