Auto-Refill: Our favorite beauty pros share the products they love — the ones so good they’ll make you hit that little “auto-refill” box at checkout.
Photo: Erika Long / Adidas
In 2025, WNBA player Hailey Van Lith’s rookie year ended prematurely in a devastating injury, ankle surgery, and rehab to get back into shape. But as the 21-year-old basketball star told me in April, she’s 100 percent cleared and more than ready for the 2026 regular season. “I’ve been fully participating in training camp, and my body feels younger than it ever has,” she says. And just two days after the Chicago Sky waived Van Lith on Monday, she found a new home with the Connecticut Sun; she’ll be making her debut tonight, when the team opens its season in Brooklyn against the New York Liberty.
Along with her return to the court, Van Lith plans to bring back an iconic look that longtime fans will remember: the signature Dutch braids she used to pull out for games, which she retired at the tail end of her college career. “I went through a tough year during my senior year of college, and I started trying to redefine myself,” she says. “I gave myself my year at TCU and my rookie year in the WNBA to find myself. Now I’m in a place where I feel confident enough in who I am, and I’m ready to bring back that iconic part of who I used to be.”
The rest of her beauty routine also plays a role in her preparation for games, whether it’s the skin-care lineup that keeps acne at bay or the blush that sticks to her face like glue no matter how much she sweats or how many times she wipes her face with a towel. Below, she breaks it all down for us, including the fragrance she keeps on hand for special occasions, the bodywash she uses when she showers three times a day, and the hair oil that has earned loyalty from three generations of women in her family.
My routine has changed since I went through rehab. I used to be very relaxed with my morning routine. But I’ve learned that I’m a morning person, and starting my morning early helps me have more productive days and better energy. During the past seven months, I’ve been getting up at 6 or 6:30 a.m. every day, regardless of my training schedule. I love tea. My favorite is JusTea Purple Jasmine. I don’t do coffee, but I have started experimenting with matcha.
Want to be emailed about sales and other updates to your saved products?
Success! You’ll get an email when something you’ve saved goes on sale.
Yes
I like to start workouts around 8 a.m. But before that, I’ll splash cold water on my face to get me awake and then put on my morning skin care. I use a lot of Zo Skin Health products, and the Illuminating AOX serum has helped with my under-eye bags a ton. It also hydrates my skin and makes it bouncy and glowy. Because I play on indoor courts, I’m often inside when I could be getting a tan, and sometimes I’m way too pale on the court. If I need to add a little color to my face to look alive, I love to use Coco & Eve Face Tanning Micromist. I spray that on before I put on my moisturizer, and it’s the perfect tint that it gives me a little bit of life but I don’t turn orange. I’ve struggled a lot with moisturizers because if they’re too heavy they break me out. I use Zo Skin Health Growth Factor Serum as a moisturizer. It’s light enough that I can use it multiple times a day, and it keeps me fresh without getting too oily. For sunscreen, I like HydroPeptide Solar Defense. It’s tinted, and it smells incredible.
If I’m going to the gym, that’s usually it. If it’s more of an off-day vibe, I put some makeup on. I love Rhode products. I really like the blush in the shades Juice Box and Toasted Teddy for a bit of a bronzed look. I’ve been experimenting with freckles. I really like how it looks on people who do it well, so I got the Beaubble x Rudi Berry Freckled Pen. It’s so fun. I love the Merit tubing mascara. It has to be tubing for me since I wash my face so much — I just need it to come off right away. I can’t wash my hair after every workout, so I have to let it be oily and sticky to a certain extent. And I hate playing with hair in my face, so I love a good slick-back bun or Dutch braids. I use the Davines OI Oil. It’s generational — my grandma used it, my mom uses it, and now I use it.
My evening routine is very simple, mostly because I’m so tired. After I get out of the shower, the only product I use is the Zo Skin Health Recovery face cream. It’s heavy enough to where it really hydrates my skin after I’ve washed it so many times throughout the day. If I’m feeling like I want an extra glow, I use the WellNature It’s Giving Glass Skin mask. I do it overnight, so I sleep in it. Another mask brand I love is Knesko. I specifically love the gold eye and face masks.
I use Kosas concealer in 3.5. It blends well with my skin. I use the Hourglass brushes for everything. My blush for games is the Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil in Perfect Pink. It’s creamy, and it stays — it does not move. Someone could slap me in the face, and it would still be on my cheeks. The color also pops on-camera so well, and it has a little bit of a shimmer so it almost looks like I have highlighter on, too. The gloss I wear for games is the Laneige lip balm in Berry. Then I apply the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel and the Merit mascara.
My everyday perfume is the Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 87 Rio Radiance perfume mist. But if I’m going to an event or something special, I like Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia.
Want to be emailed about sales and other updates to your saved products?
Success! You’ll get an email when something you’ve saved goes on sale.
Yes
Want to be emailed about sales and other updates to your saved products?
Success! You’ll get an email when something you’ve saved goes on sale.
Yes
I have morning workouts and night workouts, and I shower after both. If I have a separate lifting or conditioning session, I shower after that, too. I like the Zo Skin Health Hydrating Cleanser. My mom begs me to wash my hair more. I refuse because my color lady says I’m washing my color out every time, and hair appointments are so expensive. So when I’m in season, I wash it around two times a week. I’m an Olaplex girl. This year, I’ve also started incorporating the Paul Mitchell blonde shampoo because it helps keep my hair looking fresher and cooler. I always use Dr. Bronner’s lavender bodywash. I love the smell, and I can use it multiple times a day without causing any issues. After I get out of the shower, I apply Palmer’s Cocoa Butter all over my body. But I recently got some new tattoos, and I rub the Aestura cream on those areas.
I get a lot of hair breakage in the front from pulling it back so often. The Divi Scalp Serum has helped a lot. I use it as soon as I get out of the shower, and I’ll blow-dry it into my hair. I use the IGK Good Behavior heat protectant when I blow-dry to keep my ends from splitting and to keep everything smooth. Also I love Slip silk hair ties because they don’t rip my hair out. I think I have them in every color.
I went through rehab for the first time in my career this offseason, and I’ve been able to try different modalities and figure out what I want to move forward with as a pro. I’ve found that a lot of intensive mobility, Pilates, and band work has been what makes me feel and perform best on the court, rather than lifting weights or pushing a ton of weight. Because of that, I’m able to make sure my hips, back, and core are strong. I don’t even need a weight room anymore — I just need a mat, a band, and maybe a block.