The London Marathon 2023 is less than a week away, taking place on Sunday April 23. Amidst all the longterm fitness and training preparation that is almost drawing to a close, there's one final area that we at Hello! Fashion can help you prep for if necessary: feeling confident in front of the professionals, the public and supporters who will likely have camera’s everywhere.
Some may prefer no make-up whilst exercising, but preparing your skin properly, followed by a layer of mascara might just be the little extra confidence you need to help feel good at the gym or while competing in a big sporting occasion such as a marathon.
So how do we prepare the skin in advance for the sweaty events to follow? “The best is always to prep your skin from within so it looks great and doesn’t need too much make up,” says Nathalie Schyllert, CEO of luxury wellness brand and gym Bodyism. She was also a professional ballerina with the Swedish Royal Ballet, so knows a thing or two about sweat proof makeup. "I drink lots of water and also Bodyism’s Beauty food most days. Light textured face creams are also great to use when you exercise a lot.”
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If actual makeup is a requirement on the day, waterproof mascara is perhaps the most useful beauty product to use before exercising. It's sweat resistant, stays on your lashes for longer and doesn’t clog your pores. "A brown mascara is a great alternative for exercising if you want a more natural look that still gives length and a little lift,” explains celebrity makeup artist and former model Yasmin Salmon, who has worked with major brands such as La Bouche Rouge, Sarah Chapman and Bamford, “I use Sweed beauty’s waterproof mascara for inside and outside of the gym."
How do I stop my mascara from smudging?
“A good way to prevent ‘panda eyes’ is to use a loose powder such as Laura Mercier's Translucent Loose Setting Powder. Instead of 'baking', just lightly dust underneath the eyes with a soft blending brush after applying a little concealer. It helps to stop smudging throughout the day,” Yasmin says, “If you do have a smudging incident, let the mascara dry fully onto the skin, then grab a dry, clean spoolie and just flick it off. This little trick makes sure the makeup underneath doesn’t come off with it.”
How do I remove waterproof mascara?
“Oil based products are best for removing waterproof mascara," explains Yasmin, "I use Lancôme's Bi Facil Waterproof Eye Make Up Remover which is a like a combination of micellar water and an oil base. Get a cotton pad and hold it against the lashes for 5-10 seconds to make sure that the product soaks in. You don’t want to be too abrasive with your eyes because the skin around them is super sensitive. Pat the area or press gently as waterproof mascara takes a little while to remove.”
7 waterproof mascaras you can run a marathon in:
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