CELEBRITY
Simone Biles’s Inspiring Beauty Moments
Simone Biles’s Inspiring Beauty Moments.
The greatest gymnast of all time, Simone Biles, holds the record for the most wins in history, raking in a total of 41 medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships combined. Today, as the Olympian turns 28, ESSENCE looks back at all the beauty looks she rocked during her biggest moments: from tape-in extensions at the 2024 Paris Olympics to beam-proof acrylics at the US World Championships.
Throughout history, the greatest Black athletes of all time have had their beauty subject to criticism. Venus Williams lost a point at the 1999 Australia Open for a few of her iconic hair beads falling out, while Flo Jo received backlash for her acrylic nails, often being referred to as “ghetto.” The same criticism has been directed to Biles, who’s defended herself against anti-Black comments about her flyaways—even after having a Vault move named after her at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In other words: not only does her hair look fine, but when you’re tumbling through the air, how perfect it looks is the least of your worries.
And yet, she still makes sure she feels comfortable and confident, and that she’s having fun with her looks. Preferring bone-straight tape-ins for easier maintenance during competitions, she’s worn the style as a loose bun at 2023 World Championships and braided ponytail at the 2021 GK U.S. Classic. Sharing her beauty tips in a viral GRWM video on TikTok, not being able to have a hair and makeup artist while she competes means learning how to DIY. From applying her own eyelash extensions, like at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, to finding out which blush works best with her skin tone, her beauty routine appears to be an intimate moment of self-care during busy seasons.
BREAKING: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israel has launched a ‘preemptive’ strike on Iran, as Iranian state media report explosions in eastern and northern Tehran.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the biggest U.S. aircraft carrier, has left port near the Greek island of Crete on Thursday…
STATE OF ALERT: The State Department is allowing non-essential personnel working at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to leave Israel ahead of possible strikes on Iran.
BREAKING: Missiles have been launched from Iran towards Israel, says the Israeli military…
Live updates: U.S. military begins ‘major combat operations in Iran,’ Trump says…
DIVIDED STATES: Sen. John Fetterman said he was likely the only Democrat to shake hands with President Trump at the State of the Union, describing his side of the aisle’s conduct as “disappointing,” adding he found it sad so many of his colleagues didn’t show up…
LET FREEDOM RING: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shares what Americans can expect during President Trump’s State of the Union address tonight:
President Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential race after his initial opponent, then-President Joe Biden, withdrew over worries about his age and mental sharpness,” writes Aaron Blake…
PRESIDENT TRUMP reiterated his peace through strength foreign policy strategy during his State of the Union address…
‘AMERICA FIRST’: President Trump predicts jobs and investment will flood the country because “we finally have a president who puts America first.”
LINES DRAWN: President Trump says the first duty of the U.S. government is to keep American citizens safe…
