Being a celebrity on the red carpet must be absolutely terrifying, because all eyes — and camera lenses — are on you for hours, outside, under sweltering lights.
Those red carpet close-ups come with a lot of pressure to look really, really good; that's why A-listers can spend up to months preparing for events and awards shows where they know they're going to be swarmed by paparazzi.
Some celebrities' prep methods are simple ones you can do at home for your next night out — others are a little, well, extreme. Here are just a few of the treatments and products celebrities have been known to use for their walk down the carpet.
Night of: Hydrating lip mask
Just before applying her base makeup, Emma Stone's makeup artist Rachel Goodwin preps the actress's lips for long-wear lipstick with this cult-favorite K-beauty mask ($25 for 5, Urban Outfitters) that's just for the lips.
Night before: Sleep mask
One month ahead: Sculpting facial
Valentina Budnaysky of Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa has an impressive list of celebrity clientele including Emily Blunt. For flawless skin, Budnaysky performs a one-hour Bio Sculpt Lift & Firm Facial once a week for the entire month prior to the red carpet.
Moments ahead: Mattifying setting spray
Celebrities have makeup artists an arm's distance away on the red carpet for touch-ups, but a shine-controlling spray can keep caked-up foundation and creases at bay.
Chrissy Metz and Keke Palmer's makeup artist Eugene Williams recommends Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Setting Spray ($32, Sephora). It seems like a no-brainer, but it still makes a huge difference.
Morning of: Differin Gel
Ashley Benson uses Differin Gel ($10, Target) religiously as an acne spot treat to zap any blemishes she finds the morning of an important photo op. Benson has "sensitive, acne-prone skin" and claims "gentle cleansing and Differin Gel" does the trick like nothing else.
Night of: Jane Iredale Facial Spray
According to one of Rihanna's many makeup artists, Mylah Morales, this hydrating spray is what hydrates and smoothes out Rih's skin just before foundation.
Night of: Kiehl's Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque
Colby Smith is a makeup artist for Charli XCX and a slew of other badass women, and she swears by this ultra-hydrating mask ($45, Sephora) for creating a smooth canvas for makeup on her clients. In particular, this Kiehl's mask is a redness and swelling killer.
She leaves it on for just five minutes right before applying base makeup.
One month ahead: LED therapy facial
Joanna Vargas of Joanna Vargas Skin Care at the Sunset Tower Hotel in L.A. has a who's who of Hollywood clients (Zac Posen, Sofia Coppola, Rachel Weisz, etc.) and, like Budnaysky, she starts on skin care a month before.
But this is not an average facial. Vargas told Harper's Bazaar:
"I use a mild electric current to drain puffiness, tone muscle and tighten skin. There is no downtime and people love the instant effect and long term effects. I usually recommend this facial once a month. Another secret weapon I use is a treatment called the Power Peel. It's a detoxifying, resurfacing peel followed by LED therapy and oxygen to make any celebrity look like they have spent the last month in a health spa. Their glow is restored, and all the tired dehydrated skin is gone."
It'll cost you only $550 for an hour! What a steal!
Daily: Glycolic toner
In order for foundation to blend perfectly, your face has to be smooth like a baby's butt. There are a number of ways to achieve smooth baby-bottom perfection, but Beyoncé's makeup artist Sir John swears by glycolic acid.
He's said that continued daily use of L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Daily Bright Reveal Peel Pads ($14, Target) will smooth skin right out.
Day of: An extraneous skin care routine
Hillary Duff's makeup artist Etienne Ortega treats Duff's skin with several masks before doing anything on a big event night. Following her super-secret mask combo, Ortega adds an extra boost of moisture with a hydrating facial spray before moving on to serums and moisturizers.
This, of course, wouldn't do much if she didn't have duff cleanse her face first.
Day of: Hair color, blowout, and style
Tracey Cunningham, stylist to Gwyneth Paltrow, colors, washes, and styles the star's hair just hours prior to a red carpet event. Though Cunningham admits that's "not typical," she does recommend clients get their hair colored no longer than two weeks prior to their event.
Two weeks ahead: haircut and deep-conditioning treatment
While we're on the subject of hair, Adir Abergel, stylist to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Eva Green, and Rooney Mara, says you need a haircut two weeks out from an event plus a deep-conditioning hair mask the night before.
According to Abergel, we should be deep-conditioning our hair once a week. Most professional hair colorists swear by Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 ($28, Sephora).
Evening of: manicures, manicures, manicures
You can't roll up on a red carpet with anything less than stellar nails. It just isn't done. That's why Cardi B keeps a nail artist such as Jenny Bui on speed dial.
Manicures as elaborate as Cardi's start at around $80 — most celebrities reportedly get polish changes several times a week.
Day of: Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Booster
Lili Reinhart is the face of this dermatologist-minded skin care line, so it's no shocker she almost always uses its Clear Start Breakout Clearing Booster ($21, Ulta) upon the first sign of a breakout. It's chock full of salicylic acid that works to clear blemishes within the blink of an eye.
