Exclusive: Dina Asher-Smith on her race day beauty rituals (2024)

'This is top news! You’re the first person I’ve spoken to about it.’ Dina Asher-Smith, with her infectious smile and silky smooth voice, is swearing me to secrecy over Zoom about the fact that she’s parted ways with her coach of 19 years, John Blackie. Keeping secrets goes against every fibre of my being given the nature of my job, but for Great Britain's most celebrated female sprinter, I succumb. This national sporting hero isn’t just a top athlete; she’s also a master in the powers of persuasion.

‘I said to my agent, I just want to go, and I don't want to disclose it. John is like a second dad to me, and it was a mutual decision that I would come here [to Austin, Texas] and prepare for Paris.’

As for how she’s finding life stateside? ‘I'm really enjoying it. I've never lived anywhere but London, so after 27 years in one place, it feels very stimulating to do new things. Culturally, it's a huge shift from London, but Austin is very cosmopolitan, and being here feels like an adventure. I'm really enjoying learning and I’m really enjoying epic failing.’

Failure and Dina Asher-Smith aren’t words that I’d necessarily put into the same sentence. However, I’m speaking to her not long after a disappointing World Championships in Budapest, where she finished eighth in the 100m final and seventh in the 200m, and she’s candid about her frustration.

'Being here…it’s fresh. That’s the word I’ll use because overall, it's just about improving and growing and becoming the best athlete I can truly be. And yes, you will have great moments and you epic fail sometimes, but I'm embracing it and I’m having a lot of fun.’

Her positive attitude towards change is clearly paying dividends. Since partnering with new coach Edrick Floreal, and a few weeks after this interview, Dina has gone on to win her fifth European gold over 100m, earning herself a first major international title since that magnificent victory in Doha. Impressively, her 10.96 seconds in the semi-finals in Rome also remains the fastest time by a European athlete in 2o24.

Game Face

If keeping it fresh is her new mantra, then she’s the living embodiment of it. Despite it being 7 a.m. her time when we speak, she radiates a covetable glow even through the screen, as if she’s been relaxing on holiday rather than training tirelessly for the Olympics. 'I am loving the weather,' she says, trying not to rub it in, as the grey sky in Blighty is clearly evident in my Zoom background.

‘I made the big mistake of FaceTiming my mates from the track after training and it was 30 degrees with blue skies, I didn't think much of it until I saw [the shock] on my friend’s face. Now, I FaceTime them from my living room!’ she says laughing. Is she handling the heat? ‘I’ll be honest, my little British self doesn’t know what to do. Every day I’m like “oh my gosh! This heat!” she says like a true Londoner.

Dina's skincare routine has also had a refresh: ‘Besides from drinking loads of water and electrolytes, SPF is now a very big part of my routine. My favourite is the Perfectionist Pro Multi-Defense Aqua UV Gel SPF 50 with 8 Anti-Oxidants but I also love Supergoop.’

As for what else she carries in her kit bag? ‘I always have the Noble Panacea Oil and I love their Prime Radiant Serum as well as their day moisturiser. For Dina, products that work as hard as she does are key.

'I keep it super off duty when training so my products need to be high performance. They need to help me with whatever skin concern I have at the time, whether it’s hydration, more radiance, or protection if I'm using the Noble Panacea retinol. I need to keep it simple too, especially if it’s a big a day where I shower lots and then need to reapply multiple times.’

Her love for all things skincare and beauty is why Noble Panacea made her a brand ambassador last year, and is the reason we're speaking today. Where once, it was only Hollywood icons and music megastars who would cash in on beauty contracts, a growing a number of brands are now signing up female athletes for endorsem*nts, which many argue can help to elevate female sport and reach new audiences.

And yet despite landing a beauty contract, she explains she doesn't feel pressure to suddenly amp up her routine. In fact, in the run up to any big competitions she reveals you’d be hard pressed to find her wearing any makeup, unless it's for a red carpet event. ‘Even this weekend, I went out for dinner and wearing a tinted moisturiser was my “big look”'.

