Unveiling the A-List Glow: Celebrities’ Red Carpet Skincare Secrets Revealed

As one of Hollywood’s most anticipated events, the Met Gala is fast approaching, promising a night of glitz and glamour.

Scheduled for May 4 in New York City, this star-studded affair has celebrities, athletes, and top-tier personalities pulling out all the stops to ensure they shine on the red carpet.

This year’s theme, “fashion is art,” guides the exclusive guest list as they prepare their ensembles, all while aligning with the broader concept of “costume art.” Among those supporting the event financially are Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos, 62, with an estimated net worth of $224.2 billion, and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, 56.

But beyond the dazzling outfits, the focus is also on flawless skin and radiant faces. Hollywood’s elite are reportedly turning to cutting-edge treatments, including non-FDA-approved peptides, GLP-1s, and even stem cell therapy, to ensure they look their best.

One of the most popular beauty regimens leading up to the Met Gala is a combination of HydraFacial and Laser Genesis treatments, offering a pre-event glow for under $1,000.

Many celebrities, from Beyonce to Kate Winslet, are known to use the HydraFacial to prep before huge events, while Kendall Jenner is reportedly a big fan of Laser Genesis, crediting the treatment as her ‘skincare secret.’

‘HydraFacial and Laser Genesis are the perfect treatments to have before a big event like the Met Gala because they deliver fast visible results without the downtime,’ Susan Hirsch, PA–C at Manhattan Aesthetics in New York City, told the Daily Mail. 

They’re both dubbed as ‘lunchtime procedures,’ easy enough to stack on to any current beauty routine and give yourself a little boost.

Beyonce is reportedly a huge fan of the HydraFacial, as she’s seen here at her last Met Gala in 2016

We put the Met Gala prep to the test, trying out both a HydraFacial and Laser Gensis 

The HydraFacial works to deep clean, exfoliate and hydrate the skin through a specialized dermabrasion machine, while the Laser Genesis then works to target the ‘deeper dermis.’  

‘The main advantage to having Laser Genesis before an event like the Met Gala though is for overall rejuvenation,’ Hirsch said. 

But are these treatments the real deal or are they a total sham? 

I decided to put it to the test and got both a $300 HydraFacial and a $350 Laser Genesis treatment at Manhattan Aesthetics just days before their practice becomes booked up with celebrities wanting the same treatment for The Met Gala.

Before I went into the facial, I was feeling quite tired, especially under my eyes. My skin was looking a little sallow too.

I started off by getting the HydraFacial, which began with the aesthetician cleansing my face and applying a gentle acid peel through the tip of the machine that is supposed to help open the pores. 

This part of the treatment, unfortunately, was uncomfortable, as the acid peel really stung my face and made it tingle but only for a few minutes. After all, you know what they say – beauty is pain. 

After the peel, they then used a suction tip to deep clean my skin, which removed extra debris and dead skin cells and, honestly, felt really good. 

Model Kendall Jenner, seen here at the 2025 Met Gala, is known to use Laser Genesis 

The HydraFacial works to deep clean, exfoliate and hydrate the skin through a specialized dermabrasion machine, seen above

‘Eliminating all of this buildup encourages cellular turnover which helps to give the skin a really nice glow and it also dramatically reduces the chance of a last minute breakout before the event,’ Hirsch said. 

Once my skin was suctioned, the HydraFacial then infuses a cocktail into the skin that’s full of antioxidants, peptides and hyaluronic acid.

They told me that the ‘antioxidants help to protect the skin’ while ‘peptides repair prior damage and hyaluronic acid rehydrates and improves moisture levels.’

‘Coming out of a harsh winter the hyaluronic acid makes a big difference because dehydrated skin is prone to lines and wrinkles and we often see patients who suffer from skin dehydration appear more youthful with an instant softening of lines and wrinkles post treatment,’ Hirsch shared.

For the grand finale, my face then sat under a red light panel for 15 minutes, which was definitely my least favorite part.

