For anyone that works out, plays team sports, or goes to the gym regularly, you might notice the women who wear lipstick with their hair down, wondering how on earth they plan on getting a decent workout in. The first assumption regarding the women that appear “primped” for the gym is that they are usually trying to impress someone. But, what are the other possible reasons?
I have been doing makeup professionally for 5 years. I did not dream of becoming a Makeup Artist when I was in high school, BUT that is when I first realized the powerful correlation between Exercise performance & Makeup. In school, I was heavily invested into the sport of soccer- Fall league, Spring league, Indoor, Futsol… You name it, I did it! There were always several factors, internally (injuries, hydration) and externally (weather, temperature, opponents) that would affect the finesse of my sports performance. The one factor I could control was my self-confidence. I noticed on days that I chose not to wear eyeliner or mascara, I did not feel as confident in myself, especially during sports & training. On the days I did wear eyeliner & mascara, I felt more animated and my performance benefitted. Makeup (as well as wardrobe, hair & nails) contains a huge psychological applicator. Some people feel that wearing makeup for physical exercise defeats the purpose of breaking a sweat, but for some, the incentive of self-confidence in embedded inside this act.
I welcome you to try this experiment: Do your habitual exercise with a bare face. Then, do the same routine on a different day with some makeup on (it can be as little as mascara and chapstick, or as much as winged liner and blush). Test out the difference. See if your self-confidence improves at all. Wearing makeup while exercising is not for everyone, but for some it is a staple-piece for a successful workout.
