Olympic champion, two-time European champion and 11-time world champion in synchronized swimming told BeautyHack about her new sports hobby, as well as her addiction to selective perfumes and pastes.
Surfing
I recently announced the end of my sports career. But the water does not let go so easily - this is my native element. Therefore, the main hobby at the moment is surfing. Fortunately, the ocean is fundamentally different from the pool I've spent my entire life in. I became interested in surfing in Bali, where I was treating a sports injury. We went there with a friend for two weeks, and in the end I stayed for three months - I studied at a surf school. It was love at first sight! Now I am practicing professionally. Who knows, maybe it will result in something more (by the way, surfing was added to the program of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which will be held in 2020. - Ed.). It is a pity that in Russia there is no opportunity to practice this sport all year round - I would very much like to popularize it here, tell and show everyone how great it is. Thank God, I have the opportunity to travel for work: just the other day I returned from a trip to the Seychelles. Arriving there, the first thing I did was to go for a drive.
It becomes difficult for any athlete who ends her professional career to keep her body in good shape. When I was a synchronized swimmer, I trained 10-12 hours a day, so there were no problems with my figure. Of course, I am a very active person, I have good genes (my mother still has a great figure), but there is one problem: I really like to eat. Now you have to control yourself, add active loads. I live near Gorky Park, so I try to ride with friends along the embankment on a skateboard, rollerblades, and play outdoor games. Three times a week I do fitness with a personal trainer at World Class Kuntsevo. Sometimes I swim in the same outdoor pool.
When I was actively exercising, it was vital for me to eat meat. Often I wanted something fat, sweet, plump - the body demanded, and all the loads burned.
Now, of course, I try to switch to fish and vegetables. Although my signature dish is tagliatelle with smoked salmon recipe from Belonika (on the Belonika website the pasta recipe is provided with a funny comment: "Fast. Incredibly delicious. Monstrously high in calories." - Ed.). By the way, I never really knew how to cook, but according to the books of Belonika it is simply impossible to make it tasteless!
Of the restaurants in Moscow, I like simple and inexpensive places like Correa's on Timur Frunze (I like to have breakfast there), Jean-Jacques, 8 Oz. in Gorky Park (I recommend trying the most delicious Thai soup in Moscow, tom kha, there). I love markets very much - every weekend my boyfriend and I go to Danilovsky. There you can not only buy fruits and vegetables, but also have a snack (with the freshest oysters, delicious soups) and buy a bouquet of peonies.
Beauty salons in Moscow
Previously, I often went to spa salons, I was probably in all famous places in Moscow, but now this hobby has passed - I have been ill. I would like to note the general level of the metropolitan service (it is worthy) and specialists (most of them are high professionals). Now I sometimes visit the Asian spa center "Spa in the Middle Kingdom" in the "Beijing" hotel, where my friend works as a manager.
I only trust Olya Rubets hair. Once a week I do Happiness for Hair, Collagen Care or Kydra's Sweet Color treatments in her Aura by Rubets salon. I do a manicure in the same place or run into the "Hair Dryer". Eyebrows - in the Brow Bar on Malaya Nikitskaya from any master.
Body care
I often joke that cold water is my personal beautician. As a rule, athletes who are involved in swimming look younger than their age. We, of course, are always pale (thanks to bleach), but fit. After a workout, you need a shower gel based on oils (such are the brands Kiehl's, Clarins have). Of the latter, I liked Bath and Shower Gel Exotic Verbena by Anne Semonin. Body cream is very important. He must be super fat, super tight to get rid of the feeling of tightness. My favorite is the Vetia Floris Sculpting Body Cream. Fantastic remedy: moisturizes, tightens, smoothes. I only use it. If I'm resting somewhere and don't want to lug a large jar with me, I take the all-purpose Nuxe or Carita oil with sparkles.
Face care
I am a devoted fan of the La Mer brand. I love and use all the tools because they really work! I get nervous if I forget to take a jar of moisturizer with me on a trip. In second place is Elizabeth Arden's classic Eight Hour Cream. At one time I had a problem: from the clamp, which all synchronized swimmers put on the nose, the sinuses of the nose were very red and dry. Nothing helped. Then my mother advised me to buy Eight Hour Cream (this is her favorite remedy), which saved me. Then I began to apply it on the cuticles, and I always take the lip balm of the same name with me on the flight.
Hair
I am a natural blonde, although many do not believe - they think that I am toning or dyeing. I try to take good care of my hair, because sea and chlorinated water spoils it a lot. I have tried a lot of everything: at one time I "sat" on the Envy Professional brand, and now I discovered the Aussie brand - budget and efficient.
Fragrances
I have a huge collection of fragrances for every mood. If I want to please myself, I buy a bottle of perfume. I love selective perfumery shops. For example, MOLECULE on Patriarch's is an excellent choice. French pharmacies are a storehouse of unusual rare fragrances. My secret hobby is the summer limits from Escada.
Byredo's floral-fruity Pulp has been my favorite perfume for many years now, it personifies me. Sweet but slightly bitter. When I wear it, I always get compliments.
Makeup
Katya Ponomareva (the leading MAC makeup artist in Russia) paints me for official events, I like working with Marina Roy and Olya Charandaeva on the set. They are recognized professionals: you just sit down and relax, because you are confident in the result.
Everyone thinks that synchronized swimmers use almost face painting for performances. In fact - the most common means of different brands (each has its own set of favorite brands). These are mainly MAC, Make Up For Ever, Dior and Chanel. There is nothing special. The set is as follows: bold black eyeliner, shadows, the color of which depends on the suit, blush and red lipstick. We don't use ink. A performance in the water lasts three minutes, so nothing will leak during this time. In general, we think about makeup last. And there is no time to draw clear straight lines. Everyone should look the same, five minutes and you're done. The hand is full.
My recent find is Urban Decay Naked Glitter in the right flesh tone. For my face I use BB creams (I especially liked the cushion from 3Lab), and for evening outings I use Gucci Face by Gucci. In general, the Gucci brand is my favorite. It was only in her arsenal that I found the perfect mascara for myself, Infinite Length Mascara, with a small neat brush that perfectly stains the eyelashes.
I have a myriad of lipsticks. There are about 50 shades of MAC alone! My favorites are Russian Red and Ruby Wood. From the latest discoveries - a matte red pencil of the Russian brand Romanovamakeup.
I really like the history of limited editions at MAC. For example, I recently couldn't resist a creamy, champagne-toned radiance from the MAC Vibe Tribe summer collection in a bold ethnic package.
We would like to thank the Caffe Del Parco cafe (Moscow, Komsomolskiy prospect, 7) for providing the location for the shooting.
