69-Year-Old Gets Stunning Makeover For Fresh New Look That Took Twenty Years Off Her Age

Jun 19, 2020 by apost team

Appearance is certainly not everything in life, however, the way we look can often affect how we feel. Sometimes, you just want to look like a shining star and therefore feel like one too. Most of us are somewhat content with our looks or have learned to accept the way we look. Meanwhile, others yearn to pamper themselves in order to treat themselves and show their physical selves some much-needed love.

One man who is particularly well known for helping women makeover their physical selves and subsequently give them a new lease on life is Christopher Hopkins AKA The Makeover Guy. Known for his videos on the internet in which he transforms women in their 40s and older, Hopkins has built a career dedicated to making women of a certain age feel fabulous. He and his team give his clients new hairstyles, new makeup and new outfits, and the end result is truly mesmerizing. 

He's proven that every woman is beautiful in their own right, and it's often just a matter of pampering them and helping them to find a style that brings out their best qualities. Hopkins has transformed hundreds of women and he's even written a book on the topic titled "Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival For Women Over 45."

One particularly incredible transformation that Hopkins and his team did was on a woman named Linda from Panama who was about to turn 69. She knew she deserved a makeover so to make that dream come true, she traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota — where Hopkins is based — back in 2018 to visit The Makeover Guy.

Before we take a look at The Makeover Guy's transformation of Linda, let's find out about his own story as it's incredibly interesting. Born on Jan. 24, 1964, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Hopkins was raised in another city in the state, Redwood Falls. During high school, he received state honors in piano, voice and declamation, a kind of artistic public speaking. Following high school, Hopkins attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he sang with the St. Olaf Choir in a solo role.

By the time he was in his mid-20s, Hopkins opened the Christopher Hopkins Salon in St. Paul, Minnesota. Its location in the Hubbard Broadcasting building — which was home to several local broadcast stations — proved to be beneficial to his success. He was responsible for the appearances of multiple on-screen talents and subsequently became a recurring guest on the daytime talk show "Good Company," hosted by Steve Edelman and Sharon Anderson.

But that was just the beginning for Hopkins. As his reputation grew, he made the move to Minneapolis in 1994, and he renamed his salon the Christopher Hopkins Image Center (CHIC). Soon enough he was on national television including on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Today Show" and HGTV. He also began to work with celebrities including Hillary Clinton.

Although Hopkins became known as a makeover artist and media personality, he never forgot about his passion for music. He performed with the Minnesota Orchestra as a baritone vocal soloist in a televised performance on PBS. He also sang at the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Hannover Radio Philharmonic in Germany. In 1999, Hopkins actually released his debut vocal album titled "I'll Be Seeing You," of which the song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" was nominated for the Gay Lesbian American Music Awards that same year. 

apost.com

Not content with resting on his laurels, Hopkins authored his own book in 2008, titled "Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival For Women Over 45." In it, he explained more about his own upbringing and how it inspired him to do what he does so well. He said that he was "raised by a glamorous mother" and described the lengthy process with which she'd put on her makeup and do her hair when he was young, which he'd watch in awe. Soon after he began to do hairstyles for various dolls, including a Tutti doll and his sister's Barbies. 

By junior high, he'd graduated to making over his friends in the driveway. When he went to college to focus on music, he made extra money by cutting hair and doing makeovers. This prompted him to eventually go to beauty school to "have something to fall back on" after his performing arts career would end one day. After stints in both Los Angeles and San Francisco, he moved back to Minneapolis where he opened his salon. Alongside the local on-air talent and Clinton, Hopkins has worked with Lauren Holly, Stefanie Powers, Caroline Rhea, Al Gore, Steve Guttenberg and many more.

Hopkins revealed his "best work and most respected advice" relates to women at "midlife and beyond," which he calls the "second act." He explained:

"I believe that as women mature, the more beautiful they become but the less attractive they often feel."

He added that he's most interested in helping every woman "realize her ultimate image." 

At the heart of his mission, Hopkins' aim is to instill pride and happiness in women about their appearance, so they can continue to live their best lives. In one section he explained:

"There is something magical that happens when you look right, when you say, "That's so me!" You stand taller, and your best self seems to come out naturally. You laugh easier and are less self-conscious. The problem is that as we age, it is more and more difficult to define "you." Sure, we are supposed to have increased wisdom, inner peace, and self-confidence, but it is often just not that way. It was easy to be "you" when you looked like you, but "you" have changed, and with that change can come uncertainty."

