The Oscars, Grammys, Golden Globes, VMAs, Met Gala – together they drive the celebrity circus that dominates our TV screens throughout the year. The events themselves are fascinating enough, with their wardrobe malfunctions, bad jokes and real-time drama, but before they even begin our eyes are glued to the red carpet. That parade of glittering couture-clad stars has become an event in itself. We analyze each and every makeup look, every manicure, every dress, every pair of shoes and the accompanying accessories. We drool over them the night of and pick them apart the next day. Considering how important the red carpet has become, it should come as no surprise that spa clients are looking to recreate that celebrity magic when they come in for a beauty treatment. But how to meet those star-studded demands?

Recreating The Magic

For Leslie Ferranti of The Ten Spot, it’s all about managing expectations. “Sometimes [clients] may come in with something that’s not easily achievable on them,” says the Toronto beauty bar’s aesthetic educator and education manager. “Their nails might not be long enough or their brows may not be thick enough, so sometimes it may be a little bit of a process.” The majority of the celebrity look requests they get at The Ten Spot are inspired by eyebrow and nail looks clients have spotted in magazines, Ferranti says. One look that is consistently requested is Julia Roberts’ thick, lustrous eyebrows. “[The client] may not have enough hair to achieve the look,” she says. “So we could do that by either filling them in or helping them with the process of growing back their brows.” Not only do they work with clients to achieve their desired look at the spa, Ferranti says, they teach them how to recreate the look at home. “It just takes a little practice and a little guidance from a professional,” she says.

Star-Factor Skin

At Ten Spa in Winnipeg, they place a great deal of emphasis on the look and feel of their clients’ skin. “When you think of celebrity looks, you think of flawless skin,” says marketing coordinator Alessandra Conicella. This season’s red carpet looks have been dominated by simple, understated glamour and a natural, unaffected aesthetic, she notes. “I saw a lot less makeup, and a desire to showcase true human beauty, and a natural healthy glow that starts from inside.” With that in mind, Ten Spa has launched a sister business called tenskinRx, a 15-minute pulse dye laser facial that Conicella says gives you “an incredible glow that you can see immediately after your facial.” The laser facial is a medical as well as cosmetic treatment, she says. “It helps activate collagen and stimulates cell regrowth,” Conicella says. “It’s an overall anti-aging treatment, but it also helps treat people with roscacea, acne scarring, fine lines, or something as severe as port-wine stains.” Ten Spa’s treatment menu includes a variety of skin enhancing facials, as well as a Before the Red Carpet Spa Package, a three-hour experience that includes a hot peel facial, a signature manicure and pedicure. It’s all about delivering results that allow clients to feel confident in their own skin, Conicella says. “We just want people to feel like they’re a ten out of ten. We want you to feel beautiful the way you are.”

Star Appeal

A trip to the spa isn’t going to suddenly turn you into Julia Roberts or any of her red carpet-ready cohorts, but borrowing some of that celebrity sparkle can be a lot of fun. Take The Ten Spot’s Get The Look series: every month they come up with awards season-inspired nail art looks that can be easily reproduced by their nail technicians. “We usually try and choose five [looks] for awards season. Five for the Grammys and five for the Oscars, and we post them throughout the month during the awards,” Ferranti says. This year’s looks drew inspiration from such sources as Grammy nominees Miley Cyrus and Beck, and Oscar Best Picture winner Grand Budapest Hotel, she says. The looks are perfect for the office and incorporate clean, simple lines and usually feature an accent nail. “No one really wants anything too busy,” Ferranti says. “They don’t want to be sitting too long getting intricate nail art done. It’s not The Ten Spot style.” As for the rest of the requests for red carpet glamour and celebrity style, Ferranti has this helpful tip: “Pictures are always good. They give us a little more guidance.”

Lordely Looks

New Zealand singer Lorde debuted a more sophisticated look at this year’s Met Gala than her usual Goth aesthetic. Celebrity makeup artist Amber Dreadon put together the stunning look that paired so well with Lorde’s shimmering Calvin Klein gown.

What Inspired The Look You Created For Lorde?

Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa designed the most incredible sequinned gown in the shade Ming Blue from a Chinese snuff bottle reference, so for makeup we wanted to create a look that complimented the metallics and the tones within the gown. The look was all about a smoky bronzed eye with a pop of the blue on the lash line but that needed to be accompanied by fresh luminous skin that was fairly pared-down so as not to overwhelm the overall look.

What Advice Would You Give Aestheticians Looking To Adapt Lorde’s Met Gala Look For Their Clients?

The skincare is always just as important to me as the actual application of makeup. Plan for what you need to emphasize and what you might need to minimize in order to get the best out of the overall beauty look. For my clients I build the skin care prep around what I want the final outcome to be. I never rush the skincare to get to the makeup as without a great base it can be really challenging.

As A Makeup Artist, How Do You Capitalize On The Excitement And Interest That Surrounds Awards Season?

I don’t know if I capitalize on it, but I do like to keep people up to date via my social media. People always ask for tips on how to apply products or on what are the cool new shades to buy, so I like to have a lot of interaction with people via Instagram and Twitter. For fans of my clients there is nothing like the connection of owning something that they know their idol wears and quite often the cosmetic items are more affordable and accessible than something like a ball gown.

How Can Aestheticians And Spa Professionals Help Their Clients Feel As If They Are A Part Of The Glamorous World Of The Red Carpet?

I think with any profession the most successful are those who keep learning and are always trying to keep educated and the same goes for beauty. If a beautician can reference and understand the current trends and is able to express these to their clients it can keep both themselves and the people they work with inspired and excited about what they are working together on.