Celebrity makeup artist Molly R. Stern shares her top tips for prepping the skin of celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Anne Hathaway, Maya Rudolph and Reese Witherspoon.
Since starting her career as a celebrity makeup artist 25 years ago, Molly R. Stern has picked up a few tricks on how to achieve the best red carpet skin in no time, and her client list is testament to her strategy. work
Having done makeup on A-listers like Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts and Maya Rudolph (to name a few), she believes all of her clients generally have the same goals when it comes to complexion. Makeup look
"I think the general consensus is that people want to feel hydrated, they want to feel healthy, they want their skin to glow," the Insider said. She follows a simple process when doing celebrity makeup and it doesn't vary much from client to client, she says, unless the client has a skin care problem like acne or blemishes when they come to see her. Molly sticks to her regular skincare routine.
So what's the ultimate secret to achieving that glowing "glass skin" look we all crave? Along with the basic practice of applying moisturizing skin care products every day, Molly says she swears by massaging her celebrity clients' faces with a heat tool.
After applying all the moisturizers, Molly comes in with a facial massage. “I use two tools every time, every time, with everybody,” he said. She always uses the Pause Fascia Stimulating Tool, $115, followed by the Jillian Dempsey Gold Bar, $195 (a vibrating tool that Stern describes as the "piece de resistance").
Although these products may seem a bit expensive at first, as Molly says, you will see a difference in your skin after just one use.
"The more I stimulate the skin at the beginning of my session, the less makeup I need to use to get the effect I want," she says.
It's probably not the first time you've heard of facial stimulation or facial massage, as these practices have become very popular in recent years thanks to TikTok. Other ways to give your face a similar boost are exercises like gua sha and lymphatic drainage.
"I go into people's mouths and literally massage their faces, massage their necks, squeeze their shoulders and twist their ears," Molly said. "I remind them that you are alive... you are truly a person who deserves closure."
But what does a facial massage do for you besides feel good?
Molly says that stimulating the facial muscles helps increase blood flow, giving you a natural look like a post-sex glow. "My favorite way to get someone off the mat is bright and juicy, and maybe they had a really hot and romantic session," she said. "You know, that time of life, that's how I sent them all away."
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This face booster isn't an *exact* copy of Molly's tips, but it will still help Nicole Kidman get a similar cleanser at home for a lot less.