Inside the beauty regimes and treatments celebrities use for the Oscars
One of the most glamorous events in entertainment is almost upon us. On Sunday 10 March, celebrities will descend upon the red carpet at the 96th Academy Awards ceremony to recognise the best actors, actresses and films of the past year.
The occasion is also a major one in the fashion and beauty worlds, as the stars’ style choices will inform trends throughout the rest of the year.
But it’s not just what they wear that will make an impact - many trend-watchers will also be looking closely at how they look. From aesthetic treatments to bold makeup looks, celebrities are often at the forefront of the latest beauty trends and the Oscars are a prime time to show it.
This year, all eyes will be on nominees including Emma Stone (nominated for Best Actress for her role in Poor Things), Carey Mulligan (Best Actress nominee, Maestro), Lily Gladstone (Best Actress nominee, Killers of the Flower Moon), Emily Blunt (Best Supporting Actress nominee, Oppenheimer), America Ferrera (Best Supporting Actress nominee, Barbie), and more.
It’s not just the women whose style and beauty regimes will be examined. Men like Bradley Cooper (Best Actor nominee, Maestro), Cillian Murphy (Best Actor nominee, Oppenheimer), and Colman Domingo (Best Actor nominee, Rustin) have also been fashion favourites during this awards season.
We spoke to leading aestheticians and experts to get the inside scoop on when celebrities start their beauty preparations for the Oscars, what treatments they usually go for, and the rising beauty trends in 2024.
When do celebrities start prepping for the Oscars?
According to Lydia Badia, one of the leading specialist rhinoplasty and facial surgeons in the UK, celebrities start their beauty preparations for the Oscars way ahead of time - with some starting as early as Christmas!
"The Oscars season is very much what they live for and [they] get quite anxious about that," she tells Yahoo UK. "They must look their best. The treatments would start three months ahead.
"Some of them even say, ‘I hate Christmas because it stops my regime in preparation for the Oscars’."
In the two weeks leading up to the Oscars, treatments start ramping up, Badia says.
"They are likely to be a combination of collagen-boosting techniques, micro-needling and radio frequency - to really improve the collagen and the tightness of their skin, as well as some body-tightening treatments, which are all non-surgical, and they are all done by different machines and aestheticians."
At the last minute, treatments are more focused on wellbeing and creating a ‘glow’ with facials and vitamin infusions, which are administered intravenously. These treatments can be done up till the day before the Oscars.
The reason for starting beauty preparations early is because great skin takes time, Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, award-winning cosmetic doctor who goes by The Aesthetics Doctor on Instagram, where he has a million followers.
"For us, time is measured in seconds, minutes and hours. For our skin, it’s measured in the skin cycle, which is how long it takes for your skin to shed. Skin keeps moving outwards from the base layer and then it sheds, and that takes about four to six weeks. Tio make a difference in someone’s skin, you need about two skin cycles," he explains.
Skin routines in the run-up to the red carpet
While everybody has different skin requirements and concerns, some routines and treatments are generally popular among celebrities.
Dr Safa Al-Naher, director at dental and facial aesthetics clinic Serene Dental, tells Yahoo UK that celebrities who want to work on the quality of their skin from the inside usually turn to lasers.
"Lasers like the Indo lift, which can help with skin-tightening, fat-dissolving, that’s under the skin," she says. "Also surface lasers, CO2 lasers, things like that can break up scarring and generally improve the texture of the skin."
Other treatments, like chemical peels and skin boosters are popular, as are medical-grade skincare following consultations with skincare experts. The latter can "deliver visibly transformative results on all skin types", Dr Al-Naher says.
In his practice, Dr El Muntasar says he often does skin care plans that involve tretinoin, a prescription retinol, and high-strength vitamin C for acne and pigmentation.
Skin boosters are also very popular, as are tear trough fillers to reduce the appearance of dark circles or hollows under the eyes using a hyaluronic acid dermal filler like MaiLi, which can also be used for cheekbones, chin and jawlines.
Many celebrities are also keen on facelifts, with improved techniques and technology making them look more natural than ever, says Badia. "It’s now not that obvious. It’s not like 20 years ago, when you’d have that tight, frozen, super-skinny look, which was not very appealing."
I want red carpet skin - what can I do?
While celebrities often have access to the world’s most expensive and cutting-edge beauty treatments and technology, there are a number of things we can do to make sure our skin looks at its best all the time.
Using medical-grade skincare can make a huge difference, if you feel like your skin has issues that need to be addressed. "Retinol is one of the most studied - and therefore proven - skincare ingredients which dramatically improves the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes and skin texture, and I believe should be the basis of every woman’s skincare routine over the age of 30," Dr Al-Naher says, recommending AlumierMD’s Retinol Resurfacing Serum.
She also notes that facial massages are very popular, particularly lymphatic massages, which help drain "any kind of excess fluid that’s being held under the eyes or around the neck, to give you better blood flow and just a generally more glowy, clearer complexion".
Skincare tools are also becoming increasingly common in our home routines, with products like facial massagers and LED masks easily available. LED masks are "great" because they kill harmful surface bacteria and encourage the body to make collagen and elastin, but Dr Al-Naher warns that we should be careful when it comes to using beauty tools.
"You don’t want anything too aggressive," she says. "Because you also don’t want to irritate your skin. So things like microneedling - people can buy those pens, but I wouldn’t, I would just leave those to an expert."
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Facial tweakments are on the rise in the UK, with demand for Botox treatments skyrocketing by 124% in 2022 compared to the year before, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPs).
Badia says that she has seen a rise in the "desire for subtle changes". Facelifts and breast augmentations are becoming more popular, but so are injectables that can stimulate collagen rather than give volume.
"It’s so important to feel good," she adds. "Whatever issues we have with the way we look, any changes that we make must boost confidence because it radiates. There is nothing more appealing than a person, man or woman, with confidence."
The 96th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, 10 March 2024 starting at 11pm on ITV and ITVX.
Read more about the 2024 Oscars:
When and how to watch the 2024 Oscars (The Independent, 2-min read)
Oscars 2024: The Complete List Of Nominations (HuffPost UK, 7-min read)
Who will win at the 2024 Oscars? (Yahoo Movies UK, 10-min read)
