Alysa Liu has had a massive 2026. This year, she earned the title of Olympic champion in both the women's singles and team events for figure skating, and was named a TIME Most Influential Person in Sports. Her influence on the sport, its fans and beyond was palpable as she redefined what it means to be a figure skater.
Off the ice, she's navigated a sea of change since earning her Olympic gold medal, including a skating tour, the Met Gala red carpet and a trip to Paris Fashion Week — not to mention a viral moment that sent the internet into a frenzy when she was caught reaching for her Rare Beauty lip oil right before hitting the podium.
Beauty and self-expression have remained very much a part of Liu's story. We sat down with her to talk beauty inspiration, adjusting to life after the Olympics and more.
How has it been settling back into life after the Olympics?
"The Olympics was such a cool experience, and then after, I started going to these events that I really never thought I'd be going to. Then I toured for two months, and I just finished that—so it's so much to process. But I've had a lot of fun, and I'm settling in pretty well. I really miss the other skaters, though. That two months [on tour] we did really bonded us, and a lot of us went to the Olympics together, so it kind of felt like we were riding the wave and now we're back at shore."
How was your first Met Gala experience? Was that always on the bucket list or something you never even imagined?
"I mean, it wasn't on my bucket list. I know some athletes have gone to it before. It wasn't in my cards, or so I thought. I never really thought about it like that. I was so focused on figure skating. It was such a cool experience, and I had a blast. I loved meeting so many people, and I loved working with the glam team and stuff to get ready for it; that was my favorite part."
I know you like doing your own glam, so how was it getting it done for the Met Gala?
“I have so much to learn, so I loved it. But, yeah, for competitions and stuff, I do my own hair and makeup. But I'm learning.”
Who were you most excited to see there?
“Hudson [Williams] and Laufey because I knew they were going to be there beforehand, and we were like, we could run it back.”
Since you love doing your own glam, what are some of your beauty must-haves for the summer?
"I mean, I love a smoky eye. Then, because I travel so much, and I will be this summer, the mini Venus razor ($9) is so cute, and it comes with a little travel case. It's been part of my routine the whole season and continues to be in the off-season too. And sunscreen. Those are the top three things."
Your beauty choices always seem so personal. What inspires you?
"I love visually pleasing things, so it's kind of whatever I like, whatever I fancy. I've had to experiment a lot to figure out what I like—which is a darker makeup look. With hair, I've had red hair and orange hair, and I really like this look for now."
Has the way you think about your style and beauty identity shifted at all now that you have such a massive public platform?
“My fashion taste has definitely, I would say, been refined over the past six months, but my preferences have honestly kind of stayed the same. I think I really understand my taste.”
