Maintaining My Beauty Routine After The Gym with Sanctuary Spa & Bramley

Post contains press samples

Working out at the gym helps my mind to switch off from social media and daily life.  I really feel the benefit on my mind, body and spirit but that extends far beyond the treadmill.  When I come out of a gym session, class or from having a swim, I love to get in the shower and complete my routine as I would do at home because then it means that I’m not dropping taking care of one thing that I care about in order to focus on another.  Getting my heart pumping is important to me and so is my skincare.

I have a toiletry bag that I take to the leisure club with me and it’ll always have each element of my routine in from my haircare to bodycare and skincare.  It’s a great opportunity for me to try new pieces out to review on my blog and I almost look forward to completing my work out so that I can have a pamper when I head back to the changing rooms.

Most recently, the face mask that I’ve had in my bag of tricks is the radiance boosting, Sanctuary Spa 1 Minute Daily Glow Mask, which is available from Look Fantastic and Boots.  It contains 3 Vitamin C super fruits, including extract of Kakadu Plum which is rich in antioxidants and is exactly what you need for your skin with all of the pollution thats in the air today!  All skin types can use this mask as although it’s pretty powerful, it doesn’t feel harsh on the skin.  It’s free from parabens and hasn’t been tested on animals either.  Hooray!

Now it might sound a little OTT to take a face mask to the leisure centre with me but this one is a speedy wonder that gets to work on amping up the glow factor of my skin very quickly, leaving it looking and feeling more even, softer and glowing, for a lit from within look.

I apply it to my dry, bare face BEFORE I go under the water of the shower, then I wet my fingertips with a little bit of water and then quickly massage my skin, as directed, to activate the Vitamin C within the mask.  Applying it and massaging it in literally takes seconds, then I’ll leave it on for 1 minute, usually while I’ll do a quick body scrub and then I’ll wash it off.  Removal is simple, requiring very little effort.

This mask is perfect for when I have been swimming and haven’t had time for a sauna and steam afterwards.  I’m not sure if its the chlorine but when I come out of the pool, my skin all over my body feels tight and dry and even though I’m buzzing with energy, my skin complexion looks really lacklustre.  This mask is great for giving my skin the bright glow it should have after I’ve exercised!  My face is glowing enough after I’ve been in the gym or a work out class so I’ll not use it after those but other times its really useful is for if I’ve been feeling poorly or if I want my skin to look incredible for a night out as its something that I can quickly and easily apply and take off before applying my makeup.

Another mask that I’d really recommend for the gym is the SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque and Advanced Pigment Corrector which is great for soothing the skin and calming it down, especially if it is looking red and feeling irritated or sensitive after vigorous exercise- spinning and body combat, I’m looking at you!

At home, I like to have a big bottle of shower gel in my shower as when my boyfriend stays, he uses it and since he has a manual job in a factory where he gets dirty, he uses a lot of it so big bottles are more economical but in my gym bag, I prefer smaller sizes as they’re easier to carry.  That’s where the Bramley brand are brilliant as their shower gel is available in 50ml, 100ml, 250ml and 1 litre recyclable bottles.  Whether you’re wanting a big bottle or a mid size for home, a travel friendly one or a mini for the gym or to try out before committing to the full size, they’ve got one for you!

Unless I’m showering after the gym at night, just before I’m going home to bed (and yes, I have been known to put my PJs on when leaving the leisure club!), then I like my shower gel to have an invigorating scent as I need to leave feeling extra pumped and ready for the rest of my day.  The Bramley Body Wash with Grapefruit, Lavender & Sweet Orange is perfect for this as it has an energising fragrance.

This body wash, which can also be used as a bath soak, contains 98% naturally derived ingredients including grapefruit, lavender and sweet orange essential oils which undoubtedly help the zingy scent along and its lovely to use a product with lavender in that isn’t designed to make you feel sleepy!  The uplifting smell isn’t overpowering but its enough to keep that energised mood I get from working out, going strong!

I wouldn’t say that this shower gel is overly nourishing but it definitely doesn’t leave the skin feeling stripped either so I do think that it has the right balance and cleans my body effectively, leaving me feeling and smelling fresh after my shower.

Bramley products contain 100% natural botanicals and leave out many of the chemicals and artificial colours that you can find in similar products.  Like with the Sanctuary Spa face mask, the Bramley body wash isn’t tested on animals and neither is the body lotion from the range too.

The Bramley Body Lotion with Juniper, Sweet Orange and Bergamot is a great follow up product to use after my shower because it sinks into the skin quickly which means that I’m not hanging around for long in the changing rooms waiting for it to dry.  The scent is absolutely beautiful thanks to the juniper, sweet orange and bergamot essential oils within the formula that is packed full with 96% of ingredients that are naturally derived.  While the fragrance does linger on the skin, it isn’t for too long and the sillage isn’t very strong but since I apply a perfume or body spray afterwards, that’s not a quality that’s high on my priorities.

Similar to the body wash, the lotion is available in different sizes; 50ml and 100ml which are great as a try me or travel size and then also a 250ml but what is unique about this size is that at the moment, Bramley are donating £1 from every bottle sold to the UK’s only wildflower conservation charity, Plantlife.  I love it when companies give back so this is something that appeals to me about Bramley.

When I’ve been to the gym or for a swim, I want to get out and get on with my day or hop into bed quickly but that doesn’t mean that I have to skimp on my body and face care routine.  All of these products are quick and easy to use, whether I’m at home, at the gym or travelling and they work effectively for an affordable price point which is exactly what I want for day to day use.  Maintaining my beauty routines isn’t about luxurious, lengthy pampering when I’m out of the house but I can still keep up with a face mask, good ol’ wash and a moisturise!

What products do you love to use after you’ve worked out?  What travel or smaller sizes can you recommend?