Olympian Gracie Gold on Red Lipstick and Ice-Proof Makeup

by Kirsten Chilstrom

Courtesy of P&G
Courtesy of P&G

Gracie Gold is everything I imagined an Olympic figure skater to be: precise and on point (lots of training), upbeat and optimistic (how else to survive all that relentless competition), and obsessed with beauty (did you not see her red lipstick?). I spoke to the 18-year-old Sochi veteran--and CoverGirl spokesperson--about her favorite products and where she looks for inspiration. Her biggest beauty lesson? "Always wear a smile because you never know who is watching." Spoken like a pro.

Beauty inspiration: "Grace Kelly is my main inspiration, for her timeless beauty. I like Jennifer Lawrence for her fun, down-to-earth style, and Taylor Swift is always elegant. On the ice, I go for a simple, elegant--always one color, nothing extreme. When I'm at home, I am much more expressive and quirky."

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On her love of makeup: "Red certainly is the family color. From my mother and my grandmother I've learned a lot of little tricks--the significance of color and lipstick being one of them. I started skating when I was eight years old, and my mom did my makeup for me back then. I guess I started experimenting with makeup myself the summer after eighth grade, when most girls do--clumpy mascara and lots of eyeliner."

Beauty on ice: "All of the skaters do their own hair and makeup. Sometimes my mom will help me, and [ice dancing gold medalist] Meryl Davis's mom will help her. Timing depends on the look; if it's a very complicated bun or curls, I may need up to three hours to prep. This year, I needed about an hour and a half. The makeup is a lot like stage makeup--nice and thick to last a whole day of training and competition. Meryl actually taught me the ropes on a lot of makeup looks and blush. Matte finish is always a must--powder finish is the best. At Sochi, everyone can tell who the figure skaters are because we come from practice with full makeup and hair done."

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Skating soundtrack:
"Classic music will always come across better on the ice because skating has such a rich history, rooted in tradition. One skater here at Sochi performed to Queen and ZZ Top, and I thought that was so fun. Beyoncé's 'I Was Here' could be really beautiful on the ice. I've always wanted to see a team do 'Say Something' by Christina Aguilera."

Post-Olympics beauty splurge: "I'd love a hot-rock massage and full facial."

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