20 Amazing Bodies of Miss USA Winners
Throughout history, the title of Miss USA has been bestowed upon a plethora of remarkable women who shine not only in beauty but also in intelligence, drive, and purpose. These women have used their platforms to voice concerns, share personal stories, and inspire many. From breaking stereotypes, advocating for mental health, standing up against bullying, to sharing their unique beauty and wellness routines, every Miss USA titleholder has a story to tell. Here, we delve into the unique journeys of 20 amazing bodies and minds of Miss USA winners, highlighting their personal struggles, triumphs, and the messages they hold dear to their hearts.
In addition to being Miss USA, Nana Meriwether was also a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Search finalist. She shared her reasons for wanting to enter on the publication's website. "Hardly any funding ever goes to women-led businesses, even though on average, companies built by women generate greater revenue and higher returns on investment over five years versus brands built by men. In fact, only 2% of venture capital goes to women and less than 1% to African American women. Hardly any funding ever goes to women-led businesses, even though on average, companies built by women generate greater revenue and higher returns on investment over five years versus brands built by men. In fact, only 2% of venture capital goes to women and less than 1% to African American women."
After winning Miss USA in 2013, Erin Brady shared some of her fashion and confidence tips with the CT Post. "Wear clothes that flatter your figure. It's not about being stick thin. It's about being comfortable and confident. If you walk out wearing a paper bag, but you wear it well and proudly, people will look at you and say `Wow, that looks great on you.' "
In a post on her website, Alyssa Campanella opened up about the brutal cyberbullying and body-shaming she experienced in both the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. She says that it led to her having insecurities, and encouraged people to be kind to others. "Words can linger with people for years. Decades. For the rest of their lives. I'm sure someone will try to argue and say you can at least delete social media comments, but that doesn't change the fact that the words were still said. As we navigate the ups and downs of the ever-changing internet, it doesn't hurt to be reminded that there's another human being behind that screen – a human being with feelings. We're not robots. If you wouldn't want someone saying certain things to you, you shouldn't say it to someone else."
Sarah Rose Summers opened up about the process to competing in pageants in a post on her website. "I always dreamt of competing at Miss USA as Miss Nebraska USA and knew that I must have a healthy relationship with food and fitness before that day came. In college, I also wanted to have a strong established group of friends prior to competing. Heck, I also wanted to be a typical college student – we all know most social gatherings are around food or drinks. I competed in Miss Nebraska USA for the first time my junior year of college. I was already teaching Lagree Fitness, a reformer pilates class, and loved taking classes at a new cycling studio in town. I did not pause my social life, nor did I change my workouts or diet until about a week prior, I also got my dress the week of the pageant (you could say I knew it was a trial run). But you know what, I felt confident in my body on that stage and was proud I did not completely restrict myself."
Prior to competing in the 2015 Miss Universe pageant, Olivia Jordan shared how she prepared with Cosmopolitan. She said that meditation is something she had been doing. "I have my meditation on my phone. It's the balance of all the craziness of this world, and finding the quiet moments to reconnect with yourself and stay true to yourself. You don't want to get wrapped up in all of the hoopla of Vegas and the competition, and lose your serenity during your time here. When you get to the final stage, you need to be stress-free and enjoy the moment."
In addition to winning Miss USA, Rachel Smith is also a TV host and correspondent. She revealed in this Instagram post that she likes to go whitewater rafting with friends. Smith captioned the post, "Laughed my way down the Ocoee River @mikeweed14! His faces are 💯!!! 😭The ultimate day out on the water with a lovely family we met. Thanks to our new friends Becky, Jason, Colton, our group leader Bryan, and the entire Outland Expedition team for such a memorable day!"
After winning Miss USA, Kristen Dalton started working as a life and pageant coach. She shares a lot of her advice on Instagram. In this post, she talked about how she builds social confidence. "When I first moved to LA, I felt inferior and nervous going to events," Dalton wrote in the caption. "I had just wrapped my title as Miss USA, where I went to appearances and professionally socialized every day. Where was this coming from? Even small group settings made me uncomfortable. They still do sometimes! A mindset shift from lacking to flowing is the key to get us out of those nerves. I hope these declarations help remind you of the TRUTH when you need it. You deserve to walk in the room and know you're meant to be there."
Crystle Stewart is all about supporting mental health. She has her own foundation and MISS Academy to help other women. "I founded The Crystle Stewart Foundation for this very reason," she said to Los Angeles Magazine. "I did not want young women to not be able to access these resources due to financial reasons. As such, The Crystle Stewart Foundation can offset the costs for young women who are at a financial disadvantage."
