Pretty Girl Makeup was created in 1999 by celebrity makeup artist Christina Flach. After quitting her day job, Flach began her journey as a makeup artist in 1995 with the goal of being able to make money doing what she loves. As a makeup artist and devoted mother, Flach was constantly on the go. Between shuffling kids to school and meeting with clients, Flach found that there was never enough time during the day to touch up her makeup. Every lip gloss she owned wore off within a few short hours of application. For months, Flach tested dozens of lip products, looking for a gloss that could withstand even her busiest days. When her search came up empty, Flach decided to create a makeup line of her own, Pretty Girl Makeup. Her mission was to develop a formula that was not only long-lasting but also anti-aging, moisturizing, and hydrating. Self-funded since the beginning, her unique lip gloss line took over a year to formulate and design. She launched her line with colors that looked good on many skin tones so that every girl could be a pretty girl. Since the launch of Pretty Girl Makeup, Flach’s career as a makeup artist has skyrocketed. She has worked with high-end brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, has been featured in campaigns for Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdales, and has been featured in magazines including Vogue, Time, People, and Elle. Her celebrity clientele includes Condoleezza Rice, Hilary Swank, Isaiah Washington, Melissa McCarthy, Rita Moreno, Renee Zellweger, and Tyler Florence. In addition, Flach also writes articles about the best tips, tricks, and hacks in makeup and is a beauty expert on California Live on NBC.
Pretty Girl Makeup is a line designed with the customer’s health in mind. Christina Flach believes that taking care of yourself with proper nutrition, exercise, and high-quality products is the key to a long and happy life. Each lip gloss created by Christina is formulated with vegan, cruelty-free, and clean products that people will feel good about putting on their skin. Skin is the biggest organ in the body, and it deserves to be taken care of properly. People often have to decide between a product that works well but has bad ingredients or vice versa. With Pretty Girl Makeup, customers are able to have the best of both worlds. Since the line was created by a makeup artist herself, customers know that her experience in the industry will translate into an amazing product that they can trust.
Currently, Christina is working on a new company called “I’m Too Busy”. This new endeavor will include a line of skincare and makeup products that are made with high-quality, clean ingredients. Christina wants to simplify the makeup and skincare process to make it easy for people who live busy lives. She believes in selling products that will actually help people feel their best instead of random products that people do not actually need, something that is currently lacking in the beauty industry. Her new company will also feature a men’s line that will simplify the skincare process into three easy steps. Many of the products in her new company will be multi-use to make it convenient for people. Christina’s in-depth knowledge of the industry has allowed her to formulate products that work without any chemicals or fillers.
Christina Flach’s work has been featured in campaigns with nearly every major news outlet, department store, and designer; however, she believes that every client she books is still exciting. Christina shared that working with People Magazine and Rita Moreno, as well as Condoleeza Rice and Time Magazine, were two of the most amazing moments for her as a makeup artist. She also noted that she has loved working with Tyler Florence as his makeup artist for the Great Food Truck Race on Food Network. In regards to Pretty Girl Makeup, Christina said that her proudest moment was seeing her lip gloss line in Instyle Magazine, right next to a feature on Miley Cyrus. “It was really amazing seeing my product in print next to a major celebrity. All of the time and effort that it took to create a product that I was genuinely proud of was worth it at that moment,” says Christina. While Christina has had many amazing accomplishments to date, her work is nowhere near finished. She recently worked with Benefit Cosmetics on a commercial and is currently working with NBC as an on-air beauty expert for California Live NBC.
When Christina Flach started her career, she had no knowledge of the industry or any connections. She built a successful career from the ground up through perseverance and drive. She says yes to every opportunity, never takes anything for granted, and is comfortable being uncomfortable. She treats everyone with whom she works with respect and kindness, and she always helps people feel like the best version of themselves. Even with all of her success, she never acts better than anyone else. As any person building a career knows, it is very difficult to break into an industry. Since she had no connections or clients, she would visit local hair salons and offer services for free until she built a solid clientele. To date, she has worked with many major brands, department stores, television networks, and celebrities that she never would have dreamed of at the beginning of her journey. If she had to describe herself in three words, they would be positive, resilient, and kind. She tries to maintain these qualities in every aspect of her life, both inside and outside of the workplace. She strives to be gracious to everyone she meets and always aims to make her clients feel like the best versions of themselves through kindness and positivity. She also considers herself to be an incredibly resilient and strong person who never gives up. Each challenge she has faced has taught her to appreciate the little things in life and take every opportunity that comes her way.
"My goal is to make people feel like the best versions of themselves because I believe that how people feel on the inside directly affects how they look on the outside."
Christina will only hire people that she trusts and believes in. She never micromanages or questions people’s abilities because she thinks people deserve the space to flourish and succeed without someone stepping on their toes. Christina also thinks it’s important to surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth. She wants her employees to give her their honest opinions and thoughts and not say yes just because they think that’s what she wants to hear. A company does best when there is open communication and everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas. She believes that every person should put in 110%, but Christina thinks that an organization relies the most on team processes. Working with a team allows you to think of new ideas, split up difficult tasks, and share in your successes or learn from your failures. It is very difficult to build a company all on your own, so having a team that you can rely on is invaluable.
Christina states that every client is unique. She says, “I take the time to listen to what they like and don’t like and offer up techniques they may have never tried before. I encourage people to step outside of their comfort zone because makeup is not permanent and can always be fixed! No two faces are the same, so I believe in customizing each look to enhance a person’s features instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach. I want every client who leaves my chair to feel more confident than they ever have, so I always radiate positivity and compliment them to help their inner beauty shine through.” Christina is always willing to try new things and be open to new ideas, whether it be marketing, products, or ingredients. In the beauty industry, you always have to be willing to adapt to new trends in order to ensure your brand is the best version of itself. Christina values the people she works with, constantly asking those around her their opinion on a matter. For instance, Christina always asks her assistant her thoughts on a subject because she offers a different perspective and knows Christina inside and out. Christina is open to criticism and never surrounds herself with ‘yes’ people who only tell her what she wants to hear. She hires people who prioritize the bigger picture and long-term goals of the company.
Christina believes in finding a way to make money doing what you love. However, when you are starting out in the makeup industry, finding clients that are willing to take a chance on you can be extremely difficult. To solve this problem, Christina would drive to her friend’s hair salon and offer free ten-minute makeovers in the hopes that someone would like her work enough to hire her in the future. She also reached out to photographers and offered to work with them for free to start building a client base. She encourages those who are just starting out to be comfortable being uncomfortable, take risks, and not be afraid of failure. In her mind, the only real failure is if you do not try at all. Even after building an extensive clientele, Christina encourages those in the industry to always be team players and to have a positive attitude. “There are a million makeup artists to choose from. I never take it for granted, and I never say no,” says Christina. Most importantly, however, Christina wants to ensure that the person sitting in her chair feels like the best possible version of themselves. She believes in making someone feel as good on the inside as they do on the outside, because that is what is truly important in life. “My goal is to make people feel like the best versions of themselves because I believe that how people feel on the inside directly affects how they look on the outside. Everyone deserves to feel as beautiful and confident as they truly are!” concludes Christina.
