It's Cowgirl Summer: 5 Beauty Secrets From Real-Life Horse & Bull Riders

Everybody wants to be a cowgirl — or at least look like one. “Cowboy core” has touched the styling routines of even the most city-obsessed among us. At this point, who among us doesn’t own a pair of cowboy boots (even if you wear them because they look cute a mini-dress and sparkly bag, instead of, well, for cow-wrangling)? The trend’s reach is evidenced by niche spinoffs like the “coastal” and “gothic” cowgirl aesthetics, the virality of Beyoncé’s buzzy Cowboy Carter album, and a host of recent runways that feature denim vests, chaps, and plenty of leather fringe.

There’s also the models-on-horses effect: think Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid riding through the Parisian scene at Vogue World, or Bella Hadid’s visual odes to her idyllic farm life and Insta-snaps featuring boyfriend and cowboy Adan Banuelos in action. Who can forget her photos in the ring that looked straight out of a scene from The Longest Ride? And don’t even get us started on 2024’s “Texas hair” trend — bigger, teased-up, and sprayed to the heavens in a way that’d make Dolly Parton proud.

In short, it seems everyone’s cowgirl (and boy)-obsessed. But what do real cowgirls think of it all? And how do they actually protect their hair and skin from hours spent with horses in the blazing sun? Bustle investigates.

The Cowgirl “Ideal”

While the beauty industry may refer to Sabrina Carpenter’s hyper-glamorous fringe as “cowgirl bangs,” actual cowgirls handle their daily routines a little differently. Still, the realities of working with and riding horses (or bulls) have never stopped pop culture from glamorizing the lifestyle.

“Women in the public eye have always faced pressure to align with contemporaneous beauty standards, which is why when we look at cowgirl pinups like Dale ‘Queen of the West’ Evans, her image is very much Hollywood glamour as opposed to realistic rodeo rider,” says Rachael Gibson, also known as The Hair Historian. According to Gibson, actresses like Evans and country musicians like Patsy Cline helped to popularize this version of the Western aesthetic throughout the 1940s and ‘50s, continuing throughout the decades with actresses like Uma Thurman in Even Cowboys Get the Blues or Claudia Cardinale and Brigitte Bardot in Les Petroleuses. “A lot of the beauty moments inspired by cowgirls are a kitsch, romanticized reimagining of the aesthetic versus a direct correlation,” she says.

Take Texas hair, for example. “Big hair, which is so intrinsically linked with Texas, country music, and Southern style, is perhaps not the most practical style to wear with a hat when you're on a horse or mucking out a stable, but it takes an imagined aesthetic and dials it up for impact,” says Gibson. “Real women in rodeo have generally opted for a more utilitarian look — tied back, braided, or otherwise covered and secured.” Flamboyance, when present, tends to come with practicality in mind, save for some ribbons and bows. “I definitely enjoy watching old Westerns — Jane Fonda and people like that have an influence, not just image-wise, but their personalities,” says Kensee Auld, founder of clothing brand Western Gringa. “A lot of the women in John Wayne movies are very fun, free-spirited, and goofy.”

Still, in terms of style, the media’s depiction doesn’t always translate. “As someone who has seen media change over the years, there’s still a strong will to showcase ‘cowgirl’ as a fantasy, especially in fashion,” says Caitlin Gooch equestrian, advocate, and founder of nonprofit Saddle Up and Read. “I know it’s cute and people look so nice in their outfits, but cowgirls do deserve respect.”

How Real Cowgirls Clean Up

“I always kind of struggle to paint an accurate ‘day in the life’ of a rancher,” says Natalie Kovarik, cattle rancher and co-host of the podcast Discover Ag. (“Think: Bella Hadid and cutting horses, Taylor Swift growing up on a Christmas tree farm, or Hailey Bieber’s milk connections, but also important food topics like Chick-fil-A’s antibiotic use,” she says of the topics she discusses on her show.) “Our lifestyle is really lived in seasons more than days.”

