We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Featherweight Boxing Champion Ramla Ali On Why 10 Hours Sleep And Hot Yoga Are Her Secret Weapons

Plus why her trainer had to break her nose in the name of beauty.

By Charlotte BitmeadUpdated: 12 November 2019

Ramla Ali is an unstoppable force. Not only did she become Featherweight Champion in 2019 but she is also the first boxer (female or male) in history to have won an international gold medal whilst representing her home country, Somalia (where she was a war refugee before moving to England).

Surprisingly, the boxer didn't have her first proper fight until she was 18, after her mother encouraged her to start thinking about her health. And, as they say, the rest is history. Despite currently training for Tokyo's 2020 Olympics, Ali still manages to take time out to focus on all things self-care, wellness and her minimal beauty routine.

Amidst her manic training schedule,ELLE sat down with the Pantene brand ambassador to discuss all things beauty and that time her trainerhad to break her nose in the name of beauty...

I hit the sack at...

...10pm, latest 10.30pm. So boring, I know.

I wake up at...

...8am. Don’t judge me, I get about 10 hours’ sleep a night. My training starts at 10am.

The first thing I do in the morning is...

...wash my face with a Dermalogica cleanser. My skin gets really dry overnight, so I follow it up with a moisturiser that containsSPF 30 to protect against sun damage.

The last thing I do at night is...

...minimal. I don’t really wear make-up, but my go-to is mascara; it really changes a person’s face.

View full post on Instagram

My exercise regime...

...is extensive: I train six times a week, twice a day, with Sundays off. I have a two-hour session in the morning and the same in the evening, so four hours a day. It’s a mix of strength training, conditioning, track work and boxing, so I never get bored.

When I look in the mirror I see...

...a strong, powerful woman. It’s taken a very long time, but I’ve learned to love my hair. It has become a key part of my identity. I love this new wave of acceptance of natural hair.

My must-do beauty habit is...

...always exfoliating my face after sparring. People don’t clean their gloves and the germs can cause breakouts. It’s the first thing I do, no excuses.

View full post on Instagram

My greatest beauty discovery is...

...from my hairdresser, who told me to stop using products containing sulphates as it dries out my hair. Pow: mind blown. It changed everything.

My current state of being is...

...calm and zen because it’s my day off from training.

The craziest thing I've done for beauty was...

...having my nose broken. I had my coach break it back into shape after a fight. If you don’t do it there and then, it sets in place, and I couldn’t live with a crooked nose. It’s the most painful thing that’s ever happened to me. Well, ask me again when I’ve given birth.

View full post on Instagram

My body is...

...my temple. There was a period when I was younger and 60lb heavier when I took my body for granted. But since I started boxing for a living, I’ve lived with a strict diet and discipline for more than a decade.

My beauty secret is...

...wash conditioner out of your hair with cold water to lock in the moisture and make it glossy.

I deal with stress by...

...doing hot yoga. I get scared that if my muscles are cold I’ll pull something, which would set me back at least six weeks of training. At the end of the session you lie back and think of why you’re there – it’s the most peaceful five minutes.

Ramla Ali is part of the Pantene Power of Hair Power Squad.