Hopkins has a way of understanding how women feel as they age and his approach speaks directly to them. And thankfully, he has solutions for women on how to look their best. He added:

"To look right, you need to know what right is for you, and what is right is what reflects who you are now — your best self at the moment."

It's clear from his work that Hopkins is a true fan of women and only wants them to feel their best, which can come as a result of looking their best. Thankfully for women everywhere, he loves to share his knowledge rather than gatekeep it. 

In his book, Hopkins explained that the first thing he asks every woman who sits in his chair is, "What do you want this haircut to say about you?" From this, he can understand not only how the woman sees herself but also how she perceives others viewing her. He said that many women don't know the answer to this question, and it can be due to a number of reasons.

He explained further:

"Many women are not giving the message of who they are, because, for various reasons, they have not sat down and figured it out. More likely, they just haven't changed their style to match their growth as a woman."

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald when his book was released, Hopkins said:

"A lot of women figure out what works in their 20s and early 30s, but those things all change"

He admitted that women often don't have the time or interest to go back and figure out what works for them as they get older, which is why he's focused on giving them "the tools and techniques for their second act." Some of his recommendations make a lot of sense actually. For example, he said that long hair isn't for you if "you're always pulling it back and rarely wear it down." Another hot tip of his is related to eyebrows. He said:

"Having your brows tweezed where you need less and penciled or powdered where you need more will make the biggest difference not only now, but as you age. Next to a good bra, it's the best thing you can do for a lift." 

He also opened up about the time he worked with Clinton. He revealed:

"She couldn't care less about hair and makeup. When it was time for makeup, she closed her eyes, let me do it, and went back to work. She knew, 'to get where I need to go, these are the things I need to do."'

In his book, he explained that there are five fundamentals that every woman should know. They include: line, proportion, color, texture and accent, and are just as integral to hair and makeup as they are to fashion. 

It's no surprise then that Hopkins' YouTube channel and many makeover videos have taken the world by storm. With over 509,000 subscribers, The Makeover Guy channel is truly changing lives. Hopkins has said that he was inspired to start his own internet series after he was frustrated with how long it took to negotiate a television show. His first series, titled "Whadja Do Today?" came out in Sep. 2009 and its success led him to start making his makeover videos in June 2010.

Simultaneously, Hopkins opened a salon/spa called reVamp! in Minneapolis, however, he's since moved his headquarters to a new location known as Makeoverguy Appearance Studios. With his team of talented hairstylists and makeup artists, Hopkins is able to focus on every woman, and man, that walks through the doors and is in need of a change in their lives. What's incredible about the way he works is that he doesn't apply a one-size-fits-all formula to everyone, but rather he really takes the time to get to know them and what kind of change they're looking for and create a bespoke look each time.

In his book, he recalled that a friend put into perspective what he does best. She said:

"Christopher doesn't see women for what they should be, he sees women for who they can be."

It's no wonder the results are always so gorgeous. Not only does he help women feel more beautiful in their looks, but he also helps to instill in them a confidence that has often been hidden.  

In Linda's makeover from 2018, she probably never knew that Hopkins would be able to make her look years younger. Hopkins most likely could sense that she wanted a makeover to give her a mental boost, so he chatted with her about her life, and why she wanted a makeover in the first place. The pair talked up a storm before and while he worked his magic. Her 69th birthday was days after the video was filmed and after her transformation, Linda had a completely new lease on life. 

Hopkins used his own advice and decided to cut off some of her long hair, which she usually wore pulled back. He chopped off a few inches and styled it in a glamorous new look that made use of her gorgeous natural curls. He decided on blond locks, which Linda hadn't had since her 20s. His goal was to highlight her bold personality with matching bold hair.

Naturally, she needed a bold makeup look to represent her new hair as well. The stylists gave her a fresh look that matched her skin tone to her new hairdo. The goal was to liven up Linda's face and give it the sparkle it once had.

It was quite a change for Linda, but all in all, it certainly was the right choice. Once Hopkins and his team were done, Linda finally got a look at her new self. She couldn't believe it. She looked amazing. She was in awe at the fantastic work Hopkins and his stylists did. She even joked, "I'm smiling, I haven't smiled in years!" It seems the trek from Panama to Minneapolis was well worth it.

This just goes to show that no one is ever too old to pamper themselves and get a makeover. Hopkins has a gift and he's more than happy to share it with people all over the world. 

What do you think of Christopher Hopkins AKA The Makeover Guy's backstory and what he does? Did you like his transformation on Linda? Let us know and tell us if you'd ever get a similar makeover yourself. If you enjoyed this then pass it on to your friends and family!