Whether she’s prepping for calving season or riding horseback through the summer, Kovarik favors less-is-more beauty, a sentiment shared by all of the cowgirls we spoke to — even the ones who go big for social media. Cowgirls prefer plaits (or in Gooch’s case, locs), sensible makeup, and plenty of SPF. After all, horse pros spend their time saddling up outdoors, doing workouts and drills, tending to their animals, and (in some cases) editing content for social and beyond. Utility is key.

1. Keeping It Natural

“I know on Instagram I have all this makeup on and the whole glam, but when I’m not taking photos I’m never wearing makeup,” says Auld. “I don’t want it on my face. When I am wearing makeup, I lean toward drugstore brands and try to wear them as little as possible.” Auld considers Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara to be her only makeup mainstay, accompanying a spartan-yet-effective beauty routine.

For skin care, she gravitates towards more natural products. “Castor oil has changed my life completely — I have severely dry skin and tried so many products, and nothing seemed to work for me,” says Auld. “Using more natural things really worked for me in the end.” Similarly, Kovarik’s skin care routine consists of dry brushing, a few products from Toups and Co. Organics, and beef tallow, applied as both lotion and face moisturizer.

2. Quality Headwear

Kovarik embraces a similarly simple regimen, supplemented by the requisite headwear. “As you can imagine, I tend to spend a majority of my days outside in the elements, so naturally I’ve become quite fond of adding a hat for sun protection,” says Kovarik, who recommends Stetson, American Hat Co., Montana Territory Hat Co., or Warbonnet Hats for those in need of a ten-gallon topper. (“The trick to wearing a cowgirl hat and having it feel authentic is to always get it shaped!” she shares.)

If hats aren’t your thing, consider a scarf. Gooch keeps her locs cleansed, covered, and protected with a silk scarf. “My locs are down my back, and they stay wrapped in a silk scarf while I’m on the farm,” she says, noting that this also keeps her hair moisturized. In keeping with the utilitarian theme, silk is the only mandate for Gooch’s scarves, and, like makeup, hair products are a non-starter. “I don’t add much to my locs because I don’t want them to have build-up in them,” she says. “If I need to moisturize them, I use a mist bottle with water.”

3. Adding A Feminine Touch

You can usually find bull rider Jorden Halvorsen in a braid or ponytail with a ball cap or cowboy hat, but that’s not to say she doesn’t appreciate some Western glam. “Cowgirls are rough on the trail but love to clean up,” she says. “I’ve definitely gotten more girly over the years. I love having fake eyelashes.” Halvorsen favors Classic Lashes from Pro Lash (“I wear them just about every day!”) and a layer of Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream for coverage and protection. “It keeps it very basic but gives me that feminine edge,” she says.

4. Never Skipping SPF

Meanwhile, Gooch eschews makeup entirely. “I have probably worn makeup five times in my entire life,” she says. But SPF, specifically Black Girl Sunscreen (Gooch wears level 50), is essential. “It rubs in easy and does not leave a white cast on my skin,” she says. Aside from sun protection, self-care is paramount. “I love taking care of myself,” says Gooch. “Due to being outside with so much dirt and animal hair, washing my face is important. I keep it simple.”

5. Trusting The Basics

Even teenage cowgirls keep things minimal. “Usually, when I ride, I have my mascara done with my sunscreen, and my hair in a side braid,” says 17-year-old rodeo rider Najiah Knight, whose father is also a bull rider. “My beauty look doesn’t change on rodeo days. I think the only thing that changes is my hair. I never wear it in a side braid unless I'm riding.” Knight relies on Supergoop Glow Screen Golden Hour, a coat of L’Oreal Telescopic Original Waterproof Mascara in Blackest Black, and a swipe of Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lip Color in Peppy.

Though our pop culture cowgirl obsession comes with an excess of glitter, glam, and flash not necessarily preferred by actual riders and ranchers, the collective enthusiasm is welcome in the Western world. “Being a cowgirl is cool,” says Halvorsen. “We’re hardworking, determined, and tough. It’s neat to see the ‘cowgirl’ being celebrated for these characteristics.”