Simone Biles isn’t just a world-class gymnast with a trophy case overflowing with gold—she’s also stepping into the beauty world with elegance, power, and purpose. Recently, she joined forces with K18, a cutting-edge haircare brand, and shared a deeply personal look into her relationship with her hair.
Yes, the same Simone who defies gravity is now helping redefine hair confidence for women everywhere—especially women of color who’ve long faced unrealistic beauty standards. Let’s dive into her empowering hair journey, her minimalist haircare routine, and why her new K18 campaign is making waves in more ways than one.
As the most decorated gymnast of all time—with over 30 medals to back the claim—Simone Biles’s hair spends more time upside down than most. “I’m constantly looking for products that can keep up with my routine—on and off the mat,” she tells ESSENCE. Known for competing in tape-ins, often installed by hairstylist Jazmine Johnson, her haircare routine requires an athlete-proof, yet easy line-up of go-tos.
“I definitely lean toward keeping things simple,” she says. Before the Olympics, for example, Johnson touched up her tape-ins with the K18 Damage Shield while the Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask helps prevent tension breakage from the bun Biles often competes in. “My schedule is always packed—whether I’m training, traveling, or just trying to enjoy some downtime—so I don’t have time for anything overly complicated.” And, when she’s really tight on time, replacing regular shampoo with the K18 AirWash dry shampoo is her solution to sweaty, post-training hair. “I like products that work with my fast-paced lifestyle.”
As the face of the new AirWash campaign, the gymnast has been in partnership with K18 for the past year. “When I first tried K18, I was immediately impressed by how effective the products were, especially in helping repair and strengthen my hair, which goes through a lot,” she says. While dry shampoo isn’t as common in the textured hair community (they often leave a white cast, especially when used over gel and foam), K18’s is a fuss-free option between shampoos. “[The AirWash] refreshes my hair without drying it out or leaving any weird residue. Plus, it actually helps support my hair’s health instead of just masking it. I always keep one in my bag.”
When she’s not on the mat, her hair routine is reaching new heights on the red carpet. At the 2025 Met Gala, her hairstylist Brenton Diallo created her flipped Josephine Baker-referenced bob. “Simone doesn’t normally do anything with a bang,” Diallo tells ESSENCE. But “it had a beautiful high-shine look to it.”
And, when she’s not on the red carpet, her everyday bare face is the ideal compliment to her minimal hair care routine. “[I give] my skin time to breathe,” she says, with her daily skincare routine consisting of just face wash and cream. However simple her beauty routine is, she finds what works and sticks to it. “Whether I’m training or on the road traveling, I try to keep my beauty routines consistent,” she says. “Maintaining hair health is a part of this—between training, being on the road, performing and everything in between, I look to constantly ensure my hair is being taken care.”