After winning Miss USA in 2014, Nia Sanchez shared her secrets for staying healthy on the road to Racked Las Vegas. "I had an amazing trainer before Miss USA, Bomb Shell Fitness, and now that I am on the road so much, I do quick little workouts that I can do in my hotel room. I try to always get my blood flowing and pumping every day. When I travel, I always pack snacks in my purse. My favorite go to snack would have to be quest bars! They are high in protein and fiber, so they keep me full and energized throughout the day!"
Deshauna Barber shared some of her wellness tips with USA Today. "I drink a lot of water. I try to push people to drink two and a half liters of water at minimum a day. It's good for cleansing your pores, getting the sweat out, and that cleansing prevents (facial) bumps."
Kara McCullough likes to go outside to keep herself in shape. Specifically, she enjoys hiking. McCullough shared this video of herself hiking in Horseshoe Bend. She captioned the post, "Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona, United States."
Before she starred on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kenya Moore was known as a Miss USA titleholder. She shared some of her skincare tips and favorite products with E! News. Moore says that makeup wipes are very important. "For me, I do have a breakout. It's usually caused by not cleaning my makeup off from the end of the day. I have to make sure to clean the makeup off my face nightly. I think it's important to let your skin breathe. What I love about these Neutrogena wipes is that that keep me from breaking out and they prevent me from forgetting to clean my face. These. Are. A. Lifesaver."
In addition to being Miss USA, Ali Landry is an actress, TV host, and blogger. In this post, she revealed her favorite at-home workouts. "I put together a simple fitness kit with my basics that I use to elevate my workouts in the most powerful way. Each fitness tool is purposeful, even my wardrobe choices. Creating a space in the corner of my bedroom where I can keep everything neatly in a basket has made a huge difference with my mindset. I have everything ready and there is no thinking. Anytime I can give myself the gift of thirty minutes, I'm ready to jump right in and I don't give the space to talk myself out of it."
A cause that current reigning Miss USA, Morgan Romano, is passionate about is getting girls involved in STEM. She shared her thoughts on this in an interview. "I think the way that we bring that number to 50% girls is to start at a younger age. And to start getting girls involved before the age of five. Another statistic shows that if a girl is not introduced to Stem by age 5, 97 percent of the time, they will not pursue a career in STEM."
Asya Branch shared how she prepped for the 2021 Miss Universe competition with HollywoodLife. "I have ran the stairs a couple of times [in the apartment building], but then I realized I've always hated cardio. And so then I was like, that was not the right move. I do my ab workouts. I have some dumbbells. I'm just trying to stay on track, but I'm not going to lie, I have good genetics!"
Elle Smith shared her secrets for keeping her skin pageant-ready with Ebony.com. "For my skincare, I always begin by cleansing my face with the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser. It's a really gentle exfoliator so my skin always feels soft yet hydrated afterward. After cleansing, I follow up with The Ordinary's hyaluronic acid. It's really lightweight and it doesn't leave my skin feeling sticky. Afterwards, I use the SeneGence SeneDerm DayTime Moisturizer to make sure I have a clean canvas for my makeup."
In an interview with Maxim, Rima Fakih talked about being an Arab-American in the public eye. "I am very proud of who I am and where I came from. I encourage everyone to feel the same. It is a great thing to stand out versus fit in. I was honored and truly grateful to be a girl who escaped the war in the Middle East, survived living in the hood, grew up poor and made it this far. I wanted to show any girl that anything is possible."
Susie Castillo has remained in the public eye since winning Miss USA in 2003. Notably, she worked as a VJ on MTV. One thing Castillo likes to do is go hiking. She shared these photos on Instagram of herself on the rocks. Castillo captioned the post, "Shoutout to @matthewgleslie for making me look like a badass hiker in the 1st two photos🫶🏻3rd photo is the reality where I show the world that I'm actually a chicken sh*t."
R'Bonney Gabriel shared some of her favorite wellness secrets in an interview with Forbes. She says that she takes a lot of supplements. "Tumeric wellness shot when my sinuses are acting up! If I'm starting to feel sick, I bake a whole clove of garlic and eat it quickly to boost my immune system, and I, actually, love the way it tastes. I also take a daily women's multivitamin and vitamin D in the morning, and complete my day with magnesium citrate in the evening."
In an interview with Byrdie, Olivia Culpo talked about her skincare routine. She says that she has changed her approach to beauty recently. "The past year put so much into perspective for me and really forced me to slow down. Beauty truly starts from within, and implementing meditation and journaling in my daily routine has truly changed my life. I find that when I am my most centered, my entire body is at ease, including my skin."
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