How to Glow Like Angela Bassett, Mindy Kaling and Stephanie Hsu, According to Their Esthetician

If you’ve ever wondered how celebrities look so flawless on the red carpet, many of them would be quick to acknowledge their glam squads. Yes, there are the makeup artists and hair stylists who get them looking camera ready, but we also can’t forget the estheticians who prep their skin for these big events so their natural glow shines through. 

Recently, we had the opportunity to talk to Sarah Akram, who is the celebrity facialist and esthetician behind Angela Bassett, Mindy Kaling and Quinta Brunson’s otherworldly complexions. Lucky for us, she shared all her best skincare secrets to glowing like the stars at home. 

Meet the Expert:

Sarah Akram is a master celebrity esthetician and owner of Sarah Akram Skincare. Her clients include Angela Bassett, Mindy Kaling, Kate Walsh, Stephanie Hsu, Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph and more.

The first step is investing in a massage tool—like a jade roller, gua sha or cryo sticks—to prep your skin for the rest of your routine. “My personal favorite is cryo sticks, [a facial instrument] that gently massages and depuffs the skin. It also boosts circulation, warms up the facial muscles and helps drain excess fluids from the face,” she explains. Massage the cryo sticks around the cheeks, jaw, temples and over the eyes in gentle circular motions. Tip: Pop the tool in the fridge before applying it onto your face for a cooling experience.

Akram believes a face mask is essential to getting that red carpet glow. “A personal favorite is the Biologique Recherche Masque PIGM 400, which has a blend of ingredients that brighten and hydrate the skin, offering an instant luminous glow. I often use it in my treatments for clients and I recommend using it at home, too.” 

When shopping for a face mask, Akram recommends looking for ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, niacinamide and green tea extract. “It’s important to find masks with these ingredients, so you can get a radiant glow and overall luminous results,” she adds.

While there are plenty of gadgets and gizmos that can elevate your skincare routine, Akram says LED Therapy is the way to go for an instant glow. “I often use professional grade LED therapy in all my celebrity treatments. LED therapy works on any existing concerns such as breakouts, oil production, fine lines and hyperpigmentation,” she says. It also increases collagen production and improves the skin’s texture with continued use. To reap the benefits of LED therapy at home, Akram recommends checking out Omnilux, a medical grade brand that offers a range of devices for the face, neck and hands. The best part is you only need to use it for five to ten minutes a day to get the best results. 

Akram has one last piece of advice for us before we get glowing: “Avoid over-layering or applying too much product on your skin. There’s a fine line between skin that looks radiant and dewy versus super oily and greasy,” she explains. “Less is more here. Layer your skincare products from thinnest to thickest consistency and only use small amounts of each product,” she adds.

OK, now who’s ready for their closeup?

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