Inside the $760 Facial Behind Victoria's Secret Runway Skin

By Olivia Hart

The facial kit alone cost up to $760. Celebrity facialist Keren Bartov used four of her own products — Hyaluronic Micellar Water ($90), Booster Peel & Glow Serum ($195), Advanced Skin Serum ($180) and Hydra Reboost Cream ($180), plus Hydration Glow Spray ($115) — to prep four models for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on October 18 in Los Angeles.

Her clients that weekend: Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Joan Smalls and Amelia Hamlin. Bartov handled them in the same 48 hours that she prepped stars for the Academy Museum Gala red carpet. "It was an incredibly busy and exciting 48 hours," she said.

The wings get the headlines. The skin does the heavy lifting under runway lighting.

Who is Keren Bartov?

She has more than 17 years of experience and over 50 advanced technologies in her toolkit. Every model received a personalized version of her signature facial, the treatment behind what the trade calls the "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 said. "When preparing skin for a runway show, I want it to look fresh, even and naturally radiant, both up close and under intense lighting."

What did the protocol involve?

The sequence was fixed. The skin read was not.

• Cleanse: Hyaluronic Micellar Water, $90
• Refine: Booster Peel & Glow Serum, $195, to refine texture and enhance radiance
• Support: Advanced Skin Serum, $180, for barrier support and hydration
• Finish: Hydra Reboost Cream, $180, plus a mist of Hydration Glow Spray, $115, "to leave the skin looking fresh, hydrated and luminous"

The line, she noted, "is an essential part of the result." Convenient, that. Her own products, her own protocol, her own glow brand.

Does a big show mean a harder treatment?

No. Bartov argues the opposite, and the restraint is the story.

"I don't believe in doing more just because it's a big event. Quite the opposite," she said. "It's about understanding exactly what the skin needs at that moment."

The same logic applies to the brand's signature look. "Victoria's Secret has a very recognizable aesthetic—fresh, healthy-looking, glowing skin," she said. "For me, achieving that look isn't about layering on more products. It's about preparing the skin properly from the beginning."

What about the makeup chair?

Every facial ended with the next step in mind. "Whenever I prepare skin for a runway show, I'm also thinking about what happens next," Bartov said. "I want the skin to feel smooth, supple and deeply hydrated so that makeup sits beautifully without emphasizing dryness or texture."

Even four A-list faces in one weekend got no formula treatment. "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," she said. "Each person has different needs, and I approach every treatment individually rather than following a fixed formula."

Her advice for everyone else: start with the skin, not the highlighter. "I always say that the most beautiful glow is the one that comes from the skin itself," Bartov said, "not just from what you apply on top of it."

The takeaway for the trade is simple. The most-photographed skin of the season came from a barrier-and-hydration playbook, not from aggressive pre-show resurfacing — a quiet argument that bespoke skin prep, not product volume, is what now sells the glow.