Before the gowns were zipped, the jewels fastened and the cameras started flashing, there was a facial. And not just any facial, but one that ended with a touch of wellness via a guided meditation during this hectic first Monday in May.
In the days leading up to this year’s Met Gala, Augustinus Bader’s celebrity facialist and global brand ambassador Lord Gavin McLeod-Valentine, along with lead facialist Desireé Delia of the brand’s Skin Lab, made their rounds through some of the most high-profile prep suites in the city. Their client list reads like the invite list: Emily Blunt, Sarah Paulson, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Spector, Luke Evans, Sarah Pidgeon, Grace Ronson and Haider Ackermann all passed through Lord Gavin’s hands, while Delia treated Ben Platt, Joe Alwyn, Lisa Love, Tschabalala Self and Char Defrancesco.
The treatment at the center of it all: Augustinus Bader’s “The Method,” a multi-step, skin-prep protocol that layers the brand’s science-backed formulas with advanced technology and hands-on technique to deliver camera-ready skin from the inside out.
What Exactly Is ‘The Method?’
The ritual opens with The Cleansing Balm ($84) applied directly to dry skin, paired with a massage targeting the neck and jaw to release tension and get blood moving. A second cleanse with The Foaming Cleanser ($76) follows to clear pores and prepare skin for actives, then an oxygen infusion—powered by hyaluronic acid, glycerin, squalane and vitamins A, C and E—floods the skin with intense hydration.
Next, The Elixir ($550) goes to work: boosting collagen, refining texture and fortifying the skin barrier for the kind of firmness and evenness that photographs beautifully under any lighting. The brand’s Face Oil ($280) is then applied alongside a Kobido-inspired facial massage, rooted in the ancient Japanese technique, to activate facial muscles and encourage lymphatic drainage.
For the “press step,” the facialists worked The Hydrogel Face Mask ($33) into the skin to visibly plump and illuminate, while cooling cryo sticks worked their magic beneath the cheekbones and through the temples for a sculpted, drained finish. LED light follows, designed to rhythmically contract the muscles, then a second round sweeps away any remaining congestion.
Also on the agenda: The Rich Eye Cream ($215), which the brand says is critical for both hydration and ensuring under-eye makeup stays fresh through a long ceremony night. A radiofrequency treatment and Contour Kinetic Suction come next to further contour skin before results are sealed with The Rich Cream ($315). The Eye Patches ($132) are applied as a final prep step, followed by a few spritzes of The Face Mist ($98) to lock in that lit-from-within glow.
And then, for the unique self-care detail: Lord Gavin guides each client through a meditation, designed to bring them into a state of deep relaxation and help them mentally visualize the evening ahead.
