Every four years, the world is mesmerized while figure skaters, who are certainly athletes first and foremost, captivate with a glittering sense of artistry while performing physical feats of grace on ice. And it’s all done on 4-millimeter steel blades, while wearing more sequins than Liberace.The ladies of the U.S. Olympic figure skating team have beauty tips that are truly battlefield-tested under bright lights and high cardio demands. Here, they reveal to us the tricks behind hitting twizzles and triple lutzes with nary a hair out of place.Let the Games begin!
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Ashley Wagner – Ladies
“When you step on the ice, the first impression goes a long way, and hair and makeup can help draw the audience in by enhancing the character you’re portraying,” explains Ashley Wagner, 22, who will skate to “Samson & Delilah” in Sochi. “I love playing a strong personality like Delilah—she’s a wily temptress, so my look will be a Middle Eastern-inspired cat eye, cheekbones for miles and a strong berry lip,” she excitedly adds.
Tricks of the trade:
- Black looks harsh against her light blue eyes, so Wagner instead favors smoky brown in the crease and gold shadow on the lid for depth.
- She slices tips of CoverGirl lipsticks into an old eyeshadow pot to create custom-blended lipstick that complements her dress undertones.
- Sunkissed highlights are a must for this Cali girl, and Champions Hair Salon (we couldn’t make this up, folks) in Lake Forest, Calif., is her go-to for a brightening blend of bronde.
- For a sleek bun that doesn’t look like weighed-down “helmet head,” she first teases roots for a base of volume. Then she twists up a high bun, and secures by pinning down with a near-invisible Conair hairnet. A spritzing of Pantene hairspray keeps it all in place.
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Meryl Davis – Ice Dance
Considered the strongest hope for U.S. gold in figure skating, Meryl Davis, 27, will perform to “Scheherazade” with partner Charlie White, 26. “The Persian influence means I can play out of the norm with exotic makeup colors!” she says of the bold look she plans to wear. Look for the headband she turned Olympic-worthy with jewel embellishments, and the matching lavender midriff-baring dress that skating seamstress duo Stephanie Miller and Luanne Williams created to bring the decadent tale to life.
Tricks of the trade:
- “Healthy skin is beautiful skin, and I wear sunscreen every day, even though I go straight to a skating rink!” she says, adding that she became vigilant about protection after her mother’s bout with skin cancer a few years ago.
- Davis keeps hair in place with Goody Spin Pins that look like little screws. “They’re total lifesavers when I’m tossed around because they keep hair from slipping out,” she says. (The brand claims that just two spin pins do the work of 20 bobby pins.)
- To keep deep color on lips and off teeth, Davis first primes her pout with foundation, then applies lipstick, and finally blots with a Puffs tissue right before stepping on the ice.
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Gracie Gold – Ladies
“The bigger the bun, the better!” says Gracie Gold, 18, the newly crowned U.S. National Champion. Skating to Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty,” she plans to pair a statement bun with a fiery red lip that sets off the brilliant blue skating dress her mom helped design. Her signature shade is CoverGirl Lip Perfection in Hot #305, applied with a lip brush for crisp precision. “I always keep my lips matte, or else you have to worry about smearing while doing a sport, and you need your concentration focused on your program,” she explains.
Tricks of the trade:
- “It takes practice to get a skating bun,” admits Gold. She preps hair with dry shampoo on roots and ends to create “fluffy” hair texture that makes building a voluminous bun easier. She then coils the bun and crosses bobby pins in “x” formation for hold.
- Gold keeps skin in the clear by always cleansing makeup off before bed with Olay Fresh Effects wipes. “They smell great, work fast and help my skin breath!” she says.
- False lash strips have gotten in her way in the past. She prefers starting with a lash-building base coat, and then topping with a volumizing formula for no-hassle drama.
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Marissa Castelli – Pairs
James Bond fans are in for a treat when Marissa Castelli, 23, and partner Simon Shnapir, 26, take to the ice with “Skyfall” in their free skate. “It’s all about a sleek bun, red lips and lots of contour to help interpret the sexy feel of the choreography!” says Castelli. Hair is kept perfectly in place with “ginormous” bobby pins she finds at her local Rhode Island LaBrie Dance boutique (most dance shops carry them), and with generous amounts of MoroccanOil hairspray.
Tricks of the trade:
- For the perfect budge-free red lip, Castelli always lines and fills in with her favorite Chanel Rosewood liner that pops and adheres any color to follow. Bobbi Brown Burnt Red lipstick is her current topper of choice.
- To contour, she makes a “duck face” and sweeps NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna under cheekbones, around the hairline, jawline, sides of the nose and above her top lip.
- A fan of eyeliner, she says that Tarte’s waterproof Amazonian Clay gel lasts through the bright lights and sweat of competition.
- “I used to use expensive makeup brushes, but I randomly got a Sonia Kashuk brush at Target a few years ago, and can’t believe how amazing it is!” she shares.
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Madison Chock – Ice Dance
Skating as Cosette from Les Miserables, Madison Chock, 21, hopes to capture the tragic love story with partner Evan Bates, 24. Like many ice dancers, Chock enjoys letting hair loose to perform. “Long hair that flows with your skirt is beautiful, and can add a sense of drama to your dance lines,” she explains. “But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t blow all over the place! I hairspray, then curl with an iron, then hairspray it again, and hope for the best,” she adds.
Tricks of the trade:
- Makeup setting spray is her must. If skin feels normal, she finishes makeup with a spray-over of Urban Decay’s All Nighter. When it’s cold and her face is dry, she uses the more moisturizing MAC Fix + for a hydrated finish.
- To capture the soft elegance of Cosette, Chock will use a palette of brown shadows and a pale pink lip. “A Japanese fan gave me Shisiedo’s lipstick in PK705—it’s the most perfect pink color, and will be on my lips!” (We’re sad to report it has been discontinued.)
- To treat redness that is exacerbated by the frosty skating rink air, Chock uses Rodan + Fields Soothe line of sensitive skin products. “It’s helping the redness a lot!” she says.
