Olympics 2024: the secret to flawless hairstyles and make-up for artistic swimmers

In addition to their athletic talents, Olympic swimmers have another unexpected skill. “They are completely independent in terms of hair and make-up before the tests. They do everything themselves,” reveals Orian Sultan, makeup artist of Make Up Forever, the French Swimming Federation’s (FFN) partner brand for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Indeed, the presence of beauty professionals behind the scenes at the Games is still not mandated. Therefore, the French swimmers were trained by a specialist in the exercise throughout the year so that they could handle the brushes on their own during the competition. “They went through five training courses. After all, some of them who feel a little more comfortable can help their classmates who have more difficulties on the exam day,” says she, who worked on the make-up for the three choreographies of the competition on August 5, 6 and on the 7th.

“Perfect Sync”

The first ballet, with a space theme, highlighted a particularly sculpted complexion. The second, with its golden touches and its glitter play, was an anthem for women. The last, for the finale, took up the theme Moulin Rougewhich includes heavy black eyeliner and a red mouth. Even down to the aesthetic details, coordination is key. “They all have to wear the same makeup because we’re really looking for perfect synchronization,” she explains.

Waterproof formulas and setting mist

The secret to keeping all these pigments in spite of the pool water basically lies in two important tips. “First, we use only waterproof makeup products, from foundation to eyeliners and lips. For blush, we will specifically use oily tissues, as they do not wash off with water. It will really take a scratch or a lot of pressure to make them go away,” explains Orian Sultan. Then, “my other technique is to apply a makeup mist at every stage after foundation, eyes, lipstick and blush. I layer all these layers,” he advises.

This meticulous beauty ritual, specific to artistic swimming competitions, should be included in the preparation of young women before the fateful moment. “They do the foundation and most of the make-up a few hours before the event, before the final training sessions. Just before their visit, they will finally apply shiny textures or diamond powder so that the effect remains optimal for as long as possible,” continues the makeup artist. To ensure these volatile particles are held in place, French swimmers apply Make Up For Ever’s special fixative, Aqua Seal Liquid.

Hairstyles made of gelatin

Athletes are also responsible for grooming their hair during competition. Indeed, unlike classical swimming events, wearing a swimming cap is not mandatory in this category. Hence the parade of sculptural and accessory buns that enhance the looks of various international team members. The mystery of this perfectly disciplined and water-resistant hair has been revealed on social media by many professional swimmers, not without surprising netizens. Indeed, especially on Tiktok, many videos of female athletes filming their preparations have gone viral due to the unusual ingredient they say they use as a final touch to keep their hairstyles in place. This is not an ultra-strong gel or hairspray, but… animal gelatin.

As shown, for example, in a video posted on the platform by the French synchronized swimming team, the method is very professional. Directions: “A single thick coat directly brushed on. Or the first layer with a comb to pull the hair. Then a second layer with the back of the comb to ice,” we learn in this tutorial.

The beauty routine is just as attractive when applying the product as it is when removing it. American artist swimmer Daniella Ramirez’s videos on this topic, to name just one, have garnered hundreds of millions of views on social media.