Do you shower at the gym, or head home for a shower?

[Petal02]

Unfortunately, I’m high maintenance. Putting myself back together again after a shower isn’t a five minute job, and I need primer/concealer/mascara/eyeliner (at the very least) to look vaguely human plus either my Babyliss Big Hair or other hot air dryer to sort my layers out.

Dragging it all to the gym is quite a performance (although I do see other women with similar predicaments) and if I’m simply having a work-out (as opposed to a swim, where obviously you can’t really go anywhere til you’ve showered) I tend to head straight home for a shower.

What does everyone else do? I’d love to be minimal, but I’m not !!!

[Trills]

Depends what you are doing afterwards, doesn't it? And where the gym is relative to your house and the potentia other things that you want to do.

[HolgerDanske]

Home. Unless I'm due at work afterwards.

[JeanSeberg]

This is the reason I stopped going to the gym before work. Too much of a faff to take everything with me to get ready there and go to the office.

So now I go in the evening instead then can go straight home afterwards for a shower.

[Petal02]

The other thing I find, is that even if I do drag all my stuff off to the gym, I never feel quite as 'together' afterwards, in comparison to having got ready at home. Not quite sure why.

My hair is growing fast though, and soon I'll be able to blast it dry and put it up (therefore negating the need for extra styling appliances) and I'm looking for suggestions like this:

allisonanderson.com/the-5-product-face-minimal-makeup-routine/

Although I'd swap brow-liner for eye-liner.

And then I could at least go into town/supermarket shopping etc after leaving the gym.

[meglet]

walk home then shower.

[JeanSeberg]

Oh I'd go shopping after the gym, I have no shame lol.

[suddenlysix]

I love showering at the gym! No one banging on the door asking how long I'll be and can they clean their teeth/do their hair/go for a big smelly dump etc. Plus I love being able to get showered off as soon as I've finished running/working out cos I do tend to get really sweaty after a 5k or my weights. I take a large Nike shoulder bag then put inside that: a carrier bag with that days outfit in, a wash bag with towel and hair wrap thing plus mini shower gel/shampoo/conditioner, mini hairdryer and straighteners and a clear pencil case with my make up basics. Then there's some standard essentials floating round the bottom of the bag like a razor and tampons etc. I usually carry my shoes and throw them in my locker separate. It sounds like a lot but I've got mini versions of everything so it's just a normal gym bag full. I probably have gone to a lot of effort for it but I enjoy the peace of getting dressed at the gym. If I came home to do it I'd wake my little one and my two younger school children who don't have to get up as early as my secondary school kids and they're ramming the bathroom anyway. It takes me about 5 mins to shower and another 10 for make up and a quick hair dry. I usually straighten my fringe and leave the gym with damp hair but I go at 5am so I go home from the gym to sort the kids out for school before DH goes to work. If I had to go on somewhere else it would probably take me another 10-15 minutes to get my hair properly dry and straightened as it is quite thick but I usually do that at home after the older kids have all gone and it's just me and my little one.

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

Gym. I get really sweaty - wet hair, wet sports bra, the works. If I leave showering until I get home, I get spotty. Plus, I don't really want to have all that sweat soak into my car upholstery .

I'm not high maintenance though, when it comes to post gym primping. I have hair that dries quite quickly (long but fine) and most of the time I don't bother with make up, or if I do it's a slick of mascara that takes 30 seconds to do. I'd rather do a lower maintenance face and have a wash at the gym than travel home in my (really) sweaty gym gear. If I'd been swimming or doing something 'lighter' in terms of sweat, then I might rethink, but tbh, I like the showering. It's almost part of my cooldown routine.

[Petal02]

It's strange because I hardly sweat at all, unless I'm in the steam room. I can run on the treadmill for 30 mins and still only be vaguely damp (or 'glowing' as I prefer to call it) !!!

[thetroubleis]

I usually go home to shower, but would it be acceptable to invest in a onesie (I can't believe I just typed that) as I go in the evening and then I could go straight to bed.

I see a lot of kids leaving their lateish swimming lessons in them and it seems like such a good idea.

[HazleNutt]

After evening classes - home. After morning classes, as will go to work - gym.

[Sansarya]

It can take me over half an hour to get home and I hate being all sweaty so I shower at the gym. I have a locker there so I can store shampoo and face wash etc. The water pressure there is much better than at home, and I always wear flip flops so I can avoid the dreaded verrucas!

[Eversobusyeveryday]

Always shower at the gym. I go after school drop off and like to be ready for the day on leaving

[IvanOsokin]

I used to shower at the gym but I live a short walk away and I've found it's quicker to go home and shower.

The exception is if I've been swimming or in the steam room - I figure if I'm already dripping wet I might as well shower there. I'm very low maintenance - shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, moisturiser and that's it (don't use make-up and leave with wet hair).

Like a previous poster, I have no shame about stopping at the supermarket on the way home if I haven't showered...

[Eliza22]

The showers at the gym, being communal, have me feeling a bit grimy tbh. I'm only 5 mins in the car from the gym so I always shower at home. Much quicker with everything to hand. Also, I went to boarding school aged 10..... Never any privacy so, I'm very private in my ablutions now

And the onesie? No. No onesies in public places unless you're 5 and your an alligator/dinosaur/cartoon character

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

Showering at the gym 4-5 times a week has done a miracle for my water and electricity bills
I used to do my hair there too (blowdrying) but if I can't be fucked I then do it later at home.

[samesizetoes]

I use the gym facilities at work and everything is in my locker all the time so I'll always use the shower there. In fact its a better, hotter power shower than the rubbish dribbly lukewarm hose I've got. I use it more than my own - can't even remember the last time I used my own shower

[AwayAndRunUpMaHumf]

Watching with interest, as today I have......taaah daaahhh...joined the gym

Always went to local classes before where showering wasn't an option...but the thought of a quiet shower, no knocking, ds1 doing a poo (seems to be a prerequisite for mummy shower time) and general peace has won. Ordering a gym bag as we speak!

[YouAreHavingAGiraffe]

Home. My shower is much cleaner nicer than the ones at my gym.

[Runningupthathill82]

Depends where I'm going afterwards. If home, then I run home and shower there. If work, I shower at the gym.

[Skinheadmermaid]

The gym i frequent is a tiny dojo type place with only one changing room and no shower. I dive in, pull my sweaty clothes off and joggers on and dash home for a shower. I get so sweaty i'm literally salt encrusted.
I'm lucky that DH picks me up, I used to have to go home by tube or bus and would do my best to mop up my extremely sweaty face and spray on as much body spray as possible!

[thetroubleis]

Dammit.

I had me eye on this one
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00MNA9FUQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1433451531&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX110_SY165&keywords=adult%20onesies%20for%20women&dpPl=1&dpID=41lUFptMbzL&ref=plSrch&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[MamaLazarou]

Always shower at the gym. Unlimited hot water, free shampoo/conditioner/shower gel/body lotion/ cotton wool. Someone else washes the towel and cleans the shower... Luxury!

But I'm quite happy to go bare-faced and wet-haired afterwards.

If I'm going in my lunch hour, I do less sweaty activities and don't wash my face or hair in the shower.

[maroonedwithfour]

I don't really get showering at home when you can shower for free at gym. tight i suppose it depends on facilities, my gym showers are nice... Showers at home broken.