How Female Athletes Look Good During Competition
With the Olympics in full swing, we can't get enough of the amazingly talented (and hard-working) female athletes -- especially the gymnasts. As they flip, split, and tumble their way toward Olympic gold, we have more than a few nagging questions on our minds. Most important? How do they manage to look so good while flying through the air?
We decided to investigate, and turned to some of the top tumbling experts in the country. From how to get your makeup to stay put while you sweat it out to how to bump up a sad pony, we've got the goods. Click here for the entire list, or scroll down for our top three athletic beauty secrets.
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How do cheerleaders stay fresh-faced after a four-hour football game in the hot sun? It's called sweat proof makeup. Nikki Khayat, founder of Fancy Face Cosmetics, first established this sweat resistant line of makeup in 2008 for cheerleaders and dancers. Now, everyone from brides to businesswomen use it.
Khayat says, "All our products are mineral-based and we use a hypoallergenic formula to make it so your makeup doesn't drip down your face." Our favorite product? The Sweat-Proof Mineral Powder, $22, that comes in four different shades depending on your skin tone. Khayat says the super-finely ground minerals let air get into your skin through the makeup, so the sweat doesn't stay on your face and you don't get breakouts from the makeup seeping into your pores.
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Have you ever had a ponytail that looks kind of sad? There's an easy fix says Jesa Herman, Director of the Spirit Program for the United Spirit Association, a national cheerleading organization. All you need is a bobby pin to keep your pony perky.
1. Gather your hair into a tight ponytail and secure with an elastic.
2. Take a loop from the elastic and stick a bobby pin through making sure the prongs of the bobby pin are facing your scalp.
3. Next, push the prong end of the bobby pin to your scalp, then down into the ponytail base. If your hair is thick or heavy, use multiple pins to get the same effect.
4. Tug on the ponytail ends gently to tighten.
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Enhancing Your Six-Pack
A lot of the time, cheerleaders are forced to wear midriffs -- so not fun on PMS days -- so stomachs have to look toned, even if we're feeling anything but. Luckily, there's a trick for enhancing those six-packs. All you need is bronzer and some know-how.
Osberg, uses Australian Gold Continuous Spray with Bronzer, $8.97, to get her toned look. To fake her abs, she sprays one vertical stripe about two inches on either side of her belly button to create more definition. She then uses a really thick Kabuki brush to soften the edges of the spray. The trick is to blend evenly instead of creating dark, sharp lines on your stomach.
"I stand up facing the mirror and apply bronzer while looking in the mirror to make sure it's even," says Osberg. "I do it for the same reasons I wear mascara ... it's a subtle difference that looks amazing."
To find out more athletic beauty secrets, click here.
Then, tell us: Would you ever wear sweat proof makeup, or fake a six-pack with bronzer? Leave your answer below.
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