International sporting events call for beauty picks from around the globe. Score major points with these gym-bag must-haves, and walk out of your next sweat session feeling like an Olympian. Don't fret: you won't have to trek the globe to find them.
JAPAN - Boscia Sake Cleansing Water, $30
Made right here in the USA, Boscia draws inspiration from its Japanese roots to deliver innovative skincare. Utilizing mineral-rich unfiltered sake, glycolic acid, and rice powder, this no-water-necessary, one-step cleanser ACTUALLY removes tinted moisturizer, concealer, eyeliner and mascara. Even more impressive? It swipes right through every last trace of SPF 50 zinc oxide, a strong physical sunscreen often used by athletes. Thankfully this thorough removal of product doesn't come with the price of irritation: skin is left soft, hydrated, and without a trace of tackiness. Great for erasing make-up mistakes, too!
INDIA - Boroline Antiseptic Ayurvedic Cream, $2.99
Boroline might be new to me, but it's been beautifying faces and healing dry feet and elbows in India since 1929. Also recommended as an antiseptic wound healer, this Ayurvedic multi-tasker is surprisingly soothing on chapped lips. The country's track and field star Nirmala Sheoran may not have put on a medal-worthy performance in Rio, but hopefully she packed some Boroline in her carry-on: it's namesake ingredient (boric acid) has antifungal properties, making it a go-to for mild abrasions on tired tootsies.
USA - Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo, $5.99
If you're in and out of the pool as often as Katie Ledecky, your hair takes a beating from chlorination. Take a cue from the gold medalist and keep locks under wraps in a silicone swim cap (it'll keep short to medium-length styles mostly dry), and extend the life of your 'do with this lightweight spray that gives limp locks some ooomph. After spritzing and powdering my roots with nearly every dry shampoo under the sun and at every point along the price spectrum, I can tell you that this one earns its place on the center podium. Better yet, it's available in a handy travel size - perfect for a post-gym touch-up.
FRANCE - La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, $14.99
Even skin that's been slathered repeatedly in SPF needs post-sun care. I've raved about in once and I'll do it again: this balm is the drugstore's best-kept secret. Calming redness, discouraging acne, and nipping dryness in the bud, Cicaplast Baume B5 works the kind of miracles you'd expect out of a French cream ten times its price. The ingredient label reads like that of a dietary supplement: panthenol, copper, zinc, and manganese all pitch in to go for gold and defeat dehydrated skin. Word to the wise: a little goes a long way.
GERMANY - Essence Out and About Kit, $17
Isabell Werth helped her homeland reclaim equestrian gold in Rio. Score a naturally-polished look like hers with Germany's own Essence beauty. A fun, affordable line, Essence scores top marks in selection and wearability. Case in point? The Out and About Kit, a 6-piece eye and lip set that will take you from desk to dinner - or gym to brunch. Want to try your hand at color-correcting? Check out Essence's Say No concealer sticks - a steal at $2.99 a pop!
Enjoy the Rio Olympics. Enjoy your life!