A natural look seems to be the latest celebrity trend. Everyone is going make up "
free." I'm not sure we should be calling it make up free but they are, at the very least, letting their skin be the focal point. And what skin it is! But the thing is, in order to truly look like them, you will also need to get paid like them. Looking "natural" is an expensive pursuit.
All in a day's work
Sure, looking as great as say, J-Law, while going make up free is due, in part, to great genetics but there is an awful lot of time and money that goes into achieving and maintaining that complexion. It means facials, lasers, Botox, fillers, cellulite treatments, and a whole array of products. We're calling it 'rich girl skin' for a reason. These sorts of treatments add up. Botox can run you around $500 per area! Fillers like Restylane or the celeb-loved Belotero, it’s about $750 to $1,500 per syringe, depending on the brand. A light chemical peel can be about $250 while a deep one can be $1,500. Laser treatments run $600-$4,500 per treatment and cellulite or fat melting treatments are $600-$1500. Add that up and it would be fairly common to see someone spending $15,000 and $50,000 a year on elective cosmetic surgery.
Lauren Abramowitz, the founder of Park Avenue Skin Solutions in NYC, sees these procedures as an investment in your future. “These days, it’s all about prevention,” she says. “If you avoid major damage now, you’ll look better today and down the road.” She is also careful to point out that without a healthy lifestyle, no amount of cosmetic work will save you. “If you remove things like sun exposure, smoking, bad diet (dairy and sugar), drink lots of water, and sleep more, your skin will improve,” she says. “That’s the cheapest way to look great.” She also recommends retinol, zinc sunscreen and products with hyaluronic acid.
Face time
Joanna Vargas is a celebrity facialist. She has a signature facial known as the Triple Crown Facial. It includes microcurrent technology to sculpt and smooth the face, followed by an oxygen treatment to heal and regenerate the skin. “It gives you glowy skin, higher cheekbones, and it’s anti-aging because it tightens the muscles of the face,” says Vargas. “All without any trauma to the skin.” And at $400 a treatment, totally worth it... Vargas knows that that kind of expense isn't in the budget for most of us so she does have a few tips. She says that exfoliating weekly is an absolute must and a face mask at least once a week.
Make it up
Makeup artist Edward Cruz says that the trend these days is toward fresh, neutral skin and more youthful makeup. He starts with a thick, cream moisturizer. “It’s richer and gives a more luminous, healthy glow to the skin,” says Cruz. Then he brushes on a bit of foundation and after takes a clean, dry brush and buffs the foundation until it is barely visible. Cruz also suggests a cream blush in a bright colour like fuchsia. “I take a very soft brush and very gently just veil the color over the apple of the cheek,” he says. “It looks so pretty and glowy.” The price tag for this service can run you from $500-$15,000. “Not everyone has the time or the money,” he says. “I respect the women that you see doing their makeup in five minutes on the subway in-between stops.”
If you are one of the women without time, he recommends foundation, blush, a gentle highlighter and a good lipstick. All of which you can get at a drug store for far less than $500.
So, the upshot here is, if you want to have celebrity skin, all you need is a spare $100,000 a year -- at least. Who would have thought going makeup free would cost so much? Looks like most of us will have to stick to the affordable way to get good skin. Eating right, staying hydrated and getting enough sleep. My makeup routine primarily includes coconut oil, lipstick or gloss and mascara. Done. What do you do to get your skin looking fab without breaking the bank?
h/t:
Refinery 29
