I Had the Same Facial That A-Listers Get Before the Oscars—Here’s the Truth Behind Awards Season Skin Prep
An account of the best facial I've ever had
When you get invited to experience a Lena Bratschi facial, you do not dilly-dally. Bratschi is a facialist to the stars—her roster of clients this year includes Jessie Buckley, Elizabeth Debicki, Alicia Vikander, Kristen Wiig, Aimee Lou Wood, Nicola Peltz Beckham and Regé-Jean Page, to name just a few. In fact, I saw her right after she did the skin prep for Mia McKenna Bruce ahead of her BAFTA win.
This year, Bratschi has covered the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Golden Globes, the Critics' Choice Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, and the BAFTAs—and now she’s gearing up for the Oscars. So, how does a celebrity facial (for the biggest awards show in the world, no less) differ from what us normies get?
Well, Bratschi, who largely operates from her West Hollywood Day Spa, Carasoin, explains that she uses the same methodology for everyone: tailoring the treatment based on the skin she's seeing in the moment. "Celebrities are under intense pressure from all the ceremonies, interviews and travel, so I have to combat those stresses by breathing life into the skin, and also toning, sculpting and lifting. Unlike regular clients, they can't afford any downtime and need immediate results, as they're often going straight to the event. Plus, it has to be the best possible base for make-up."
As I settle down in Bratschi's suite in London's Corinthia Hotel, where she saw all her BAFTA clients, she starts with an extensive double cleanse and steam to "detoxify" the skin. She then assesses my concerns before moving on to the "corrective elements", which can range from tackling pigmentation to lifting the cheekbones and refining the jawline. As I was contending with some dullness and sensitivity, Bratschi opted for an Ultrasonic Spatula for exfoliation, which is much more gentle than a traditional peel.
Next, it was onto the sculpting portion. She used not one but two microcurrents to carve out my cheekbones and jawline to impressive effect—in fact, I looked lifted well into the weekend, and this facial happened on a Tuesday.
She glided the cool prongs of the CACI Synergy Flex over my face; this tool is known as the "non-surgical face lift" in the industry, and combines microcurrent and LED light technology to lift sagging jawlines and cheeks, as well as ease fine lines and wrinkles. Next up was the CACI Microcurrent Gua Sha, which the facialist swears by for lymphatic drainage. Of course, there's a manual massage element too.
Bratschi utilises a lot of next-gen tech in her facials, but the focus is always on soothing and reducing inflammation. To this end, I was fascinated by the next part of the facial: a pure oxygen infusion. Here, concentrated 02 molecules are mixed with skin-loving vitamins and minerals and are sprayed via an impossibly fine mist. This soothes, tightens, dials down puffiness, all while encouraging blood flow to the surface for enviable dewiness.
Finally, there is an exosome infusion via electroporation—this is akin to micro-channelling, but there’s no downtime; it just enhances the delivery of the potent formulas Bratschi used during the facial. "It’s been a long passion of mine to make sure I treat my clients' skin solely with targeted ingredients that result in healthy, nourished skin," she tells me as she finishes up. "I approach my skincare like I do my nutrition. No fast or ultra-processed food, only wholesome, nutrient-rich food. The same goes for skincare."
Bratschi's candle-lit suite in the Corinthia was a serene oasis during the hustle and bustle of awards season, and that's completely intentional. "It's a gruelling time for them," she reflects. "Early mornings, late nights, hundreds of interviews, tons of appearances... So once it gets to the Oscars, everyone is frazzled, but they still want to look amazing. Making the skin "cool, calm and collected” is my priority."
Even though I am attending a grand total of zero awards shows, I left practically skipping—it was undoubtedly the best and most comprehensive facial I've ever had; there was zero irritation, but sky-high cheekbones and results that lasted for weeks.
Expert-approved, event-safe skincare picks
