'It's not something to stress about': Aly Raisman takes on Olay's makeup-free runway with total confidence

Aly Raisman backstage at Olay’s “Face Anything” New York Fashion Week Make-Up Free Runway Show. (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Olay)
Aly Raisman backstage at Olay’s “Face Anything” New York Fashion Week Make-Up Free Runway Show. (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Olay)

As New York Fashion Week came to a close, Olay staged a makeup-free runway show that aimed to empower women to put their best face forward.

Part of the brand’s #FaceAnything campaign, which wants to put an end to the idea that women are “too” anything — from “too ambitious” to “too emotional” — the show included 19 fearless women. Among them were Olympian Aly Raisman, comedian Lilly Singh, and model Hunter McGrady, all of whom graced the runway without a bit of makeup.

In preparation for the no-makeup show, the women spent 28 days using only products such as Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer, Eyes Ultimate Eye Cream, and Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Fragrance-Free Moisturizer.

But Raisman had a more psychological approach to getting runway ready. “To be honest, there is so much going on around the world that when I started to feel nervous or self-conscious about walking down the runway without makeup, I reminded myself that, compared to what so many people go through, it’s not something to stress about,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle. “If I have a pimple, who cares? I’m just happy about the bigger picture.”

Regarding the campaign, she added, “Olay is always trying to change things. You see every beauty ad where models have perfect, flawless skin, and it’s not real. I think it’s really cool that Olay is passionate about changing that, and I hope other brands follow in their footsteps.”

While this is Raisman’s only fashion week endeavor, the athlete explained that right now, her career is all about seeing where each day leads. “I’m taking it day by day,” she said. “I have a lot of exciting things that I’m working on, but also just trying to take time for myself and just enjoy life. I’m just trying to wake up every morning and be excited about the day, which is very important to me.”

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