From weddings to parties to red carpet events, Sarah Chapman specialises in making skin look and feel spectacular, stat. Here’s how she gets the likes of VB and royal-to-be Meghan Markle ready to party…
Hair, makeup and a killer outfit are all components of making you look - and importantly, feel - foxy for an important occasion, but the glow that emanates from healthy, cared-for skin can’t be underestimated. Just how VIPs look so luminous on the red carpet despite hectic schedules, jetlag and the like has long been a mystery, but here skincare authority Sarah Chapman will shed some light on how to achieve HD-ready skin, and how she makes celebrity clients such as royal bride-to-be Meghan Markle , Victoria Beckham, Neelam Gill and Naomi Watts look so radiant, not to mention well-rested (one can dream)...
What can you do at home in preparation for an important occasion?
Home massage is the perfect way to perk up your skin and restore a healthy glow before a big event. There are a few simple techniques that you can try such as holding your fists in loose knuckles and rolling over the cheeks and performing light tapping and drumming of the fingertips around the contours of the eyes to encourage drainage and boost circulation. If you’re short on time then try using my Facialift massager , £28, specifically designed to replicate the benefits of my signature gymnastic massage technique for an instant radiant finish.
For optimum results I advise to incorporate this with my Ultimate Cleanse , £44, the morning of the big event which will help to detoxify and declog pores leaving you with a fresh and rosy complexion.
Follow with my Instant Miracle Mask , £43 for four, not only an at-home treatment, but one I also use in a professional setting in my Skinesis clinic. It is an alginate setting mask with flash perfecting benefits to instantly clarify, clear, firm and brighten the skin. You can also layer serums underneath as the mask forms an occlusive layer, which helps to boost product performance as it pushes the product further into skin, allowing you to absorb the maximum benefits for a mega-watt glow.
What type of makeup will enhance the effects of any skincare treatments you've had?
Having started my career as a makeup artist, I am always interested in all of the new innovations in make-up, especially finding products that won’t ruin all of the hard work that we have put into looking after our skin. I recommend mineral makeup to my clients with troubled skin as unlike regular makeup it only contains natural minerals and is non-comedogenic so prevents pores from becoming blocked. bareMinerals and Jane Iredale are both great options. Another great makeup brand is Delilah Cosmetics , which I stock in ‘Sarah’s Edit’ in my boutique. The products are paraben free and dermatologically tested, ensuring that they are safe even for sensitive skin types.
What kind of treatments should you prioritise to achieve skin that looks radiant in a short amount of time?
Our Endymed 3DEEP radio frequency is a great pre-party treatment and is often the ‘go-to’ fix for A-list celebrities to help them achieve an instant ‘red carpet’ look. Radio frequency technology delivers dramatic facial tightening and contouring and when combined with our signature bespoke facial and gymnastic massage techniques impressive results can be seen in the form of an an instant lift.
The Dermalux Skin-Glow LED Light Pod in our boutique is also brilliant for a pre-party boost, either as a one off or as a course of treatments for tightening and firming, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory (rosacea) and anti-acne action.
How does Sarah prepare Victoria Beckham and other VIP clients for big events?
All of our clients have a bespoke treatment prior to big events and we will tailor these depending on the condition of their skin, sometimes including light micro-needling with stem cells and peptides or infusing skin with hyaluronic acid. There’s normally lots of massage involved, but we always finish with some LED light therapy to achieve firmer, lifted, brighter, flashbulb-ready skin.
Is there anything in particular that you should avoid?
When planning for a big event, you should ensure to maintain a healthy diet and watch out for certain food groups which can cause havoc on your skin. Reducing your salt intake and avoiding dairy products where possible is beneficial as these can be very inflammatory, possibly triggering breakouts and puffiness. You should also reduce the amount of caffeine that you drink as this can cause dark circles under the eyes and can really dehydrate the skin, making it difficult to apply makeup. In fact, upping your water intake and taking omega supplements will help your skin look better, and your makeup will apply much better too.
Keeping your skincare regime consistent in the lead up to an event is also important as switching formulas may trigger a reaction to the skin, which is not what you want when stepping out in front of a camera, whether you’re famous or not!
Want to know how Victoria Beckham is ageing beautifully? Sarah’s got the downlow on VB's healthy skin maintenance routine…
Follow Sarah on Instagram @skinesis and Anna @annyhunter