Racing Car Driver Courtney Prince Shares Her High-Speed Makeup Routine
March 6 | 5 minute read
Words by Julia Lubitz
She may be one of the most successful racing car drivers in a historically male-dominated sport, but Courtney Prince has never shied away from showing off her trackside makeup look. Here, the Melbourne native shares how her career skyrocketed, what MECCA MAX products she uses on race day and how she has the most hydrated lips in motorsports.
Tell us about your road to racing: how did you get started in motorsport?
Courtney Prince: “I grew up on three acres in Melbourne so I would always ride dirt bikes around. I loved going fast and the thrill so much that I wanted to start racing motorbikes, however my parents did not think it was a great idea as many people break bones, so they said if I wanted to race I could race go-karts. When I was seven years old I convinced my parents to buy myself a go-kart and at eight I started racing around Australia. I achieved a lot of success in my go-karting career, I won quite a few championships, two Australasian Titles and was named the Rookie of the Year in 2014. When I was 16, I made the step up to car racing, starting in Formula Ford in an open wheeler car.”
Do you have any pre-race routines or rituals that help you feel empowered on the track?
CP: “Before a race I always throw a tennis ball to get my reactions and heart rate up. This makes me feel ready to go and prepared for when I hit the track.”
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced being a woman in a male-dominated sport, and how have you overcome them?
CP: “I started quite young in the sport so I never really thought about being one of the only females until I was older in car racing. Over the years you get quite thick skinned and nothing phases me now. However, when I first started in cars at 16 there was a lot of backlash for being a female in car racing, as there were hardly any females at this time. I have such a big passion for my sport – and to pave the way for young girls looking up to me – it does not worry me what others think. I have also had quite a lot of success and I receive a lot of respect from the guys that I race with and I feel a part of the sport.”
As a racing car driver, your world is all about speed, precision and performance — how does that translate to your beauty routine?
CP: “My life is so fast paced, from racing and training to work. When it comes to speed, precision and performance in my beauty routine, I am looking for products that last the whole day and that are quick and easy to apply in the morning. For events and race weekends having my helmet on and off all day, doing media commitments and taking photos with fans I rely on the products I use to wear really well throughout the day.”
We know you’re a fan of the MECCA MAX Zoom Zip Liner Liquid Eyeliner in ‘Cobalt’ — can you tell us more about your race-ready makeup looks?
CP: “On a race day I love to wear the MECCA MAX Off Duty Serum Skin Tint as a light base to give me a bit of colour, along with the MECCA MAX Off Duty Liquid Blush and Highlighter, MECCA MAX Off Duty Contour Stick and the MECCA MAX Whip Lash Tubing Mascara. If I am feeling bold I will also top it off with the MECCA MAX Zoom Zip Liner Liquid Eyeliner in a colour to match the car’s livery. Being at the track all day your lips get dry from the fuel fumes and also the wind, so I always have MECCA MAX Glaze Phase Lip Oil in my pocket to re-apply to keep my lips hydrated.”
At the MECCA MAX Beauty Pit Stop activation at the FORMULA 1 LOUIS VUITTON AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2025, fans can experience high-energy, fast-paced beauty. What’s your best tip for looking put together in record time?
CP: “My best tip for looking put together in record time is to have a beauty routine that you stick to and you know works for you. Find the products that wear well throughout the day and make you feel your best, then wear them everyday.”
Do you think makeup and self-expression play a role in breaking stereotypes in motorsport?
CP: “I believe in being your true self and if you wear makeup everyday then do not stop wearing it at the track, express yourself everyday and do not worry about what others think. Girls can race cars and do well, even with makeup on, you don’t have to be a tomboy to race cars.”
The GRAND PRIX is all about high energy and high stakes. How do you transition from the intensity of race mode to winding down and feeling like yourself again?
CP: “After a race day, once we have done our data on the races and our media commitments, then it is time to wind down. I normally sit in the team transporter and sort through my race bag and clean my helmet to have everything prepared for the next day. Then once I am done at the track, I go back to the accommodation and have a shower and do my skincare which makes me feel refreshed after a big day. The team normally goes out for dinner together, then after that I go back to my room and unwind. I go to bed early to be ready for the next day!”
If you’re heading trackside, visit the exclusive MECCA MAX Beauty Pit Stop Station for graphic eye makeovers or head to an in-store Beauty Lab to discover fast-paced makeup that turns heads!
MECCA MAX Beauty Pit Stop Station
Ready, set, zoom! Get your colour fix fast at the MECCA MAX Beauty Pit Stop Station for a graphic eye makeover, browse the Zoom eye collection, or kick up your feet in the lounge zone. Race you there?
When: 13 – 16 March
Where: Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, VIC
No booking required
MECCA MAX Zoom Beauty Labs
Want to create a race-ready look? Head to select Victorian MECCA stores for an artist-led Beauty Lab, teaching you how to create statement eyes and everyday looks in a flash using the best-selling high-speed, high-performance Zoom range.
When: 14 – 15 March
Where: select Victorian stores
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