By Doyle Sims
Special to the Daily Journal

Similar to many women out there, you're probably juggling work, family and everything else life throws at you. Finding time to take care of yourself and exercise often is squeezed in whenever there's a spare hour — lunchtime, in between your kids' soccer and softball practices or first thing in the morning before heading to work. But with it comes sweat, runny makeup and tousled hair. So how do you come away looking presentable for that early-morning meeting or networking dinner? Here's how.

Wear 'transitional' athletic wear

If you're headed back to work after the gym and don't have time to shower, select workout clothes made from synthetic fabrics that are specifically designed to get rid of sweat and keep you cooler and drier. Avoid cotton, as it will retain sweat and moisture, keeping you sticky until you shower.

Create a wardrobe of nonrestrictive and functional workout wear. If you know your workout is going to be a perspiring one, the outfit should be able to carry you through. If you are going to do a low-impact, low-sweat workout, then transitional athletic wear options can take you from one appointment to the other, effortlessly.

TRY: Inspiring entrepreneurs Evelyn Frison and Yehua Yang created a transitional brand called Pivotte, featuring low-maintenance clothing for high-performing women. pivottestudio.com

Workout hair

A good workout can wreak havoc on your hairstyle! But current trending hairstyles often are a little undone looking, so use that to your benefit.

There are a couple of strategies to help in keeping your hair from going wild. One easy tip is to embrace dry shampoo. Always spray dry shampoo before the workout. Part your hair in 1- to 2-inch sections and spray at the roots throughout the whole head. If you have long hair, then take the hair and braid it and twist into a high bun. Once you take it down, you will have a style that is a little undone but will look like you have beach waves. When you are wearing a ponytail during a workout, use a traceless hair ring that doesn't leave a dent in your hair, such as Invisabobbles.

TRY: Doyle Designed "Dry Clean" dry shampoo. doyledesigned.com/products, $10

The 'quick wash'

You know which workouts require a quick wipe-down and which ones need a full shower afterward. Try taking a three-minute shower immediately after a sweaty workout, especially if you worked out outside and you have environmental allergies.

Planning a low-sweat workout during your lunch hour is your best strategy. Then use a freshening cloth to wipe away dirt, sweat and odor. Facial wipes work fine, as do some baby wipes. You might not want to smell like a baby, though, so stick to fragrance-free wipes.

If you are tired of using a whole pack of wet wipes to freshen up, Epic Wipes are 16 times larger than a standard wipe, so you only need one to get the job done. They're gentle on your body and are made from bamboo, a renewable resource that also makes them 100 percent biodegradable!

TRY: epicwipes.com, 20-pack for $29.99

Gym bag essentials

Besides the obvious thing, such as deodorant, travel-size toothpaste and toothbrush, hairbrush or comb, make sure you keep these things in mind:

• Choose a water-resistant gym bag that's compact enough to fit in a standard locker but roomy enough to hold extras.
• Compartmentalize with zip-close bags so you can keep things organized instead of searching around for things when you're tight on time.
• Keep a stash of healthy, protein-rich snacks to regain energy after your workout.
• Pack a microfiber travel towel. The Ultra Fast Dry Swim and Travel towel by Discovery Trekking is a revolutionary product that is a great addition to your gym bag! discoverytrekking.com, starting at $14.95.

By Doyle Sims
Special to the Daily Journal

Similar to many women out there, you're probably juggling work, family and everything else life throws at you. Finding time to take care of yourself and exercise often is squeezed in whenever there's a spare hour — lunchtime, in between your kids' soccer and softball practices or first thing in the morning before heading to work. But with it comes sweat, runny makeup and tousled hair. So how do you come away looking presentable for that early-morning meeting or networking dinner? Here's how.

Wear 'transitional' athletic wear

If you're headed back to work after the gym and don't have time to shower, select workout clothes made from synthetic fabrics that are specifically designed to get rid of sweat and keep you cooler and drier. Avoid cotton, as it will retain sweat and moisture, keeping you sticky until you shower.

Create a wardrobe of nonrestrictive and functional workout wear. If you know your workout is going to be a perspiring one, the outfit should be able to carry you through. If you are going to do a low-impact, low-sweat workout, then transitional athletic wear options can take you from one appointment to the other, effortlessly.

TRY: Inspiring entrepreneurs Evelyn Frison and Yehua Yang created a transitional brand called Pivotte, featuring low-maintenance clothing for high-performing women. pivottestudio.com

Workout hair

A good workout can wreak havoc on your hairstyle! But current trending hairstyles often are a little undone looking, so use that to your benefit.

There are a couple of strategies to help in keeping your hair from going wild. One easy tip is to embrace dry shampoo. Always spray dry shampoo before the workout. Part your hair in 1- to 2-inch sections and spray at the roots throughout the whole head. If you have long hair, then take the hair and braid it and twist into a high bun. Once you take it down, you will have a style that is a little undone but will look like you have beach waves. When you are wearing a ponytail during a workout, use a traceless hair ring that doesn't leave a dent in your hair, such as Invisabobbles.

TRY: Doyle Designed "Dry Clean" dry shampoo. doyledesigned.com/products, $10

The 'quick wash'

You know which workouts require a quick wipe-down and which ones need a full shower afterward. Try taking a three-minute shower immediately after a sweaty workout, especially if you worked out outside and you have environmental allergies.

Planning a low-sweat workout during your lunch hour is your best strategy. Then use a freshening cloth to wipe away dirt, sweat and odor. Facial wipes work fine, as do some baby wipes. You might not want to smell like a baby, though, so stick to fragrance-free wipes.

If you are tired of using a whole pack of wet wipes to freshen up, Epic Wipes are 16 times larger than a standard wipe, so you only need one to get the job done. They're gentle on your body and are made from bamboo, a renewable resource that also makes them 100 percent biodegradable!

TRY: epicwipes.com, 20-pack for $29.99

Gym bag essentials

Besides the obvious thing, such as deodorant, travel-size toothpaste and toothbrush, hairbrush or comb, make sure you keep these things in mind:

• Choose a water-resistant gym bag that's compact enough to fit in a standard locker but roomy enough to hold extras.
• Compartmentalize with zip-close bags so you can keep things organized instead of searching around for things when you're tight on time.
• Keep a stash of healthy, protein-rich snacks to regain energy after your workout.
• Pack a microfiber travel towel. The Ultra Fast Dry Swim and Travel towel by Discovery Trekking is a revolutionary product that is a great addition to your gym bag! discoverytrekking.com, starting at $14.95.

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