“I have curls, but I was in love with a straightener for a long time,” American hurdler and Olympic medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and star of Olaplex’s new Designed To Defy campaign, tells ESSENCE. That said, emphasis on “hair repair has been crucial.”
How frequent textured hair should be shampooed is widely discoursed, but for an athlete, once or twice a week works depending on how dry it is and her workout schedule. Her four-step routine? Olaplex’s Perfecter, Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave-in. “The biggest thing I’ve learned,” like many people with textured hair, “is making sure my hair has the moisture it needs to keep its form throughout the day.”
And although she’s finally found her solid routine, “my hair has, at times, been something I just wasn’t confident in,” she says vulnerably. To her, the Designed To Defy campaign means “being able to show the beauty in the curls I used to have a tug-of-war with.” Now, taking care of her hair is an act of self-love.
In the campaign itself, industry-leading hair pros are tasked with styling healthy hair, instead of repairing the damage bleach, relaxers, and braiding hair often leave behind. “I’ve built my career on pushing back against outdated standards in the industry, especially when it comes to textured hair and how it’s represented,” says Naeemah LaFond, McLaughlin-Levrone’s hair stylist for the new ad. “We created two looks for the campaign to reflect that.”
In the first look, the hurdler was on the track tightening her wash’n go ponytail. “It felt very true to how she shows up in her day-to-day life—confident, effortless, and grounded in her authenticity,” LaFond—who focused on hydrating and defining McLaughlin-Levrone’s hair—says. “We gave her curls a healthy, radiant finish without weighing them down.”
From the track to the locker room, the second look was bigger and more voluminous. “When I presented the idea of really accentuating her curls and leaning into the volume, she was all for it,” LaFond says, bringing in the Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo. “People don’t always think to use volumizing products on curls, but it’s such a great way to create lift and structure,” she says.
As for what keeps McLaughlin-Levrone going amidst her busy schedule—be it starring in campaigns or trailblazing on the track? It’s all about centering her wellness routines. “Self-care is just about taking the little moments to make sure I feel confident before I walk out the door every day,” she says. “You, your beauty, and how you present yourself to the world does affect how you enter into everything else that’s set before you.”
Ahead, the hurdler is focused on her role as an athlete, which means training, competing, and pushing boundaries along the way. “I think that just fits so well with my role as an athlete of defying the odds of what’s possible in my sport.”
