As an elite figure skater who competed on the international circuit for over 12 years, I have learned that the small, repeatable parts of my competition routine matter more than people might realize. My makeup routine is one of those details. It helps create a sense of familiarity and calm to feel focused and ready when I step on the ice.
Keep your routine familiar and repeatable.
I always recommend having a makeup routine that you have practiced multiple times in training environments so it feels automatic when you need it most.
Simulating the feeling of competition at home during training with the same makeup routine can help you feel more prepared when you compete in a new environment.
Makeup should enhance your expression.
Makeup for skating should enhance your story, expression, and emotions. It should not mask your identity.
For me, that often means emphasizing the eyes so expression reads clearly, choosing colors and tones that compliment my costume, and finding details within my makeup look that connect with my program.
For example, if I was skating to Romeo and Juliet, I would choose to use tones that were romantic, subtle and timeless, whereas if I was skating to a dramatic tango, I would choose colors and tones that brought an intensity to my features.
Aim for visibility vs. heaviness.
When we step onto a big white sheet of reflective ice at competition in an arena with lights that can feel intense and overly bright, our day to day makeup can get lost under these conditions.
I have learned to think in terms of visibility rather than heaviness. That doesn’t mean packing on extra layers of product, but rather being intentional about products and tones that create definition, contrast, and longevity .
Let makeup support, not define, your performance.
Makeup is just one small part of competition preparation. It does not create confidence on its own, but it can support it when it is approached with intention. It can enhance how you connect with your emotions and story on the ice, and draw out features in your face that you find the most charismatic and expressive.
True confidence on the ice will come from preparation, repetition, and self-trust built through hours of work done before we get to competition. Makeup simply becomes one of the final steps in helping you access the trust in yourself when stepping onto the ice for competition.
Competition day will always come with nerves and a lot of moving parts. But I have learned that having small, consistent routines helps me feel steadier in the middle of it all. My makeup routine is one of those anchors. It does not change who I am when I step on the ice, but it helps me feel ready to show it.
