Even for those who aren’t an enormous rugby fan, you’ve got most likely a minimum of seen Ilona Maher in your Tiktok FYP (I definitely have), and one factor a fast scroll by her feed will present (apart from her tremendous cool character and insane athletic chops) is that she loves magnificence. A lot in order that she even wears her signature purple lipstick throughout matches.
Maher is at present gearing as much as head to Paris to characterize the USA within the 2024 Olympics, so she has loads occurring. However past packing her luggage and different Olympic-athlete logistics, Maher’s having an enormous month with the launch of her very personal skincare line, Medalist Pores and skin. The Olympian’s first foray into magnificence as a model founder is a three-piece face and physique assortment geared to make you are feeling empowered and cozy whilst you’re energetic.
So, whether or not you are mid-workout or consistently operating round an enormous metropolis in 90-degree warmth (like I typically am), Medalist has the necessities to maintain you coated: Clear Sweep Cooling & Cleaning Wipes ($24), which work to appease and funky the pores and skin after a tricky exercise and can be utilized on the face, neck, or décolletege and even the underarms to refresh the pores and skin; The Sport Face Clear Pores and skin + Cooling Hydrating Spray ($20) made to hydrate the pores and skin pre or post-workout with hypochlorous acid plus niacinamide to disinfect and scale back redness; and—maybe my favourite a part of the lineup—an anti-chafe stick aptly named the No Fric Stick Anti-Chafe Balm ($20), which accurately saved my thighs within the sweltering NYC warmth
“The inspiration behind No Fric Stick comes straight from my coaching and competitors experiences as a rugby participant and Olympian,” says Maher. As a result of rugby is a high-intensity sport, chafing consistently impacts efficiency and luxury. “I wished to assist develop a product that not solely successfully prevents chafing, but additionally makes use of components which can be secure for the pores and skin and the athlete,” she says.
However the great thing about No Fric Stick is that it is designed to profit anybody who experiences chafing, whether or not you are a gym-goer or dancer or expertise pores and skin irritations throughout exercises or day by day actions like I do. And, for those who’re a triathlete, runner, or bicycle owner, No Fric Stick is a product you’ll be able to preserve in your gymnasium bag recurrently. “This product is tailor-made to stop chafing and discomfort attributable to friction, so you’ll be able to proceed to concentrate on coaching and competitors,” she says. No friction = no distraction, whether or not you are prepping for an enormous recreation or simply attempting to catch a practice.
The most effective half is: No Fric Stick does greater than your typical anti-chafe stick by working to hydrate the pores and skin barrier inside and outside. It has shea butter and aloe vera to assist soothe and shield the pores and skin on the skin, plus hyaluronic acid to assist it retain moisture. It is also appropriate for all pores and skin varieties and might be reapplied for steady safety. “It is designed to be long-lasting and sweat-resistant, and the derm-tested, waterproof balm creates a protecting barrier that helps forestall chafing all through your exercise,” says Maher.
No friction = no distraction, whether or not you’re prepping for an enormous recreation or simply attempting to catch a practice.
I’ve a irritating relationship with chafing myself (significantly throughout the summer season months), so I gave the No Fric Stick a whirl throughout an energetic, 90-degree day operating round to numerous appointments within the metropolis. The formulation is extraordinarily balmy and contemporary and has a cooling scent and if you put it on. I first utilized this within the morning earlier than I left my house for conferences downtown and threw it in my bag in case I wanted some reapplication. The balm really held as much as the humidity on the streets (and within the subway) fairly nicely—in actual fact, I did not must reapply it in any respect till later within the night earlier than my final occasion. “I really like that the stick format permits for exact software with out getting your palms messy in order that it may be used on the go,” says Maher. And she or he’s proper—it was discreet to hold in my purse and fast to reapply in a public toilet.
So far as irritation goes, there was none and my pores and skin felt calm and cozy all through the day. There was no feeling of warmth or burn, and it wasn’t oily or sticky. I’ve used it nearly day-after-day since that check, and it is held up nicely since. Maher shares that No Fric Stick is only one small piece of what Medalist Pores and skin stands for: efficiency, reliability, and take care of the feminine athlete’s (or, in my case, a frantic city-trotter’s) pores and skin. “We consider in merging the worlds of athleticism and skincare, providing options that not solely improve efficiency by stopping discomfort but additionally promote total pores and skin wellness and confidence,” Maher shares.
And for those who had been curious if Maher is bringing No Fric Keep on with the Paris 2024 Olympics this yr, the reply is a convincing sure, alongside along with her lipstick, in fact, which is exclusive to the standard makeup-free sport. “It is female and enjoyable in an area individuals typically simply affiliate with the toughness of rugby,” she says. In her free time on the video games (when she’s not recovering and conserving tabs on her new magnificence enterprise), she’ll be centered on consuming and sleeping nicely.
“Meals and fueling my physique correctly is a big a part of my journey,” she says. And it is no shock that this aligns precisely with the ethos of her new model: to redefine magnificence throughout the context of energy, resilience, and, most significantly, self-care. “We’re right here to help feminine athletes each step of the best way, guaranteeing they’ll carry out at their greatest whereas feeling nice in regards to the merchandise they use on their pores and skin,” she says. Personally, my thighs (and face and pits) are eternally grateful.
