What does it take for a beauty product to survive a marathon, a three-set tennis match or several hours competing beneath stadium lights?
The least interesting thing about the world’s most talented female athletes is what sits inside their make-up bags. Their strength, skill and extraordinary careers are, quite obviously, the story. Still, in the name of rigorous beauty journalism, we do need to know which setting spray they are using.
Because while most of us judge a long-wear product by whether it survives a crowded commute or an overheated office, elite athletes subject theirs to an altogether more convincing stress test. Their skincare, make-up and hair products need to withstand sweat, rain, humidity, sun exposure, international travel and long days of training and competition - without stinging their eyes, clogging their skin or requiring constant touch-ups.
So, I asked world-renowned athletes across a range of sports to share the formulas they genuinely rely on. From mascaras that stay put through perspiration and SPF that will not run into the eyes, to recovery skincare, slicked-back hair essentials and the beauty hacks picked up over years of competing, these are the products that have earned their place in some of sport’s hardest-working kit bags.
Keep reading to find out which athlete-approved beauty tricks are worth borrowing, whether you are heading towards a finish line or simply trying to make your make-up last through a hot day.
Ahead, the world's elite female athletes' tried-and-tested beauty products...
Morgan Lake - Team GB high jumper
Three-time Olympian Morgan Lake has spent more than a decade competing at the highest level of international athletics. The British high-jump record-holder became the first British woman since 1992 to reach an Olympic high-jump final at Rio 2016, before representing Team GB again at Tokyo and Paris. With outdoor competitions often involving hours of sun exposure, repeated warm-ups and the pressure of staying focused between jumps, Lake relies on lightweight products that protect her skin without feeling heavy or restrictive.
Makeup: Lake’s competition essentials include Glossier Futuredew for a luminous base, L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Mascara, REFY Brow Sculpt and REFY Cream Blush.
Skincare: “When I’m training or competing outside in the sun for hours, a good SPF is a must,” she says.. After training, she uses Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, followed by Dr.Jart+ toner and moisturiser.
Hair: Lake’s training staple is Umberto Giannini Slick Back Styling Gel, which she uses for her signature bun or ponytail. Enriched with rosemary and castor oil, it is “the first slick-back gel I’ve found that protects my hair” without leaving it overly stiff. After wearing braids, she removes product build-up with Cécred Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub, followed by an Aveda conditioner.
Best beauty hack: "Spraying makeup fixing spray on my slick back hair helps it stay in for longer."
Holly Aitchinson - England Rugby Union Player
England fly-half Holly Aitchison is a key playmaker for the Red Roses, known for her composure, precision and versatility across the backline. With long training days, high-intensity matches and unpredictable weather conditions, Aitchison relies on a beauty routine that works as hard as she does.
Makeup: Her full game-day base includes Clarins Double Serum Foundation, Kosas Concealer and Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream. She layers Rhode Pocket Blush beneath YSL Make Me Blush for extra staying power, while REFY Lip Sculpt in Rosewood and ILIA Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon in Overglaze add colour. For brows, she uses Maybelline Brow Ultra Slim Defining Pencil followed by L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Brow Lamination Gel. Waterproof Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara completes the look, before Urban Decay All Nighter Vitamin C Setting Spray - “This is the key,” she says.
Skincare: Hydration is essential for Aitchison, who always prepares her skin with Neutrogena Hydro Boost moisturiser. After a match, she reaches for The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser to remove “dirt, mud, sweat” and every trace of make-up, before reapplying Hydro Boost. “It is instant,” she says. “I adore it.”
Hair: On match mornings, Aitchison creates a slicked-back bubble ponytail using got2b hairspray and a slick stick. She even coordinates the hair ties with her kit, or, when she is less fond of the colour, with her boots instead.
Best beauty hack: Take it from Aitchison, Fenty Beauty Soft'Lit Naturally Luminous Longwear Foundation "does not move”. As for makeup, she says: :If you want it to stay, the base is as important, so for me as a super dry girlie, I’m layering the moisturiser and the vitamin C in my setting spray is key for me. If I want it to last, I top with a powder, but with a light hand."
Eilish McColgan, Team GB long-distance runner
Four-time Olympian Eilish McColgan is accustomed to training and competing in conditions that place both her body and beauty routine under considerable pressure. From altitude camps in France to long runs in Dubai’s heat, the Commonwealth 10,000m champion needs products that remain effective through hours outdoors without adding unnecessary fuss to an already demanding schedule.
Make-up: On race day, McColgan relies on e.l.f. Power Grip Primer and e.l.f. Brown Laminating Gel, followed by Rimmel London Scandal’Eyes Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner and Sephora Cream Lip Stain. “None of them seems to budge, no matter how hot or sweaty things get,” she says. She finishes with Carex SPF lip balm, adding that protecting her skin is “just as important as looking after the rest of my body”.
Skincare: Pelotan SPF30 is her outdoor-training non-negotiable. “It has never let me down, even during long runs in extreme heat,” she says, while the brand’s aftersun helps soothe her skin afterwards. For post-race recovery, she uses Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask before bed and Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Mist to unwind. McColgan, who is a Revive Active ambassador, also incorporates its Joint Complex supplement into her broader recovery routine to support her joints and muscles after the repetitive impact of running.
