Public Speaking 101
How I mastered my stage fright
Last week, Sephora flew me out to San Francisco to speak at their annual Sephora Brand Summit, a conference attended by executives, CEOs, and founders from hundreds of brands carried at Sephora.
What I didn’t realize going into it was that the audience would be…about 400 people.
When I saw the ballroom, I had a brief moment of panic. But I also knew I’d be okay, because by that point I had done what I always do before a speaking engagement: prepare obsessively and question every life choice that led me to a microphone.
After sharing a few clips from the talk, a lot of you asked how I prepare for something like that. So I thought I’d share the routine I follow before a big speaking engagement. None of it is groundbreaking, but these are the little things that make me feel calm, confident, and ready to walk on stage.
Here’s the routine:
1. Think about how you’ll actually be seen.
Are you sitting? Standing? On a couch? On a stage?
This totally changes what you should wear.
Prop your phone up at the audience's eye level and record yourself to see how the outfit actually reads on camera. If you’re fussing with it while you practice, you’ll definitely be fussing with it on stage.
2. Get a light spray tan.
Two days before. One pass on the face, two on the body. Nothing crazy — just enough to feel even and glowy.
It’s amazing what the tiniest bit of color can do for your confidence.
3. Hair and makeup are worth every penny.
Confidence is half the battle. Also—the day of a speaking engagement is already stressful. Outsourcing one thing (and not fighting with your AirWrap at 7am) keeps the anxiety at bay.
4. Rehearse out loud on video.
And yes… in front of ChatGPT.
I record myself practicing and then ask it to critique the speech. I also have it turn the talk into short bullet-point cues so I’m not trying to memorize paragraphs.
Here is the link to the outfit I chose to wear.
5. Write your notes out by hand.
I don’t know why this works, but something about putting pen to paper helps commit everything to memory.
6. The night before: keep dinner light.
And eat on the earlier side. You might wake up with nerves or a knot in your stomach, so going to bed overly full isn’t exactly helpful.
7. Don’t go overboard with caffeine.
Too much caffeine + adrenaline = not ideal.
I personally don’t skip it (I’m not a hero), but I try not to overdo it or drink coffee right before going on stage.
8. If you get physical nerves, you’re not crazy.
Talking to your doctor about beta blockers can help with the physical symptoms of anxiety. They don’t make you feel weird or high — they just quiet the adrenaline response.
Preparation is what makes me feel confident.
That — and a spray tan.
When I feel confident, I’m 10x better on stage.
Other random things on my mind:
Anthropolgie gave me a 20% code for the weekend (it expires tomorrow). Use code LINDSAYS20 at checkout.
If you ever need your makeup or hair done, trust me and use Glamsquad. I’ve used them dozens of times from the East Coast to the West Coast, and they’ve always been incredible. I have a code for anyone who wants to try it: enter code LINDSAYSILB for $20 off your first Glamsquad appointment. One-time use. New clients only.
I feel like everyone needs to know about this. I spent my Sunday decorating it, and I think it’s the cutest thing I own. Anything mini and I’ll immediately buy it.
Shop my Amazon Storefront, including all my random finds
Shop my Sephora Storefront — where I post all my favorite beauty products
Join my #SilbSquad group for recs, community, and more
That’s it for now!
xx,
Lindsay