
Going to the gym isn’t as easy as just showing up and exercising. Not only do you have to be equipped with the right clothes and tools to work out, but you also have to pack your entire post-gym life and beauty regimen into one little bag to take with you. We picked out 17 must-have items to keep in your snazzy gym bag that won’t weigh you down. Whether you’re a runner, a yogi or queen of the elliptical, these beauty essentials will keep you looking and feeling fresh before, during and after your workout.
1. Lip And Cheek Stain ($30): To save time and space in your bag, pack a two-in-one color for lips and cheeks that will naturally enhance your post-workout glow.
2. Clean and Clear Makeup Dissolving Facial Cleansing Wipes ($7): These wipes instantly lift away all traces of oil, dirt and even waterproof mascara without drying you out. In one easy step, your skin is left perfectly clean and refreshed with no oily residue, so there’s no need to rinse.
3. Dry Shampoo ($8): It’s completely possible that you’ll be a hot mess after a hard workout, so your hair will definitely need a pick-me-up. Try using a dry shampoo to get some volume back and to help mop up the sweat.
4. Tinted Moisturizer ($15): If you’re heading outdoors to exercise, don’t leave home without protecting your skin! This SPF 30 tinted moisturizer works extra hard to give you sheer coverage, even your skin tone and blend away imperfections.
5. Hand Sanitizer ($2): After touching all that germy gym equipment, you’ll be ready to disinfect with some deliciously scented sanitizer.
6. Lip Balm ($4): Inconsistencies in temperature and humidity levels at the gym can lead to uncomfortable dryness and chapping, so be sure to keep your favorite lip balm handy.
7. Shine Control Blotting Sheets ($7): Reduce shine and remove excess oil without drying your skin or messing up your makeup.
8. Deodorant ($7): It’s an obvious one, but your day can easily be ruined if you forget deodorant. We like this motion sense stick for workouts that are extra sweaty and super intense.
9. Spray Moisturizer ($8): When you’re dripping wet, the last thing you want to do is rub lotion into your skin. This spray moisturizer absorbs quickly for a non-greasy feel, and requires no rubbing at all.
10. Mini Perfume ($11): A mini fragrance will give you a scent boost to carry you through the rest of your day. This fresh, herbal scent by Lush features spearmint, tarragon and thyme for a clean and natural smell.
11. Exfoliating Wash ($15 and up): A great time to exfoliate is after a solid sweat. This wash does an awesome job of digging deep to clear away blackheads and dirt.
12. Moisturizer Serum ($13): Most of us tend to skip serum and just slap on some moisturizer before heading to the office. By using a two-in-one serum and cream, though, you can get maximum skincare benefits with minimal effort.
13. Compact Foundation ($15): A liquid foundation can be messy to apply after showering, so opt for a cream or powder foundation with an included applicator. Buh-bye bag full of brushes!
14. Waterproof Mascara ($18): Stay glamorous throughout your workout and in the steamy locker rooms with a durable, waterproof mascara.
15. Body and Shine Shampoo ($38): We always appreciate complimentary supplies, but the free shampoo and conditioner at the gym are not always the top-notch quality we’re after. This little kit gets you sleek and shiny post-workout hair in hardly any time at all.
16. Eye Pencil ($5): These waterproof pencils can be used as eyeliner or eyeshadow for a pop of color before you head back out into the world.
17. Body Mist ($24): A lightly fragranced body mist is a must after a hard gym sesh. This body wash packs skin brighteners, hydrators and clarifiers into one convenient can with a light, refreshing scent.
Will you be adding any of these beauty essentials to your gym bag? What are your post-workout must-haves? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook.
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures