Lindsay Brewer’s Beauty Routine On and Off the Track

While some athletes’ success stories feel cookie-cutter, Lindsay Brewer has always done things differently. At age 11, she found her calling for racing by attending a go-kart birthday party. After outracing everyone in sight, the track owner suggested she look into go-karting more seriously—a popular gateway into the professional racing arena. Fast forward to age 17, Brewer began racing cars and won the National Legend Car Championship in 2015. But instead of heading straight into a career, she put her momentum on pause to go to college. 

“I had to take a four-year break for university because it’s such an expensive sport, and my family wasn’t able to financially support me in racing. I didn’t know if I was ever gonna race again. So I got a business degree from San Diego State and graduated in 2019,” explains Brewer. “During that time, I was able to build my social media [following] and share my life and car content.” Focusing on her platform helped her secure brand partnerships, which allowed her to resume racing full time. In 2024, she became the first American female since 2007 to compete in the Indy NXT series. 

While Brewer’s influencer approach to help fund her sport is genius, it is also not traditional. Taking a glance at her social media, you will find her love for fashion and beauty runs as deep as her passion for the sport. Presentation is everything, which Brewer tells us is not common for other female racers. “I’ve had hate from other women in racing because of [my look]. They fit a certain mold, they don’t wear makeup, they’re intense. They want to be taken seriously as women, so they are very serious,” she explains. “But just because I’m girly doesn’t mean I’m not a serious competitor. Society in general tries to categorize you into a certain box, but you can be outside the mold and be who you are.”

From capturing her experience behind the scenes at races to attending red-carpet events and premieres, Brewer has mastered bringing her audience along for the glamorous ride. “I want to share content with my followers and I want to look my best online,” she says. “When I wear makeup, I feel more confident, and then I actually perform better on the racetrack.” 

This year, she returned to the track driving with the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for RAFA Racing. Ahead of the season, Brewer shared how she prepares for a race, the products that hold up on the track, and the beauty routine that has become her armor.

On Her Relationship with Beauty

I’ve always loved beauty. I have hair extensions. I put highlights in my hair. I have fake nails. I love wearing makeup.

Being a woman in a male-dominated sport, like racing, sometimes you don’t get taken seriously if you’re wearing makeup or you dress up. Beauty is my armor, and it empowers me. I’ve always had a great relationship with my inner beauty. It’s something I really enjoy.

Her Pre-Race Routine

I do a full beat before I go on the track. Most of the content I post on social media is racing, and I want to share that with my audience. So I wanna look good and feel good while doing it.

I always reach for a tinted sunscreen or moisturizer [on race days]. The tinted sunscreen from Peter Thomas Roth is probably my favorite product. [If I want something more like foundation], I wear the YSL Nu Bare Look Tint because it feels super lightweight. I wear that on top of my tinted sunscreen because it gives me full coverage, but it’s not heavy. When I sweat a lot, I want it to still feel like my skin and not cakey.

Then I put on mascara and eyeliner and pretty much do my full makeup routine. I like the Benefit Bang Mascara and Roller Liner Liquid Eyeliner. They really stay put. I also wear Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Ionic Nude lip liner. 

On Her Hair

My hair is naturally really curly—poofy and wavy—so I try to have it smoothed out so when I have to put on my helmet, I can just tuck it back in a low ponytail or braid. 

[My extensions] are a sewn-in weft. It’s the only type of extension I don’t feel when I have the helmet on because it’s so flat to my head. Whereas with tape-in or K-Tips, I could feel the individual strands pull more with the helmet.

I have bleached and damaged dry hair. Especially with the sweat and the tugging and friction from the helmet. I put in extra oils like the K18 oil or Leave-In Repair Mask after a race. I need the reparative benefits.

Her Minimalistic Skincare Routine

After [being in the car], I feel so gross that I have to do an everything shower. Any time I race or have my helmet on, I wash my face just to feel clean. Lately, I’ve tried to use cleansing balms versus wipes. But on a day-to-day basis, I’ll just use a makeup wipe to take my glam off and then put on a face lotion. 

On Regular Manicures

Recently, I have been doing dip manicures. I also do gel X once in a while—especially if I break one nail. Hard gel or dip just stays on so well. Currently, I have a light pink chrome manicure, but I typically always have a classic almond-shaped French tip. [Long nails don’t] bother me while I race because the gloves go to a point. I have broken a few nails getting in an accident or trying to avoid an accident, but it doesn’t bother me.

On Race-Day Fragrance

I love fragrances. I’ll just throw travel-sized bottles in my bag, and I’m like, oh, this is the scent for today. I like anything fresh or floral—I’m not really into really sweet perfumes. I really like Giorgio Armani Si and Aqua de Gioia. 

Race Day Makeup vs Going Out

I would say the biggest difference is the timing. We have to be at the track so early, and I’m not a morning person. When I’m home, I can get ready at my leisure and take my time to put on bronzer or contour my nose and experiment with highlighter, blush, and eyeshadow. 

When I’m at the track, I do what I know looks good—I stick to the basics. A basic foundation, a little bit of bronzer, eyeliner, mascara, and a lip, that’s it. It’s a toned-down version [of my normal glam] because I don’t have time to get ready. Whenever you put your helmet on, you have to reapply your makeup quickly. I’ll use whatever leftover foundation is on my It Cosmetics Brush and quickly apply it all over my face. 

Post Race Self-Care Rituals

[After a race,] I put my AirPods in and just rest. I like to read a lot. So I’ll make sure to read my book just to get my mind off a bad race or a practice day that didn’t go as well as I wanted to. I listen to a lot of classical music. My top four songs on my Spotify Wrapped were all classical songs. When I need to decompress, I put on [a playlist], read a book, and immerse myself in a different scenario. 

Her Getting Ready Playlist

For race day, I listen to pump-up songs, like Meg Thee Stallion or Cardi B. I love female rap before a race because I feel like a bad b*tch. When I’m at home and getting ready to go out, I listen to Lana Del Rey, Taylor [Swift], or Phantom of the Opera. [The playlist] is something soothing. I wanna feel like a princess getting ready. Then on race day, it’s a complete vibe switch. 

Advice to Other Females Looking to Break Into Racing

I would just say it’s gonna be tough. You are going to get haters. There are going to be people talking about you, and there will be things that you’re not gonna wanna hear. People will be extra hard on you, but you can’t let that stop you. You always have to keep pushing. There will be times you’ll want to give up or think you’re not good enough. If I make a mistake as a girl, that means it’s because of that. You can’t let that bother you. You have to keep pushing even when it does bother you. It’s so cheesy, but you can do anything you set your mind to. You just have to put in the work and believe in yourself and the truth.