As for beauty rituals before a big race? Well, that’s a different game. ‘Whether I need it or not I always give myself an hour to get ready before to go to stadium.’

Over the years, many sportswomen have attested to the ritualistic and calming effect of doing their makeup before a competition, and Asher-Smith is no different. ‘In that hour I calm down, get in the zone and become hyper focused. It's not necessarily because I'm nervous, but if my friends are around and we've been chatting, then getting ready becomes about focusing on the job ahead. You have to be calm, precise and focused when applying makeup or doing your hair, and that's definitely the energy that I want to bring my race and my performance.’

As for those who fail to grasp the significance of this me time beauty ritual? ‘oh well, what a shame’, she says dryly. ‘I'm a huge makeup girlie and that's cool,’ she says beaming.

From Queen Harrison Claye and Anicka Newell to Sha'Carri Richardson, Olympic athletes have always garnered attention for their statement looks. From using hair and nails to tell highly personal stories, often their signature styles receive as much column inches as their performances.

So, does Dina have any outrageous looks in mind ahead of Paris? ‘I don’t think I’ll know until I get there. I’ll get feel for what kind of mood I'm in, but it also depends on trends and what I’ve seen that’s inspired me. They're very big on lashes in Austin so I think I'm going to get sucked into that one.’

As for her go-to products that she uses on race day? ‘I think it'd be easier to say what I don't travel with! I’ll have eight different eyeshadow palettes and I'm always trying out new highlighters,’ she says like a true make-up stan.

‘I'm loving the Karla cosmetics highlighter and the way it moves when the light hits your skin. When I’m in the stadium at night with the floodlights on, it’s beautiful and so effective because as I’m moving, the reflection migrates around my face. I’ll definitely be on that hype when it comes to race day!’

Fellow beauty junkies will understand the cardinal rule of choosing between a bold eye or lip, and Asher-Smith is quick with her answer. 'Bold eye. Mainly because I’m drinking so much, my lipstick would vanish.' She quickly adds, 'But I always put a lip gloss on right at the end. It’s easy to apply if I don’t have a mirror.'

As for nails? 'I’ve always got a design on them,' she says enthusiastically. 'Last year, I cycled through loads of 3D gel. I love multiple colours and lots of chrome. First and foremost, everything must be practical because I have a job to do, so they will be on the shorter side, but there will always be something cute going on.'

Is she a bit superstitious when it comes to beauty, I wonder? As the owner of a revolving door of lucky lipsticks, I’m curious if there is a highlighter or nail polish she always needs to apply before a race. 'I don’t wear something often enough for it to be lucky or unlucky. I just go with my feelings, so superstition can’t come into it. I’m always experimenting; it’s just whatever comes in the moment.' It figures, this is a woman who makes her own luck and who simply appreciates makeup as a medium for expression.

Her fragrance on the other hand, remains consistently unchanging. ‘I have two favourites. The Van Cleef and Arpels Moonlight Chili and Boy Smells Suede Pony. They’re practically the same! Both are invigorating and a bit moody, but I find the notes grounding.’

‘I don't do sweet,’ she adds firmly. I'm not one of those hyper feminine perfume wearers that smells as though she's walked through a cloud of roses, that's just not me', she says with that glorious laugh again.

Beauty from the beginning

For someone who’s spent most of their life outdoors, surrounded by male coaches or with those who perhaps don't feel the need to wear makeup while training, where does she get her love of beauty from? 'My mum loves to get dressed up and rock a bold lip, she is big on perfumes, too. During my childhood I always knew when my parents were going out because I could smell perfume floating from upstairs.'

Surprisingly though, she reveals that it was her dad who taught her the most about skincare. ‘From day one he’s always been “my body's a temple" kind of guy,' she says laughing.

'He taught me more about skincare than my mum. He’s big into natural skincare, so cocoa butter or raw shea butter has always been a beauty staple. When I was 14 he bought me a whole tub of raw shea butter and even though I didn't know what to do with it, I still appreciated it. She recalls fondly, ‘he was always telling me “you’ve got to use this or apply that,” he was so nice.’

