The makeup essentials Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders swear by on game day

Now that everyone on the planet with a Netflix account has finished season two of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, we can finally talk about the thing that's been on our mind since binge watching the show: the cheerleader's makeup.

Because although the dancers are sponsored by international beauty brands like Kiss, BaBylissPRO and Charlotte Tilbury, we can't quite wrap our heads around how they manage to make their makeup last through the blood, sweat and tears of training, rehearsals, and game day performances. 

Which is why we decided to do some research to discover the makeup essentials, as well as the tips and tricks the DCC swear by for makeup longevity. Lucky for us, a handful of the cheerleaders are full-time influencers — but the rest of their team mates are just as happy to share their pre-game GRWM's on TikTok and YouTube. 

Want to know the makeup secrets of America's sweethearts? Keep scrolling to discover their non-negotiable beauty essentials. 

1/ They never skip primer

"It's always important to start out with a great base for your makeup, especially if you're going to be going for 12, 16, however many hour, days," four-year veteran Kleine Powell explained via YouTube. She opts for a skin care infused option like Estée Lauder's Futurist Collagen Building Primer ($98 from MECCA) to help maintain the integrity of her skin through practice, rehearsals and game day performances. 

While, third year veteran, Reece Weaver, told her TikTok followers that elf's Power Grip Primer ($24 from Priceline) is one of her favourite products. "I honestly think I've been using it since high school," she shared in a recent GRWM. 

But we've also spotted recently retired DCC, Armani Latimer, using Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray ($60 from Charlotte Tilbury) as a primer on TikTok too.

2/ They layer their cheek products

Most of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have grown up performing in dance competitions, so they've learned little stage makeup tricks over the years that they've translated to the field for game days. 

To ensure their makeup is visible from the stands (and their blush lasts all day) the cheerleaders apply cream or liquid cheek products after they've laid down their foundation and concealer. Then they apply powder blush and bronzer in a similar shade over the same areas once they've baked and set their base with powder. 

Although all of the girls have their personal favourites when it comes to cheek products, we have spotted multiple dancers using Charlotte Tilbury's Hollywood Contour Wand ($60 from Charlotte Tilbury), Fenty Beauty's Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick ($49 from Sephora), and Tarte's Sculpt Tape™ Contour ($62 from Sephora).

But, according to Kleine Powell, placement is everything when you're aiming for stadium-worthy contour.

"I try to go in at the shadow of my cheekbone, but I place it a little more up to kind of give myself a face lift, and then obviously I've got to throw some on my forehead," she explained in a recent GRWM.

"I blend with a really large fluffy brush with really light pressure. I think sometimes I see people go in with really heavy pressure, and not only is it taking a lot of the product off, but it's probably putting it in places where you don't want it to go, so if you use lighter pressure it'll stick to the places you want it to be and leave a really pretty finish," she shared.

3/ Setting powder is a non-negotiable

The dancers don't just set their makeup. They bake with setting powder, and then they powder their makeup again at the end of their routine to really lock everything into place. 

"I just got more of the Huda Beauty Translucent Setting Powder ($70 from Sephora). This is my holy grail. It is my absolute favourite," Sophy Laufer said via TikTok recently while she was getting ready for training camp to qualify for her fourth season with the team. "Lots of sweating will be going on in rehearsal later, so the more powder the better!"

"I like to put [powder] near my eyes because I tend to get greasy there, and on my forehead — sometimes on my chin. But what I really like to do with the setting powder is really chisel out my cheekbone," Powell shared via YouTube. The veteran and her team mates Armani Latimer and Karley Swindel all use Make Up For Ever's HD Skin Setting Powder ($70 from Sephora).

"[This] goes on beautifully after applying and blending contour and concealer," Swindel told Page Six. "It’s one of those items you want to carry in your purse at all times."

But the cutest thing we've ever heard is that legacy cheerleader, Victoria Kalina, actually uses the same setting powder her mum, Tina Kalina, wore when she was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

"I'm going to take my Lancôme powder ($67.19 from Fragrance Net) — I swear by this, also my mum has been using this since back in the 80s — [...] it takes away any shine," she explained via YouTube.

4/ They've mastered applying false lashes

Kiss is one of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader's sponsors so the dancers have an endless supply of falsies for game days.

Kleine Powell has some of the best lashes we've seen on the field, and she recently admitted in a GRWM that she adores and exclusively wears faux lashes from Kiss.

"I've gotten so many compliments on my lashes, and they're literally Kiss," she admitted. 

Usually she wears the affordable brand's extension clusters ($21.99 from Priceline), but occasionally she'll apply a full strip lash (usually $15.99, now on sale for $12.79 from Priceline) — she just makes sure to cut them so they fit her eye shape better.

But Victoria Kalina swears by a classic set of Ardell Wispies ($10.99 from Adore Beauty) when she's dancing in training or on the field. 

"I count for an eight to let it dry, give a nice little blow, and then try my best to do it right the first time," she joked. "I always like to cover up where the lash is glued too, so that does sometimes make the eyeliner thicker."

"I always feel like lashes and liner always make a difference when it comes to your final eye look," she explained.

5/ Setting spray is their secret weapon

Naturally, the cheerleaders love Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray ($60 from Charlotte Tilbury), but they always have a few options in their makeup bags, because they go through so much of the stuff.

"[One Size's On Til Dawn Setting Spray ($60 from Sephora) is the] last minute touch up I swear by before any DCC performance," Armani Latimer shared via TikTok, joking that holding her breath is the key to the perfect application, because she spritzes her face for a long time. "My makeup stays flawless 90 per cent of the time."

The girls also have a few affordable holy grail setting sprays they swear by too, we've spotted Madie Krueger and Ava lahey both using L'Oréal Paris' Infallible Setting Spray ($25.99 from Chemist Warehouse). While Kleine Powell goes through bottles of Milani's Make It Last Setting Spray ($24.99 from Priceline) at lightening speed.

"I love to pat it in with my beauty blender," she said in a recent GRWM. "I feel like it gives such a clean and dewy finish."

Main image credit: @dccheerleaders

The DCC aren't the only ones with makeup tricks. Renee Rapp's lip liner is the same colour as her areolas, and she says it's the easiest way to find your perfect shade.