The cheerleader stereotype: Tall, blonde airhead who struts around in a mini skirt, covered head-to-toe with body glitter, and has a giant bow at the top of her perfectly ringletted ponytail.
The cheerleader reality: Girls of all shapes, sizes, and hair color, muscular and flexible, who can chuck a double full basket at the drop of a dime. (And OK, also wear mini skirts and bows, they're kind of required.)
I've been a dancer for the past 2 years, and know loads of cheerleaders, and the first thing I learned is most of the cheer stereotypes are just that, stereotypes. The second thing I learned: cheerleaders have some amazing beauty secrets ... ones that don't require you to load up on body glitter.
To get the goods, I researched makeup artists for Cheerleaders, Nikki Khayat, founder of Fancy Face Cosmetics (a makeup brand that's cheerleader-focused), and spoke to fellow cheerleaders. They filled me in on some great tips that can actually fit in with any girl's everyday lifestyle.
Sweat Proof Makeup
When it comes to cheer, profuse sweating is a beauty no-no. So how do we 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 proof 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." I can attest to that. After performing for several hours in a dry open field near Las Vegas, I felt like I was sweating like a pig, but you couldn't see a drop on me. (My 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. Unfortunately this brand is currently only available in the USA, however lets hope that they can start importing this beauty right across the world.
High Pinned Pony
Have you ever had a ponytail that looks kind of sad? There's an easy fix, this hair trick I learned from 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.
Bonus Tip: Use a large bobby pin for longer hair to create an ultra bumped up look.
Bronzed Abs
A lot of the time, cheerleaders are forced to wear midriffs -- so not fun on PMS days -- so our stomachs have to look toned, even if we're feeling anything but. Luckily, there's a trick for faking those six-packs. All you need is bronzer and some know-how.
I, use
Australian Gold Continuous Spray with Bronzer, £22, to get my toned look. To fake my abs, I spray one vertical stripe about two inches on either side of my belly button to create more definition. Then I use 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. I do it for the same reasons I wear mascara ... it's a subtle difference that looks amazing.
Slicked Back Hair
Ever wondered how cheerleaders can get that perfectly slicked back ponytail, even when they're flipping upside down?
Cheerleaders say they use a flexible hold gel, like
Trevor Sorbie Mg Firm Control Hair Gel, £2.75, or
Tresemme Freeze Hold Hair Spray, £4.99, a strong-hold hairspray known for its ability to keep your style in place -- no matter what the humidity. To get that taunt ponytail, cheerleaders says to pull dry hair into a pony, and then mist the entire head with a blast of hairspray. For an even stronger hold, apply the gel to wet hair, then comb back into a pony.
What's even better? Freeze It Original Hairspray contains optical brighteners, tiny shine particles that give you a high gloss look.
Pouty Lips
In the cheerleading world, lips are just as important as a perfect ponytail. So how can you get the pouty, full lip look in a natural way? (No duck faces allowed.) Cheerleaders filled me in:
The best way to make your lips appear larger is to first apply a powder around the lip line. Next, line your lips just over the natural edge using nude lip liner, and then fill it in with your lip color of choice.
The neutral shade will look more natural when colored in and can minimize the appearance of bleeding lip color.
Try topping your lip color off with a lip plumping gloss like
Too Faced Lip Injection, £17.50, for an even fuller look.
Wearable Shimmer
When you think of cheerleading makeup, glitter probably comes to mind. But who wants full-on body glitter off the field? Um, no one.
At the same time, a little shimmer never hurt anyone. So how can you incorporate it into your beauty routine without looking too over-the-top? I recommend using glitter in subtler ways to create a soft shimmer look.
Go for glitters that are smaller in particle size to get the wow factor without that full-on glitter effect. I adore lip glosses that use smaller glitter that appears more like mega shine. (Try
Manic Panic Glitter Powder Shadow, £8.25, for a bold look that's not too dramatic.)
Or try adding a dot of light colored shimmer on the center of the eyelid as a final touch to your shadow. Adding a super fine glitter to the inner corner of the eye can make the eyes really pop! Lastly,
Wet N Wild Megashimmer Body Powder, £3.49, is great for your face and eye makeup, or anywhere you want an added hint of sparkle.
If you sweat a lot, dance, love wearing makeup to the gym or are just active - this is the regime for you. I hope you've all enjoyed the Olympics over the weekend and also had fun doing whatever you chose to do.
I've been running around trying to find out about prices for DIY'ing our home. It needs a revamp and some serious TLC. So come on, what have you been up to? Spill!
xoxo,
Angelique
