You don't have to follow rugby to know Ilona Maher. While she's done a lot for the sport, playing on the first U.S. women's Olympic rugby sevens team to medal in the sport in 2024, she's also made a name for herself off the pitch.
It's possible that you cheered her on during her stint on "Dancing With The Stars," where she quickly became a fan favorite and claimed the second-place spot. Or, you may have seen one of her many viral videos on TikTok and Instagram, where she has a combined 7 million-plus followers and often posts videos showing off her quick wit — and delivering some important messages about body image and beauty standards.
Her viral posts have touched on a range of topics, from celebrating different body types to explaining why BMI can be misleading. And she tells Shop TODAY, she feels it's important to post about these things because odds are, she's not the only one experiencing them.
"If I’m getting comments on my BMI, I know that somebody else is getting it," Maher tells Shop TODAY. "I feel like I have a voice now and I have a certain confidence that I can speak on it. And so if I have that, why not relate to these people who are feeling the same way? I think it’s cool, I don’t know if it’s a gift, an opportunity, but I have this. And so I want to make other people see that we’re very much so connected, very much so the same people. Yes, we’re all unique and cool in our own way, but also very similar."
While she exudes confidence and is regularly spreading messages of body positivity, that doesn't mean she doesn't have occasional moments of insecurity. In those times, Maher tells us, she likes to remind herself of how bodies, especially women's, are meant to change — something she's recently been keeping in mind while playing for the English rugby team, the Bristol Bears.
"I’m playing 15s rugby, which is less running, less fitness-wise. I’m not really in my normal pattern of eating," Maher says. "So my body’s getting a little bigger, but I’m just giving myself grace. This is the season I’m in now — there’s probably going to be a season when I lose weight, there’s probably going to be a season when I gain weight. So I think it’s about being very realistic."
As for when she feels most confident, unsurprisingly, it's when she's showing off her athletic prowess and the impressive feats her body can accomplish — and looking good while doing it.
"I personally love seeing what my body can do," Maher says. That can be on the field or in the gym, seeing how much weight she can add to a chin-up. "Also, doing it while I wear makeup — putting some makeup on and feeling great about it. I think that this whole idea that to be a powerful athlete, you have to leave your femininity at the door is just so outdated. And I think there’s a beautiful connection between the two."
Maher, who is currently partnered with Coppertone spoke to us about some of her current must-haves for our Shopping Diaries series, from her game-day makeup essentials to the item that TikTok made her buy.
Shopping Diaries: Ilona Maher
Coppertone Sport Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50
If it's not already clear, Maher tries to be authentic in everything she does — including with her brand partnerships. (Meaning, you won't find her talking about a product that she doesn't actually use.) "When [Coppertone] reached out, it felt so right because it’s a brand that’s been in my locker at the Rugby Training Center for years now."
She continues, "I have a really cool job in that I am out in the sun for hours and hours at a time — maybe not now in England, but when I play for the sevens, I am. I’m there in the morning, then I go back in and I’m there in the afternoon. So I’m always needing sun protection and I’ve learned that it’s never-ending, you have to consistently be putting it on. So I love the Coppertone Sports Spray and how easy it is. Before I head out to training, I have a minute left and I’m spraying it on quickly and it protects me."
Coppertone Sport Face Lotion, SPF 60
While the spray is her go-to, Maher says she also keeps the cream and face formulas stocked. "I like to keep some options because I'll give it to my teammates as well."
Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick
Maher has become well-known for her signature bold lipstick look which she can often be found wearing both on and off the rugby pitch. And her go-to is Maybelline's long-lasting liquid lipstick, because she says it "stays on through tackle and everything." (She has previously partnered with the brand.)
"I’ve always been a fan of lipstick, I think lipstick makes me feel good when I wear it," Maher shares. "And so [wearing it during matches] was also an 'F you' to people who said you can’t be feminine or be a certain way to play rugby. 'When you’re on that field, you should just be this way.' And I was like, no, I think you can do both. You can feel pretty and go stiff-arm."
Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
She also often wears mascara and brow gel during matches, because as she says, "I keep it simple, but I do like to look pretty."
Recently, Maher has been using this mascara from Tarte, which the brand says provides up to 24 hours of flake-free, smudge-proof wear.
TriggerPoint Grid 1.0 Foam Roller
As an athlete, recovery and prep play an important role in Maher's overall routine and this foam roller is part of her process. "When I can remember to stretch like I should before I train, I like to just hop on a foam roller for a little bit just to get everything moving or [get my muscles] feeling that sort of impact that they’re going to take soon."
Pliability app
She also uses this app, which is designed to help you measure your mobility and give you personalized stretching routines that will help you improve it. The app features different content hubs, each targeted to a specific activity or lifestyle, whether you're pregnant, spend all day in an office or are a professional athlete like Maher.
Moleskine Classic Notebook
If there's one thing she always keeps in her bag, it's this. "I always bring my little journal everywhere with me." Considering the year that she's had it's not surprising that she likes to write everything down — which she says she does. To make it even sweeter, Maher says that her mom is the one who buys her notebooks for her.
Newmowa 60 LED High Power Rechargeable
As someone who creates content for TikTok we had to know if Maher had ever been influenced to buy anything from the app — and unsurprisingly, she has (though she doesn't use TikTok Shop as much as you might expect). "I bought something from there a year ago or so, and it took so long to get to me, I was like, alright, I'm done."
She was, however, influenced to buy this viral phone light (nicknamed the "Alix Earle light" after the creator posted a video featuring it), along with a magnetic phone wallet. "The Alix Earle light, I do use for a selfie or two," she shares.
