How to Keep Your Makeup Flawless on a Ride
For women who ride bikes, skincare and makeup can be confounding. Should you bother with mascara before heading out on a ride, or opt for a bare face? The answer is simple: Do whatever you want. But if you are trying to figure out the best makeup for cyclists, make note of these pro riders’ tips.
Emily Batty races mountain bikes—she took a Pan Am gold medal in Toronto this summer—while Tiffany Cromwell is an established road racer. Both women are best known for putting out massive watts and shredding on their bikes, but for this article, we focused on an unusual element of their ride prep: how they manage to look so darn good while crushing.
Related: Bike Fashion—Lose the Spandex
“For me, if I went into the office, I would wear makeup,” Batty says. "So why change that just because I’m racing bikes? I think it’s important to stay true to who you are, and if you wear makeup every day, why not wear it on the bike?”
Cromwell adds, “I want to show that in women’s sports, we’re strong women, but we’re beautiful women, too."
Here’s the makeup Batty and Cromwell wear while they’re out riding:
Proper Skincare
All the makeup in the world won’t help if your skin is a mess, and Cromwell is a bit of an evangelist when it comes to skin maintenance. “I love Shea butter,” she says. "In the elements, I need to stay moisturized, and I prefer less chemical, more natural products. The more I can look after my skin, the better!” She uses an eye cream, toner, and moisturizer at night.
Best Bet: L’Occitane 100-percent Pure Shea Butter
Sunscreen
Cromwell swears by sunscreen on every ride. “I’m following the sun all the time, so it’s really important to have SPF products,” she says. Being in the sun a lot can seriously age your face, but proper sun protection combined with a good cleansing and moisturizing regimen can go a long way towards mitigating that damage. Cromwell will even occasionally use zinc on her face for really long, hot rides as a natural, effective sunscreen—even though it tints her face chalk-white. We like COOLA's SPF 30 face sunscreen for a natural solution without the pasty residue.
Best Bet: Neutrogena CoolDry Sport Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 70
BB Cream
"I typically don’t wear a lot of face makeup because that’s the first to go with sweat,” Batty says—a foundation or powder may be a mistake, especially if your jersey is white. But if you want to use sunscreen while keeping your face photo-ready, Cromwell occasionally opts for a BB cream instead of a foundation. The tinted moisturizers often include SPF 30, so they help you avoid sunburn while keeping your skin looking smooth. Don’t expect to stay perfectly composed on climbs, though: Your red face will still show through in hard efforts!
Best Bet: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream (with SPF 30)
Mascara
Almost every woman who rides with makeup lists mascara as a go-to product, since it makes a difference without making you look overly made-up. “I don’t wear a lot of makeup on the bike,” Cromwell says, “but I almost always wear mascara. I think it helps me embrace being a woman, and it looks nice! We’re in photos all the time and mascara won’t impact performance."
“I suggest waterproof mascaras,” Batty says. “I have a million, but I always go back to L'Oréal waterproof mascara for daily use.” Her one warning? Make sure your eyelashes don’t brush against your sunglasses, because on hot, humid, or wet days, your mascara may smudge.
Best Bet: L'Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara
Eye Brightener
“I’ll wear a little silver eyeliner as brightener on the inside corners of my eyes with mascara,” Batty says. It's a good trick: In nearly every picture, her eyes stand out and sparkle, but there’s no fear of the eyeliner running and turning into a goth-y mess. If you don’t have silver eyeliner, a bit of silver eyeshadow patted in the corner works great, Batty adds.
Best Bet: Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner
Lip Gloss
Batty doesn’t just wear lipgloss to look podium-ready, though that’s certainly a consideration. “I have a method to my madness,” she laughs. “Most people think I’m crazy putting lipgloss on at the start line. But you can be as hydrated as you want and within the first minute of racing, you have cotton-mouth. Making my lips moist helps prevent that, so I’m not grabbing a drink immediately.” It’s also a fast way to look more polished on your ride, and if you pick a gloss with SPF in it (like the Liplux SPF 30 Lip Balm we selected for our online store, which won't leave your lips sticky), you’re doing your skin a favor.
Best Bet: Mac Pro Longwear Lipglass
Nail Polish
“It’s an expression, it’s the fun that we can have,” Cromwell says. Makeup might run, but nail polish can survive most rides and add a certain zest to your jersey and shorts—especially if you tend to wear basic colors.
Best Bet: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails
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