I'm never sure if I should wear makeup when I play pickleball.

Sunscreen is a necessity, of course, but do I really want to show up with my bare face that’s only going to get redder while playing a game of singles in the sun? And what about my eyelashes? They’d be nonexistent without mascara. What if I’m there to meet the love of my life on the pickleball court? I have to look good without looking like I’m trying. 

With that in mind, I asked a few female pros what they wear makeup-wise at tournaments since they're constantly being photographed and filmed, and likely sweating all their products off anyway. 

Some women rock their natural beauty with nothing but sunscreen, while others broke down their makeup routines and shared their favorite products. 

Lucy Kovalova

Lucy always looks good on the court because she sticks to a plan.

“I start off with eyeliner and mascara, and I fill in my brows. Then, I use EltaMD sunscreen and Super Goop resetting mineral powder so I don’t get shiny. Then, lipstick,” she explained. 

Alex Walker, Kate Fahey and Dominique Schaeffer keep it simple with tinted moisturizer or tinted sunscreen with a little bit of mascara. After all, the girls need to give themselves some color when the cameras are rolling.

Anna Leigh Waters

I was very curious about Anna Leigh's approach in this department since she's always under the brightest of spotlights. 

“I tend to wear a light tinted foundation, but not a full face of makeup because it gets rubbed off by the first match. I don’t even know why I attempt to do it, but I’m on TV and I want to even out my skin color,” she shared. “Because of the acne medication I’m on, my face is really white, but then my body is super tan so it looks weird on Pickleballtv. I still try to put on some makeup even though it rubs off quickly,” said Waters.

Hurricane Tyra Black

Black is a fashionista.

She’s a pro who takes pride in her outfits, so I assumed the same would be true in terms of skincare. 

“I always wear mascara, and then I’ll usually put on a lip stain depending on how hot it is outside,” said Black. “Sometimes, I’ll put on concealer and foundation if it’s not too humid.” 

Lip stain is utterly brilliant. That’s a tip I’m definitely using when I hit the court. 

Alix Truong

Alix keeps it simple with foundation, mascara, and some concealer when needed.

I find it shocking that all these women wear makeup with how gorgeous their skin is. 

Parris Todd

“I usually wear tinted sunscreen that gives me a little bit of color. I try to wear sunscreen every time I step on the court. When we’re outside, I’m reapplying sunscreen three or four times a day,” said Todd. “It’s hard to maintain makeup when I'm playing because I’m sweating so much. My sweat bands would be covered in makeup, and that wouldn’t go with my outfit.”

Layne Sleeth

Sleeth usually rocks her natural glow, but if it’s an important match, she’ll wear tinted sunscreen and mascara to stay fresh. 

Ava Ignatowich

“I like to wear Glow Screen by Supergoop because I don’t want to look shiny. Then, I'll fill my eyebrows in with Anastasia Beverly Hills liner and brow gel,” she revealed. “On my lips, I like to wear L'Oréal lip gloss that’s the same color as my lips, so it doesn’t look like I’m wearing makeup.”

Bottom line, the pros always look stellar.

And I've learned that I need to try Supergoop, fill in my brows, and use a lip stain because it won’t rub off after a sweaty pickleball session. 

What’s your makeup routine like for pickleball? Share it with us on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).