BLOG 119: HERE ARE 5 MAKEUP TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

I was so pleased to welcome Christina Flach on the Face Yoga Expert Podcast recently to share some makeup tips and tricks for the holidays and I wanted to summarise these ideas for you here today.

Christina Flach is a renowned makeup artist and founder of Pretty Girl Makeup, which aims to make every woman feel her best by using simple, clean ingredients and colours that suit every skin type.

Tennis fans may also recognise the name of Christina’s late husband. Ken Flach was a famous doubles’ player who won many world championships. Sadly, Ken passed away in 2018 after a bout of bronchitis turned into sepsis. Christina now works with Sepsis Alliance to raise awareness of this life-threatening disease.

Christina is no stranger to navigating grief. She also lost her mother to brain cancer and her infant son to SIDS. We talked about how she copes with grief and the importance of rest, nutrition, exercise, and self-care in getting through dark times.

Like me, Christina is passionate about empowering women through self-care and wellness. As women, we so often feel guilty about taking time for ourselves. But you can’t pour from an empty cup, as the saying goes. It is only when we are well-rested, nourished, and fulfilled that we can care for others.

As well as talking about makeup, grief, and self-care, we also discussed the importance of rest, shared some green juice recipes, and swapped our best advice for inner peace. You can catch up with our full conversation over on the podcast.

Today, I’m going to share Christina’s top five makeup tips for the holiday season. These are easy and quick techniques you can use yourself at home.

1. SKINCARE

Christina and I share a belief that looking good starts on the inside. So, before we dive into applying makeup, one of the most important things you can do for your skin is to make sure you are taking care of yourself.

Christina often gives her clients nutrition tips and gets them on her green juice programme. When we are nourished inside, our skin also looks and feels healthier.

Rest is also vital to our skin (and the rest of our health). Many of us don’t get enough. I always say that we should take inspiration from top athletes – they train hard, yes, but they also know how to rest properly.

Christina herself exercises daily, does yoga, and meditates. Taking the time for these self-care practices will do wonders for your skin.

Of course, you can also take care of your skin more directly. Christina suggests exfoliating regularly to remove dead skin cells and keep your face looking clean and bright.

At this time of year, it is especially important to moisturise. Make sure you apply your SPF – the sun’s rays can still damage your skin, even in the winter. And apply eye cream to your eye area to keep the skin here healthy and moisturised.

2. EYES

Once you’ve applied your eye cream, Christina suggests starting with a concealer under your eyes and on your upper eyelid to even out your skin tone and hide any dark circles. She likes to go in layers, using a darker concealer on the bottom and one or two layers of a lighter shade on top. Leave each layer for a few seconds to allow it to settle in before applying the next one.

Then, fill in your brows and apply liner close to the lashes on both the top and bottom eyelid.

To hide any mistakes with your liner, go over the top with a line of eyeshadow. Christina advises keeping the centre of your upper eyelid light – using dark colours here can make your eyes look smaller. But you can use a darker colour in the crease of your eye to give a bit of drama.

Next, apply plenty of mascara to your outer eyelashes, especially if you are going out for the evening. Christina suggests changing your mascara regularly – at least every three months. 

You don’t need to go for an expensive brand, but mascara dries out quickly and starts to clump, so you want it to be fresh.

3. CHEEKS AND CHIN

For your cheeks, Christina suggests applying a little bit of bronzer just under your cheekbones. Apply blush over the top and blend them together.

Christina prefers to use a brush instead of her fingers for applying makeup. She finds using her fingers ends up taking some of the makeup off. But you can do whatever you feel works best for you.

Many of us have a bit of loose skin under our chins. To hide this, Christina suggests applying some dark bronzer just beneath the area you are trying to conceal.

If you are at a party and feel like your face is getting oily, take a piece of kitchen paper and press it onto your face, then lift it off. It will absorb the oil without taking off your makeup.

4. TRY SOMETHING NEW

Many of us get stuck in a rut with our makeup and end up applying it the same way for years. Christina says one of her biggest challenges with clients is encouraging them to try something new.

It may feel daunting but trying something else just for a day can help you feel more confident in your appearance. If you don’t like it, you don’t need to do it again. But you might discover a new look that suits you better than your old one.

Christina advises sticking to neutral shades to build a look that is both natural and polished. Browns, beiges, and creams, perhaps a little plum or grey too. But not bright blue eyeshadow!

5. DON’T FORGET TO TAKE IT OFF

Finally, remember to take your makeup off at the end of the day, including your mascara. So many of us forget about removing mascara, but it isn’t good for your eyes to have it on all night.

Use a gentle cleanser, and then apply a serum or moisturiser before you get into bed. This is a perfect time for some face yoga too!

MORE WELLNESS TIPS

I hope you’ve found these makeup tips useful and that they might inspire you to try out some new looks this holiday season.

For those looking for a little pampering to help them through this busy time of year, I’ve recently added a new online offering to my shop. My two-hour Face Yoga and Chakra masterclass can be done whenever is most convenient for you. As well as lifetime access to the video, you’ll get a PDF handout with some of the most helpful resources from the class.

The masterclass takes you through each of the seven chakras with lifting Face Yoga moves, breathing techniques, colour therapy, visualisation, affirmations, and energy work. You’ll finish the class with glowing skin, a calm mind, and a lifted face.

You can find the masterclass in my shop under online programmes.