The multihyphenate chats beauty, R&B, and her Tula collab.
Christina Milian Wants You to Embrace Your Skin
Christina Milian wears a lot of hats. She's an early-2000s icon, a singer, an actor, and a mom. Now she’s adding yet another credential to her lengthy résumé: a beauty collab. Milian teamed up with Tula, the skin-care brand known for its probiotic-based products, to create her Pink Coconut Lip SOS balm, inspired by her no-makeup makeup routine and her favorite scent.
“I’m all about products that pump up your inner and outer glow equally,” she tells Glamour. “When I chose to collaborate with Tula, one of the deciding factors was how connected I felt to their mission of embracing skin and boosting the confidence of others.” For Milian, the collab is more than skin deep: “Everything Tula stands for is 100% aligned with what I wanted to embody with my first skin-care product. It was also really important to me that they never retouch skin in photos. I want to show the real me and support others to show themselves.”
We caught up with Milian and chatted about her beauty routine, self-care, and throwback hits for Glamour's Big Beauty Questions.
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Glamour: What’s one beauty trend you’re obsessed with right now?
Christina Milian: One of the reasons why I wanted to partner with a skin-care brand like Tula is because I’ve been obsessed with my skin. With clear, glowy skin, I don’t need to get glammed up, and I still feel confident and beautiful. I find myself gravitating toward brands and trends that focus on natural, glowy skin.
What’s a beauty rule you swear by?
Always take your makeup off before bed! Before I was a mom and was going out with my girlfriends all the time, I definitely went to sleep in my makeup and would wake up with my pillows covered in mascara. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve switched over to taking care of my skin, so even just a quick cleanse at night is essential.
And what’s a beauty rule you think is B.S.?
When it comes to beauty, there’s so much emphasis on looking a certain way that we often forget to prioritize what makes us feel good. There’s something freeing about being unapologetically yourself. For me, authenticity holds so much more value than perfection.
Is there one early-2000s trend you’re happy to see coming back? What about one you never want to try again?
Controversial, but I actually love the low-rise look! For one I don’t want to see come back, it’s probably the heavy makeup. I don’t need to be doing a smoky eye, a bold lip, and the works for every event.
You can use only three products for the rest of your life. What are they and why?
If I’m not on set, I always keep it simple. I have my eyelashes done, so once I’m done with my skin care, I’m ready to go. As a mom of three, and especially during lockdown, my beauty routine has really simplified. For a quick look I'll always use the MAC Shape + Shade Brow Tint to give my brows some definition. I love the dual ends, so I only need one product. I love the Givenchy Everwear Concealer to brighten up my eyes and give myself a little bit of coverage. And my Pink Coconut Tula Lip SOS for a natural “my lips but better” look. I’ll reapply it throughout the day to keep my lips hydrated and nourished.
Tula x Christina Milian Lip SOS Lip Treatment Balm
$24Ulta
Givenchy Teint Couture Everwear Concealer
$34Givenchy
MAC Shape + Shade Brow Tint
$23MAC CosmeticsWhat’s your go-to getting ready music?
It depends on my mood, where I’m going, and how much time I have to get ready. With three kids running around, I’m often multitasking getting myself and everyone else ready to go. If I remember to put anything on, it’s ’90s and early-2000s hip-hop and R&B. It always hits. Or anything current upbeat and fun.
Your hair is gorgeous. What do you do to keep it in such great shape?
There’s no surprise that I use coconut oil. It really is a staple in my beauty routine, and it keeps my hair hydrated, silky, and shiny.
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What is your favorite way to take a moment for yourself?
With three kids, my alone time is definitely limited but in the best way. When I get a chance to be alone—it’s a clichéd one, I know—but I love a hot bubble bath.
What’s your go-to perfume and why?
I love Acqua Di Parma Fido di Amalfi. It’s so fresh and a great everyday, year-round scent I always go back to.
Acqua di Parma Fico di Amalfi
$190SephoraWhat’s the last Instagram or TikTok rabbit hole you went down?
My family is in Paris with me while I'm filming, so I’m constantly looking at new restaurants, museums, and other things for us to do. My husband is French, so I’ve been here multiple times, but I still feel like a tourist making a list of all the new places I want to try and stalking the geotags on Instagram.
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You have $20 and free roam of a drugstore. What do you buy?
For beauty, I’m going for a classic nail polish like OPI Funny Bunny and spending the rest on snacks—I love anything sweet.
If you could change one thing about beauty perceptions either on social media or in Hollywood, what would that be?
For me, everything I do as an actress, singer, entrepreneur, and mom, my main goal is making sure the energy I put into my work makes others feel good. I believe it’s so important to feed your mind, body, and skin the good stuff. Life gets chaotic. Period. That’s why you need to put time and energy into the things that make you happy and feel great—speak to yourself in the mirror with kindness, celebrate the real you.
Who are the women who inspire you the most right now?
I’ve been so lucky to have amazing women by my side from day one. My mom is my biggest fan and supporter. She inspires me every day.
Bella Cacciatore is the beauty writer at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_.
This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Condé Nast
