Tennis star Sloane Stephens has launched a new body care line

The US Open is on its way, and the tennis star Sloane Stephens played its first game at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Monday. She is one of the few African American women…Serena WilliamsAlthea Gibson, Venus Williams and Coco Gauff – who have won a Grand Slam title. And even though Stephens didn’t advance to the next round this season, she hasn’t let that stop her from growing as an all-star both on and off the court. Ahead of the tournament, Stephens announced the launch of her body care brand Doc & Glonamed after her maternal grandparents: Noel, a gynecologist, and Gloria, a homemaker, both of whom taught her how to take care of herself. “Not just physically, but mentally,” Sloan Stephens tells Well+Good.

The tennis star came up with the idea for the line during the pandemic when athletes were not allowed to freshen up in the locker rooms. “I wanted to create products that move with you, that you can take anywhere and still feel clean and fresh,” says Stephens. Doc & Glo’s lineup includes the 3161 Fragrance-free deodorant ($18), which uses enzymes to neutralize body odor, along with the 24/7 Hustle Deodorizing Body Mist ($22), a moisturizing spray with aloe vera and niacinamide to refresh your skin.

Both products are packaged in a reusable container in the chartreuse color of a tennis ball. “I wanted to make sure I created something functional that spoke to the core of my roots and made people feel good,” Stephens says.

Before Stephens performed at the 2024 US Open, I spoke with the new beauty entrepreneur, who told me all about the beauty practices and self-care tips that serve her on and off the court.

She’s serious sunscreen

“Before I leave the house or hotel room, I apply sunscreen.” says Stephans. “I never want to be caught without it again,” she says, adding that she applies a broad-spectrum SPF several times a day. “I’m serious about protecting my skin from harmful UV rays.”

Stephens says she has a few sunscreens on rotation for every situation. She is a fan of Matte sunscreen from Supergoop ($40), which disappears into her skin without leaving a chalky cast; she favors Barbara Sturm’s sundrops ($160) for her face on the field; and on humid days she opts for oil-free Neutrogena Sport Face oil-free sunscreen ($13). Stephens likes to use the rest of her body Neutrogena Sport Body Spray SPF 70 ($25), a formulation that allows her to easily access hard-to-reach areas, like her back.

She hates sweating

Despite competing in warm climates, Stephens says she doesn’t like feeling hot or sweaty, so she showers multiple times a day. In reality, she never keeps a protective hairstyle for too long because she doesn’t like her “scalp and hair to feel damp from perspiration,” she says.

Stephens occasionally wears a sewn-in weave, but will only keep that style for a short timeat. “The impacts leave me unable to reach my scalp, which is often soggy, and that’s just not an atmosphere,” she says. Stephens tries to keep her hair in braids, which makes it easier to clean her scalp. After a long day of practice, she blow-dries her braids to absorb moisture. Stephens says she tries to avoid using heavy hair products on most days so they don’t drip off her face when she sweats. Instead, she chooses Ceremonia Guava Leave-In Conditioner ($27), a lightweight cream that moisturizes and softens hair.

She loves masking as a form of self-care

‘I’ll do something kind of almost every night I mask something, whether it’s eye patches, a full face mask, a foot mask or a hand mask,Stephens tells me. She likes Tony Moly’s wide range of masks and is a co-signer of the Tony Moly Illuminating eye mask ($4). “I like that the brand has budget-friendly options because I use a lot of them,” she says.

Stephen tries stay away the use of cream masks in summer, when the heavy texture, combined with sweat, can give hair a ‘dirty’ feeling on humid days. She makes an exception in the evenings; she turns up the air conditioning and rubs the Summer Friday jet lag mask ($49) to hydrate and plump her face (especially after a hectic travel schedule). at night, Stephens doesn’t sleep until he’s applied a layer Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ($24) to keep her lips from getting dry.

She likes contrast therapy when her body needs a boost reset

“I get massages all the time because that’s par for the course when you’re an athlete,” Stephens says. “But I also do other things to help my muscles recover after training or an intense competition. Red and infrared light therapy are important tools that help me recharge.” Stephens loves her Higher dose of infrared PEMF ($700) mat, which comes with a layer of crystals to help heal the body and reportedly “restore” energy levels.

In addition, Stephens recently invested in a hot sauna and cold plunge pool at her home, which she uses daily. The heat exposure helps get the blood flowing, while the cold immersion helps reduce inflammation. “I love doing contrast therapy. I feel so fresh afterwards,” she explains. “It always makes my body feel looser and more energetic.”

The US Open now runs until September 8. You can tune in on ESPN and you can also follow Well+Good’s ongoing coverage of tennis stars with our Like a Champion series.