Hair: Because she trains daily—and sometimes twice a day—Batiste Dry Shampoo helps McColgan avoid washing her hair after every session.
Best beauty hack: "I love wearing Mylee Gel Nail Wraps on race day. I collaborated with them to create my own tartan design - I love having a bit of home with me wherever I am in the world."
Chantelle Cameron - Professional Boxer
Professional boxer Chantelle Cameron is one of Britain’s most accomplished fighters, having made history as the undisputed super-lightweight world champion and successfully defending her titles on the global stage. A demanding training schedule means her beauty routine has to work just as hard as she does. So, what's in her kit?
Makeup: Cameron uses Maybelline Grippy Serum primer beneath Max Factor Facefinity foundation. “It keeps my make-up in place even through long days and plenty of movement,” she says, adding that she prefers a natural finish that “lasts all day without feeling heavy” or clogging her pores.
Skincare: Her biggest non-negotiable is Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV Over Makeup Mist SPF50+. “Whether I’m training outdoors or travelling for fights, SPF is non-negotiable,” she says. She particularly rates the lightweight texture and the fact it “doesn’t sting my eyes when I sweat”.
Hair: Cameron uses Batiste dry shampoo to refresh her roots between training sessions.
Best beauty hack: "One of the biggest lessons I've learnt is that great skin starts with preparation, not covering things up. If your skin is well hydrated and you've applied your skincare in thin, well-absorbed layers, before using primer, your make-up will hold up much better under heat and sweat than if you pile on extra products."
Lucy Procter, Elite HYROX competitor
Red Bull athlete Lucy Procter recently secured silver alongside Sinéad Bent at the HYROX Elite Doubles World Championships in Stockholm, less than 24 hours after competing in the Elite 15 Singles final. Her competition-day beauty routine is deliberately light, but still leaves room for plenty of sparkle.
Make-up: Procter begins with bareMinerals tinted moisturiser and Clinique powder, avoiding anything heavy that might feel uncomfortable while racing. Her “absolute holy grail” is Benefit BADgal BANG! Waterproof Mascara. “I’ve been using it for years and it does not budge,” she says. Benefit High Beam adds a bright, luminous finish, while a touch of hair glitter helps her “smile and sparkle” on the competition floor.
Skincare: After racing, she reaches for Garnier Micellar Water with Oil to remove make-up and sweat “quickly and easily”. She follows it with Malin + Goetz shower gel and its Peppermint Shampoo to leave her hair and skin feeling fresh.
Hair: got2b Glued Hairspray keeps Procter’s favourite race-day hairstyle firmly in place. She says the hold can last for two or even three consecutive competition days when needed.
Best beauty tip: "Invest in a genuinely waterproof mascara," she says. Procter is frequently asked how hers stays intact throughout competition, and her answer is always Benefit BADgal BANG!: “It absolutely doesn’t move.”
Molly Caudery, Team GB pole vaulter
Team GB pole vaulter and Red Bull athlete Molly Caudery is used to competitions lasting more than four hours. The two-time world indoor champion and British record-holder treats her full competition-day make-up as part of her preparation, subscribing firmly to the idea that when she looks good, she feels good.
Make-up: Caudery’s trusted trio is Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray. “I can be wearing my make-up for 12-plus hours, sweating all day, and still feel like it looks just as good at the end of the night,” she says. She applies the setting spray both before and after her make-up, and subtly coordinates her eyeshadow and hairbands with her competition kit.
Skincare: SPF50 is her everyday non-negotiable and always sits beneath her make-up. Afterwards, Caudery double-cleanses with CeraVe Foaming Cleanser to remove every trace of make-up, sweat and sunscreen, before applying a Dermalogica moisturiser morning and night.
Hair: Her signature pigtails are quick, secure and have become part of her recognisable competition look. Once home, she immediately washes out the hairspray and styling product with either Olaplex or Kérastase haircare.
Best beauty hack: Caudery layers setting spray between stages of her make-up rather than reserving it for the end. She also recommends blending foundation for far longer than feels necessary: “Even when you think it’s fully blended, keep blending.”
Jazmin Sawyers - Team GB long jumper
Two-time Olympian Jazmin Sawyers is one of Britain’s most accomplished long jumpers. She won European Championship silver in 2016 before claiming her first major senior title at the 2023 European Indoor Championships, where she produced a British-record seven-metre jump to take gold. For an athlete whose competition days involve speed, sweat, and sunshine, getting ready is more than cosmetic. Sawyers calls it “the warm-up for the warm-up”, a carefully timed ritual involving music, make-up and a pre-competition double espresso.
Make-up: “It doesn’t matter how much sand or sweat my face gets covered in, my brows still look good,” she says of REFY Brow Sculpt. On competition days, she wears Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation, Fenty Skin Hydrating + Strengthening Lip Oil and The Body Shop Sheer Touch Lip and Cheek Tint, often adding colourful mascara or Kaleidos eyeliner to match her kit.
