Have you ever seen a woman warrior cross the finish line on a muddy mud field with matte red lips? Ilona Maher, the football Olympian who recently stunned the audience at “Dancing with the Stars”, used a $10 sunscreen spray in her game highlights to show that beauty is not defined by rules.
“I was still spraying Coppertone just before the pre-match whistle.” Maher lifted up her sports vest and showed the sunscreen marks on her collarbone. The athlete, who was exposed to sunlight for three hours per day, admitted that the cumulative UV damages were worse than the collision. Her solution was to integrate affordable sunscreens into her makeup ritual. She used Tarte mascara, Maybelline matte lips glaze and Coppertone sports spray.
Maher was able to break the stigma of female athletes wearing makeup in the field by taking practical steps. This TikTok star with 3.5m followers is the opposite. She says: “The moment that I put on lipstick, i feel the resonance of both my body and soul.” Her on-field style – a low, hairspray-fixed ponytail and a brow-peak outlined with waterproof eyebrow-gel – has become an aesthetic template for the next generation of sportsgirls.
This is more than just a revolution of beauty. Maher’s red lipstick is a statement that strength and fragility are not mutually exclusive, and sweat and highlights do not have to be resisted. Her Coppertone slogan, “Beautiful Defense”, is being interpreted both as a pun and a gentle opposition to gender bias.
The beauty philosophy of this rugby icon is timely in an era when #MeToo has reshaped workplace aesthetics. We know aesthetics is changing when we read comments like: “This was the first time that I saw an athlete wearing makeup and not being laughed at. It was awe-inspiring.” Maher said, “If my strong body is beautiful, then every woman should find her moment of strength.”
When you are unsure whether to put lipstick on your yoga mat, or bring sunscreen with you on your morning run remember this warrior, who applied eyeliner on the mud from football. Beauty is not a battle, but a choice you can make at any time.