In case you haven’t heard, red light therapy is one of the hottest new skincare treatments, as it is supposed to deliver tons of benefits, like boosting collagen and reducing inflammation.

They put goggles on me before I went under the light to protect my eyes, but I still felt a bit strange at first as my eyes adjusted to the blast of red light. 

I was skeptical that this treatment would make such a big difference, but once I was handed a mirror to take a look at my skin, I was totally blown away.

After the peel, they then used a suction tip to deep clean my skin, which removed extra debris and dead skin cells and, honestly, felt really good

For the grand finale, my face then sat under a red light panel for 15 minutes, which was definitely my least favorite part

My skin was absolutely glowing and it looked like I had achieved that ‘glass skin’ look just about everywhere on my face.

The blackheads on my nose were seemingly gone too and I was left glistening. 

I think it was a dramatic difference from when I stepped in the door that day and I began to understand why celebrities get this quick fix before the Met Gala or other red carpet events.

After the HydraFacial, it was now time for the Laser Genesis treatment, which I was quite nervous about.

As a beauty writer, I have heard a lot of laser facial horror stories, with various treatments even leaving scars on people’s faces on rare occasions. 

However, at Manhattan Aesthetics, I was promised by the Nurse Practitioner there that Laser Genesis was not a harsh treatment and was non–ablative, which means it won’t destroy the surface layer of your skin.

The Nurse Practitioner promised me that the laser would ‘lock in’ my glow and so she began with the less than ten–minute-long treatment. They also named a number of other benefits the treatment has, which include suppressing sebum, fading redness and preventing breakouts. 

‘Laser Genesis reduces inflammation and stimulates collagen calming the skin and improving overall luminosity giving that immediate “glow” factor,’ Hirsch said. 

Once the laser was heated up, I was given sunglasses to protect my eyes and then she got to work. Each section of my face was hit by a hot laser, which felt like tiny little pinches to the skin.

Just three days after my HydraFacial and Laser Genesis treatment, my skin was still extremely clear and glowing

Overall, I totally understand why the HydraFacial and Laser Genesis combination are the go–to treatment before The Met Gala because you definitely see instant results

Once the laser was heated up, I was given glasses to protect my eyes and then she got to work. Each section of my face was hit by a hot laser, which felt like tiny little pinches to the skin.

It didn’t hurt except when the laser was around my lips, it felt a little spicy – but overall, the procedure is so quick that you barely have any time to think about it.

My skin was a bit red afterward, mainly around my nose, as it looked like I had just been out in the sun for a day at the beach. 

That night, I received tons of compliments on my skin – but it wasn’t until the next few days that I really noticed a significant difference. 

Not only was my makeup easier to put on, but my face was still glowing almost as much as it was right after I had gotten the treatment.

Plus, the Laser Genesis seemed to help reduce the appearance of the milia that I have under my eyes.  

Overall, I totally understand why the HydraFacial and Laser Genesis combination are the go–to treatment before The Met Gala because you definitely see instant results.

However, there is one thing that you need to be mindful of, and it’s something that could throw a wrench into anyone’s Met Gala plans. 

According to New York City–based facialist Samantha Susca, you may not want to get these treatments done before a big event if you haven’t tried them before.

‘Both treatments are considered very safe, especially when performed by experienced providers, but there is always the potential for sensitivity or allergic reactions,’ Susca told the Daily Mail.

‘It’s generally not recommended to try either treatment for the first time right before a major event,’ Susca continued.

‘If you’ve had them before and know how your skin responds, they can safely be done the day of or the day before an event.’

So for celebrities who haven’t had either of these treatments before, it might not be the best idea to try them the day of on Monday, May 4.

This year’s star–studded guest list at The Met Gala includes members of the host committee such as Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Misty Copeland, Lena Dunham, Angela Bassett, Sam Smith and Chase Sui Wonders. 

This year’s gala marks the first in Wintour’s new role as Vogue’s global creative director and chief content officer for Conde Nast, with Chloe Malle taking over as head of editorial content for US Vogue.

Malle’s parents are actress Candice Bergen and French filmmaker Louis Malle.