Becky's blog on glamour in the pool

As a Masters swimmer with Perry Beeches SC, a swimming teacher and coach, Becky Smith spends plenty of time both poolside and in the water. With a history of working in the cosmetics industry, Becky lets us know why she always has time for a bit of glamour in the pool.

Glamour in the pool

Have you ever been pleased with your performance but not with your appearance? Well, I certainly have.

More often than not, I will go to a ‘Masters’ training session immediately after coaching the kids, rushing to get pool ready, the coach telling me to hurry up for missing part of the warm up. I hardly had enough time to get my make-up off.

So when training finishes and I enter the changing room, I am usually horrified with my post-training appearance in the mirror!

Mascara running down my face, big black panda eyes, lipstick disappeared and the dreaded goggle marks that make me look even older than I am and take an age to disappear and fade away. I probably look at least 10 years older than I actually am!

That’s when I thought surely just because I’m a swimmer it doesn’t mean I can’t be waterproof.

I remember when I was a kid, training four hours a day, make-up was never seen on poolside. My hair was bleached blonde, the kind of hair you couldn’t do anything with – tom boy comes to mind – but I didn’t give it a second thought. I was a swimmer and nothing else mattered.

Now though as I’m getting older and having worked for a while within the cosmetics industry, I am one of those women that loves make-up and am hardly ever without it.

Why shouldn’t I wear make-up in the pool?

I don’t mind admitting that I don’t like the ‘bare’ look and don’t see why I can’t wear some make-up at the pool!

Now many top athletes are competing with a full face of make-up on, nails done, and looking glam so why can’t we swimmers do the same? I know it’s not going to improve our performance but it might make some of us feel a little more glamorous in the pool.

There are many things we can do to feel that bit more glam if we want. Firstly, the swimming costumes on sale today are definitely big fashion statements on their own.

From the glittery type, bright and colourful, to the animal prints, the choice is endless. The cuts too; so many. So it doesn’t matter what size we are or whether it’s for racing or training, there is a glam look costume to suit everyone.

Then there’s our swimming caps (I hated wearing these as they never looked attractive!), but now with such a vast choice of colours and designs they can truly complement our costumes.

Maybe some of us also want to wear a bit of make-up in the pool. I do, but with so many products out there stating they are waterproof, it’s hard to know which actually really stop on.

Some people like that little bit of colour on their lips too (I do), but it’s hard to find a lipstick that stays on. Most lipsticks come off within seconds of being in the pool, or end up on the end of a drinking bottle!

The best way to find out your favourite is just to give some a try! I have tried plenty and now have my firm favourites.

I can’t finish without mentioning nails though; when talking about ‘glam in the pool’, manicured nails are a must. So many ladies get their nails done today as it’s a fashion statement on their own.

So ladies…..can we look glam in the pool if we want to?

The answer is yes!