The Barre Essentials: #7 Yellow Willow Yoga Towel
Words: Gemma Dawkins
One of the best things about barre is how little kit you need to get you started. We provide the barres and the mats, you don’t need any fancy shoes or equipment, and if you’re a Barre Body Online member you can even roll out of bed and straight into a (bedroom floor) class. No excuses!
With that said, if you’re cramming work, life, and workouts in daily, there are a few key pieces that can make it all run a little smoother. We’ve been doing the desk-barre-bar hop for quite some time now, so we’ve had plenty of time to road test the essentials. Here are our top picks:
Sparro Designs Carry-All
Game. Changer. There’s a reason Barre Body founder Emma Seibold calls this “the best work-gym-travel bag I’ve ever owned”. Sparro founder Amie Fitt grew tired of the daily bag juggle when trying to fit her exercise routine in and around her high-pressure corporate job. Her #lifeinbag motto was born, and she created Sparro to do the heavy lifting and take you from work to play in style. Emma says “It is beautifully designed and has places for everything. I’m in love.”
In Australia, single-use plastic bottles account for 38% of total waste. Scary! The makers of Memobottle saw an opportunity to turn this around with their sleek, chic and clever bottle design: it’s BPA free, dishwasher safe, reuse approved and leak-proof. You don’t need much to get you through a barre class, but a sip of water is essential. With $1 from every online sale of Memobottle going to water.org, you can feel good about investing in their super-cute copper desk stand and other fun accessories.
Soapwalla deodorant cream
Your barre neighbours will thank you for this one – especially if you’re hitting the mat after a stressful work day. Finding a natural alternative to harsh, aluminium-based or aerosol deodorants ain’t easy. There’s plenty out there, but they don’t all last you through an hour of Barre Cardio! Soapwalla’s cream formulation does the job thanks to its clay base and unique blend of essential oils. It’s also vegan, paraben-free, and most importantly – smells great. Just like you.
Girlfriend Collective activewear
If there’s one thing you need to get you through your barre class, it’s a great pair of leggings. Back to those disposable water bottles – Girlfriend Collective have found the cutest solution to dealing with all the bottles sent to landfill. They’ve designed the most gorgeous range of high-end activewear, using recycled polyester made from PET water bottles. Apart from being eco-friendly, the range is also highly ethical (their factory workers receive at least 125% minimum wage, plus free catered lunch, health checks, and guided exercise breaks). And best of all, it’s made for bodies of all shapes and sizes.
The Base Collective magnesium oil
You’ve probably heard of magnesium’s wonder properties – if you’ve ever suffered from Restless Legs Syndrome or a simple muscle cramp, you may have popped a magnesium pill for relief. Since topical application of magnesium is one of the fastest ways for our bodies to absorb it, the smarties at Base Collective bottled it so that you can spray directly onto afflicted areas. Just finished a killer glute sequence at the barre? Give your tush a spritz of magnesium and you should find that you recover faster.
Ere Perez Arnica concealer
We don’t recommend hitting the barre with a full face of makeup – you’ll end up with clogged pores, panda eyes, and most likely you’ll sweat half your product off before savasana. Pretty! But for some of us, fronting the mirrored studio bare-faced before your morning coffee is just a little too much. Enter Ere Perez’s clever antiseptic concealer. It’s all-natural (so you won’t be absorbing toxic nasties while you exercise), plus it contains soothing arnica to calm inflammation and even skin tone.
Yellow Willow yoga towel
We’ve been converts to Yellow Willow for years now, and this heavy-duty towel has to be our ultimate pick. It’s much more lightweight and flexible than a yoga mat, making it more transportable and less likely to be left curled up under your desk. But with the same non-slip, sweat-absorbing properties as your favourite mat, it pulls double duty. Lay it over the in-studio mats to personalise and add grip, and use it to towel down on your way out. Best of all? It slides right into the top of your Sparro Carry-All. Match made in heaven!