Skincare: Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen is her active-day SPF of choice because of its weightless texture, while Olay Regenerist Whip and Pat McGrath Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence prep her complexion. After training, she double-cleanses with CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser and Hydrating Cleanser, before applying La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume when her skin needs extra support.
Hair: Sawyers uses KeraCare Styling Wax Stick to smooth ponytails, buns and edges. After years of colouring and restyling her curls, she now relies on Fenty Hair The Comeback Kid Bond Builder, which she credits with helping her retain length and achieve healthier curls.
Best beauty hack: "The Pat McGrath Divine Skin Rose 001 Essense is my unexpected champion. With or without makeup, you only need a few drops, so it lasts for an eternity, but it somehow always keeps me on the right side of the glowy vs sweaty line, and even at full exertion my skin looks great when I’m wearing this!"
Sadia Kabeya MBE - England Rugby Union Player
England flanker Sadia Kabeya MBE has established herself as one of the leading players in women’s rugby. Still only in her early twenties, she has already won four Six Nations titles, represented England at two World Cups and played an important role in the Red Roses’ victorious 2025 campaign. On match day, her beauty routine is similarly performance-focused.
Make-up: Kabeya pairs MAC Studio Radiance Moisturizing + Illuminating Silky Primer with ONE/SIZE On ’Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray to create “a base and finish that keep my make-up on through games and training”. She completes her long-wear routine with the Fyne Strokes Brow Pen, which keeps her eyebrows “slick all day”.
Skincare: After training, Kabeya reaches for Clinique All About Clean 2-in-1 Cleansing + Exfoliating Jelly.
Hair: Before a game, Kabeya lays her edges with Kaniz Wonder Edge Citrus, followed by Cantu Shea Butter Wave Whip Curling Mousse. She sets everything beneath a headscarf to achieve a freshly styled finish that lasts.
Best beauty hack: "The best beauty hack I’ve learnt as a girl with curly hair is to wear my satin lined scrum cap by Gilbert, to keep my hair protected, neat and moisturised during a rugby game. Saves me and hassle later!"
The Athlete-Approved Rules of Long-Wear Beauty Products We're Taking Note Of
1. SPF is the most important
It is no surprise that SPF emerged as a non-negotiable for so many of the athletes. When training outdoors for hours, sun protection matters, but so does finding a formula that remains comfortable once heat and sweat enter the equation.
“Daily SPF is non-negotiable, but texture matters,” says MUA Chaliya. “Lightweight mineral or hybrid formulas often sit beautifully under make-up because they absorb excess shine and are less likely to feel heavy in hot weather.”
Dr Memee Ahmad of SkinCouture Clinic also emphasises the importance of choosing the right products. She recommends layering lightweight hydration underneath SPF, explaining that “heat and sweat increase water loss through the day”, and that keeping skin balanced can help sunscreen sit more comfortably and perform better during exercise. Noted.
This SPF came out on top with the athletes. Why? It’s lightweight, non-greasy and won’t disturb make-up, making it easy to mist on before heading outside or reapply during a long day. The invisible SPF50+ formula also contains hyaluronic acid to help skin stay hydrated.
Dr Memee approves the formula too. "Heat and sweat increase water loss through the day. Pairing SPF and antioxidants with a lightweight hyaluronic acid layer is what actually keeps skin protected and comfortable," she says.
2. A setting spray is non-negotiable
Setting spray emerged as another competition-day essential, with several athletes relying on it to keep makeup intact through heat, sweat and long hours. “A good setting spray isn’t just for weddings or special occasions,” says Chaliya. “If you’re commuting, travelling or spending time outdoors, it can significantly extend the wear of your makeup.” Rather than simply sealing everything beneath a rigid layer, she explains, it helps “all the layers work together”.
Application still matters, however: Chaliya recommends a hydrated base and thin layers, as “lighter layers almost always outperform heavy coverage” when temperatures rise.
This was Holly Aitchison’s match-day favourite - and it’s easy to see why. The lightweight mist is sweatproof, waterproof and transfer-resistant, helping make-up stay put without leaving skin feeling stiff. It also delivers a fresh, glowy finish, ideal for dry skin or anyone who finds traditional setting sprays too matte.
3. Waterproof and tubing formulas last longer
It makes sense that waterproof mascara, eyeliner and strong-hold brow products appeared repeatedly in the athletes’ competition kits. These formulas are designed to cope with the moisture that causes traditional make-up to smudge, flake or run. “Waterproof mascara and eyeliner are always worth choosing, as they’ll withstand heat, humidity and perspiration far better than regular formulas,” adds MUA and Waldor Clinic manager Hedi Rad.
Tubing mascara works slightly differently, but still worth adding to your makeup kit if you're particularly active. “Tubing mascaras wrap each lash in tiny water-resistant polymers rather than relying on waxes alone,” explains MUA artist Chaliya, helping them resist sweat and watery eyes while still removing easily with warm water.
Tubing mascara was another athlete-approved win. UKLASH’s formula wraps each lash in tiny water-resistant tubes, helping it resist sweat, humidity and smudging without the heaviness of traditional waterproof mascara. The best part? It removes easily with warm water, so there’s no need for aggressive rubbing.