The Olympian also had another big source of beauty inspiration that she discovered at University. 'For my degree, I specialised in American History, particularly the 1920s swing era.. I've always been fascinated by how cultural icons express themselves. Beyond the Gatsby-era stereotypes of the 1920s, I examined figures like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, analysing their careers, influence on jazz, and their historical legacy. It was also an interesting period of history for fashion, particularly if you're a black woman. That era is still so influential today and you see a lot of brands that have modelled their [designs] off the shapes and the cuts from that time. I had so much fun looking into it.’

Does she rock any 1920s beauty looks in spare time? ‘I’m not into the makeup so much but I love the finger waves. One time I really wanted to take back my eyebrows [to the thin pencil-esque look that was popular back then]. Thankfully, the eyebrow lady ignored me and three months later, I was so happy she did! She trails off before adding ‘although Doja Cat is making me think I could maybe try that again!’ she says laughing.

Are there any female athletes whose looks you think are always on point, I ask. ‘The Polish hurdler Pia Skrzyszowska always looks flawless. Before a race I was watching her do drills and her highlighter and contour made her cheekbones look so sharp. My friend said she couldn’t see it, but from one makeup girlie to another I appreciated it. She also sometimes wears an incredibly neat, bright red lip and I've got no idea how she maintains it because she'll be running, and it's flawless.’

Track athletes have a reputation for looking unique, and Asher-Smith believes there are multiple reasons for this. 'The events are popular and draw crowds, and athletes often have only about ten seconds to perform. Plus, the diversity among competitors—ranging from body types to nationalities and backgrounds—means there are many different personality types. Whether an athlete prefers a masc dress sense and no makeup, full glam with long, brightly coloured hair, or something inbetween like me, it's all accepted and celebrated.'

She adds that going with your gut and is always a recipe for success. 'Ultimately, however you present yourself to feel confident, people are going to love it because at the end of the day, we're [athletes] are doing something really great and if that involves amazing nails, bright, hair and a full face of makeup, then that's cool.’

A voice for the future

While Dina may be the poster girl for someone who looks and feels confident, research shows that many girls still struggle with poor body image and self-esteem. Currently girls drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys and 60% of young girls worry about being judged by their peers for being ‘too sporty’.

'The statistics are heartbreaking and this is something that I'm super passionate about,' she tells me earnestly. 'Firstly, it's detrimental to public health because if girls stop doing sports in their teens, what happen to them in their fifties?'

Dina believes the key is to teach girls that their focus should be on what their body can do, not how it looks. 'Engaging in sport gives you a new appreciation for your body, you can go on journey and can set yourself challenges, no matter how big or small and in turn this only helps to strengthen your body confidence and mental health. This is especially important for young girls who 's only interaction with their body is "what does it look like?"'

As for how this needs to be done? She's adamant that conversation is key. 'I'd speak to the teachers, parents, carers and trainers and ask, what beauty ideals are you reinforcing when it comes to womanhood? Because we get to a point, say 16 years of age, where suddenly, being active isn't or developing muscles isn't cool. There also isn’t enough information or support around doing sport, when your boobs hurt or when you're cramping. These factors create a condition where sports becomes undesirable or uncomfortable.'

As for her message to young girls who are hesitant about doing sports? ‘There are so many incredible opportunities. Aside from the sporting achievement aspect, you can make new friends, learn new skills and even if you don't make it to a professional level then there are so many pathways into this multibillion dollar industry that you could unlock as a future career. From sports journalist, referee, presenter, the list is endless.'

Finally she adds, 'the message that I really want to get through to young girls is that it really is ok to fail. I'm epic failing all the time and that's ok, as long as I'm trying my best. It's vital to understand that it's ok to be bad at something. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses, particularly in sport but once you get a little bit better then overall, everything gets better as well. We're all human, so just try and enjoy it.'

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