12 Gym Bag Essentials That Make Working Out So Much Better

Of all the rituals we have for getting ourselves ready — from pre-gaming glam sessions with friends to clocking 15 minutes of mirror time while listening to a true-crime podcast — the one that feels least like self-care (and most like going through TSA) is the stuff that happens immediately before and after workouts. Is it even possible to inject a little joy or elegance into what inevitably becomes a hurried ordeal in which the scarcity of counter space meets the gawky discomfort that comes with primping in front of strangers?

If beauty product innovators have anything to say about it, we can do better. With skin-care sticks made to deliver the punch of a serum or moisturizer, hair ties that won’t put a dent in your post-workout style, and mascara that doesn’t run (no matter how hard you do), après workout beauty has arrived. Ahead, find the coolest new gear designed to de-sweat, de-grime, and glam up skin and hair — even after a gruelling HIIT class.