The wings get the headlines, but anyone who has watched a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show knows the skin is the real showstopper. That lit-from-within glow doesn’t happen by accident, and for several of this year’s biggest names, it started with celebrity facialist Keren Bartov.
Ahead of the October 18 show in Los Angeles, Bartov treated Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Joan Smalls and Amelia Hamlin, all while prepping stars for the Academy Museum Gala red carpet the same weekend. “It was an incredibly busy and exciting 48 hours,” she shares. With more than 17 years of experience and over 50 advanced technologies at her disposal, Bartov builds a bespoke protocol for every face. Each model got a personalized version of her signature facial, the treatment behind the so-called “Keren Bartov glow.”
“It’s a treatment I’ve developed and refined over the years, and I personalize it every time based on the skin in front of me,” Bartov explains. “When preparing skin for a runway show, I want it to look fresh, even and naturally radiant, both up close and under intense lighting.”
A major event doesn’t necessarily mean a harder-hitting treatment. “I don’t believe in doing more just because it’s a big event. Quite the opposite,” Bartov says. “It’s about understanding exactly what the skin needs at that moment.”
That philosophy extends to the brand’s signature look. “Victoria’s Secret has a very recognizable aesthetic—fresh, healthy-looking, glowing skin,” she says. “For me, achieving that look isn’t about layering on more products. It’s about preparing the skin properly from the beginning.”
She also had the next step in mind: the makeup chair. “Whenever I prepare skin for a runway show, I’m also thinking about what happens next,” she says. “I want the skin to feel smooth, supple and deeply hydrated so that makeup sits beautifully without emphasizing dryness or texture.”
To get there, Bartov relied on her own skin-care line. “This is an essential part of the result,” she says. She started each model with her Hyaluronic Micellar Water ($90) for gentle cleansing, then used her Booster Peel & Glow Serum ($195) to refine the look of skin texture and enhance radiance. Advanced Skin Serum ($180) followed to support the skin barrier and maintain hydration. She finished with Hydra Reboost Cream ($180) and a mist of Hydration Glow Spray ($115) “to leave the skin looking fresh, hydrated and luminous.”
Even with some of the world’s most photographed faces in her treatment room in one weekend, there was no one-size-fits-all formula. “What I love most about my work is that even when everyone is preparing for a major event and wants to look their best, no two women have the same skin,” Bartov says. “Each person has different needs, and I approach every treatment individually rather than following a fixed formula.”
Her biggest takeaway for the rest of us: Start with the skin, not the highlighter. “I always say that the most beautiful glow is the one that comes from the skin itself,” she says, “not just from what you apply on top of it.”
