by One of the most glamorous events in entertainment is almost upon us. On Sunday March 10, celebrities will descend on the red carpet at the 96th Academy Awards ceremony to recognize the best actors, actresses and films of the past year.
The event is also a big one in the world of fashion and beauty, as the stars’ style choices will inform trends for the rest of the year.
But it’s not just what they wear that will make an impact – many trend watchers will be looking closely at how they look. From aesthetic treatments to heavily beautified looks, celebrities are often at the forefront of the latest beauty trends and the Oscars is a great time to show it off.
This year, all eyes will be on the nominees including Emma Stone (Best Actress nominee 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 many more.
It’s not just women whose styles and beauty regimes will be scrutinized. Men like Bradley Cooper (Best Actor nominee, Maestro), Cillian Murphy (Best Actor nominee, Oppenheimer), and Colman Domingo (Best Actor nominee, Rustin) were fashion contenders during awards season. this too.
We spoke to leading estheticians and experts to find out when celebrities start their beauty preparations for the Oscars, what treatments they usually go through, and the rising beauty trends of 2024.
When do celebrities start preparing for the Oscars?
According to Lydia Badia, one of the UK’s leading rhinoplasty and facial surgeons, celebrities start their Oscars beauty preparations ahead of time – with some starting as early as Christmas!
“Oscars season is very much what they live for [they] become concerned about that,” she tells Yahoo UK. “They have to look their best. The treatments would begin in the next three months.
“Some even say, ‘I hate Christmas because it stops my regime in preparation for the Oscars’.”
In the two weeks before the Oscars, the treatments start to increase, says Badia.
“It’s probably a combination of collagen boosting techniques, microneedling 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’re all done at different machines and aesthetics.”
At the last minute, treatments are more focused on creating well-being and a ‘glow’ with facials and vitamin infusions, which are administered intravenously. These treatments can be done up until the day before the Oscars.
The reason for starting beauty preparations early is that great skin takes time, according to Dr. Ahmed El Mutasar, an 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 is measured in the skin cycle, that is how long it takes for your skin to shed. The skin keeps moving away from the layer base and then it loses, and that takes about four to six weeks. When you make a difference in someone’s skin, you need about two skin cycles,” he explains.
Routine skin in the period up to the red carpet
While everyone has different needs and concerns, some routines and treatments are generally popular among celebrities.
Dr Safa Al-Naher, director of 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.
“The Indo lift is like a laser, 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 skin texture.”
Other treatments, such as chemical peels and skin boosters, and medical-grade skin care after consultation with skin care experts are popular. The latter can “deliver visibly transformative results on all skin types”, says Dr Al-Naher.
In his practice, Dr. El Mutasar says he often creates skin care plans involving tretinoin, prescription retinol, and high-strength vitamin C for acne and pigmentation.
Skin boosters, and tear trough fillers are also popular to reduce the appearance of dark circles or hollows under the eyes using a hyaluronic acid dermal filler such as MaiLi, which can also be used for cheeks, chin and jowls .
Many celebrities are also eager to make changes, with improved techniques and technology that make them look more natural than ever, says Badia. “It’s not so obvious now. It’s not like 20 years ago, when you’d have that tight, frozen, super-skinny look, which wasn’t very attractive.”
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 few things we can do to ensure our skin looks its best when length.
Using medical grade skin care can make a big difference, if you feel your skin has issues that need to be addressed. “Retinol is one of the most studied – and therefore proven – skin care ingredients that significantly improves the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes and skin texture, and I believe it should be the foundation of every woman over 30’s skincare routine.” Says Dr. Al-Naher, recommending AlumierMD’s Retinol Resurfacing Serum.
She also notes that facial massages are popular, especially lymphatic massages, which help to “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 complex louder and clearer” .
Skin care tools are also becoming more common in our home routines, with products like facial massagers and LED masks readily available. LED masks are “great” because they kill harmful surface bacteria and stimulate 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 don’t want to irritate your skin as well. So things like microneedling – people can buy those pens, but I wouldn’t, I’d leave those to an expert.”
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Facelifts are on the rise in the UK, with demand for Botox treatments increasing by 124% in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPs).
Badia says she has seen an increase in the “desire for subtle changes”. Facelifts and breast augmentations are becoming more popular, but there are also injections that can stimulate collagen rather than give volume.
“It’s so important to feel good,” she says. “Whatever issues we have with the way we look, we must make any changes to increase confidence because it radiates. There is nothing more attractive 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.
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