Should I bother with waterproof makeup before a run?

Q: I went shopping for makeup and the sales associate had me nearly convinced to invest in waterproof cosmetics and extra primer because of my active (and sweaty!) lifestyle. Do these products work?

A: To be quite honest with you, your best route might just be to wear no makeup at all. Wearing makeup during a run just has the potential to be a hindrance in many ways. For one, many runners already struggle with clogged pores from all that sweat that comes pouring down our faces when we’re really putting in the effort. Having blush or foundation on your skin only increases your changes of getting a face full of acne. Actually, some recommend cleansing your face thoroughly before heading out. If the pores are clear of gunk before you start, sweat is less likely to build up and turn into zits (ew).

Yes having a primer increases your chances of your makeup staying in place. But consider the person who is suggesting it for a long run. Are they themselves doing heavy workouts multiple times a week? Because chances are, even when wearing a primer, its still got nothing on heavy perspiration (or all that mid-run forehead wiping!) Leave the foundation tube on the shelf before you hit the track and you won’t have to worry about your sweat looking like skin-coloured liquid dripping off your face.

As for mascaras or eyebrow product, we’d recommend waterproof if you must. Women runners only have to have had one mascara-bleeding-into-eyes incident to know that it can ruin a run. And we thought sweat running into the eyes stung… You certainly don’t need tiny streams of black running down your cheeks.

No makeup at all eliminates all of these problems though. Think about the fact that you’re going to hit the showers and wash it off the second you come home anyway. Why not just rock the sweaty look of an athlete while running?