Ailbhe Lynch

in her own words…

I am 44 years old (or young! My feelings on that vary from day to day!) and I have been working as a makeup artist since 1995. After spending a year studying art and design I went on to study makeup for Film, TV and Theatre in IADT for two years. I have enjoyed great variety in my work over the past twenty five years, and when I am not in the middle of a global pandemic my days flit between Ad Campaigns, Magazine Editorial, Beauty, Bridal, and TV. I have been lucky enough to work with some incredible talent including Gabriel Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, Dominic West and Sir Kenneth Branagh. And when I’m not getting men camera-ready, I’m busy beautifying women for magazine covers, beauty editorial and bridal. 

As well as painting faces I enjoy painting walls. My partner Alan, our cat Poppy and I moved into our new home last year after renovating an older house. We only partly renovated it due to budget. That 20% deposit for second-time buyers doesn’t leave a lot of spare change. Of course, it would have been wonderful to have the money to renovate it entirely but then I would be left without the DIY projects I have enjoyed so much. There is something very satisfying about transforming an older space into something fresh with a lick of paint and some up-cycling. And it’s far more affordable than starting from scratch. When you renovate and decorate everything in one swoop you lose the time to allow your ideas to grow and your taste to advance. When I look through my Pinterest boards I find it interesting to see how my taste evolved over the course of a year. I always say it’s a similar process for my brides. Ideas progress and taste can change so gathering inspiration early allows time for a more thought-out process and less rash end result. At home, I love the combination of old and new which fits well with my favourite bridal makeup style - a mix of classic and contemporary.  

At the time of the house move, I got divorced after almost ten years apart. I am very grateful and feel very lucky to call him a friend. We both have great partners who support our friendship, and he is the proud daddy to their gorgeous little girl. As well as being a friend he is my go-to personal trainer. Exercise has always been hugely important to me and I’d be lying if I said vanity didn’t play a big part in that but as I have gotten older I have come to realise how vital exercise is for my mental and physical health. The benefits of exercise for me are far greater reaching than pure aesthetics. 

My journey to my midlife has brought many changes and I believe we all need to embrace change in order to grow. Age for me has certainly brought confidence. Confidence in my opinions, confidence in my choices, confidence in who I am. I care less about what others think of me, but I consider others more. I care a little less about the physical imperfections that come with age and have a greater appreciation for the importance of physical well being. Confidence in itself is a thing of beauty and that’s something that comes from within. The changes that come with age shouldn’t be feared, they often pave the way for better things. 

I’m excited to be part of the Heyday family and I’m looking forward to sharing my favourite products and tips with you – both new and old, both classic and on-trend. Maybe after this recent shift in beauty where we have been forced back to basics, something new will emerge. A realisation we don’t need to consume quite so much. Maybe we will spend our money more wisely, be less impulsive and our purchases will be more considered. Perhaps a change to simplicity will now be our next best thing.