The backstage tricks to replicate a Victoria's Secret Angel's flawless glow

We’ve got the *exact* products you’ll need

Beauty Crew Beauty Writer / November 09 2018

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show isn’t all about the Fantasy Bra (although we’re SUPER psyched to see Elsa Hosk get the honours this year!) – it’s also the perfect opportunity for us to gawk over that trademark Angel hair (so bouncy! So glossy!) and their out-of-this-world glowing skin.  

And as the swarm of backstage sneak-peeks pop up on our Instagram feed, it seems that this year is no exception – fresh, flawless and next-level glowing complexions are aplenty - and we want in on the action!

Just look at that makeup game!

Luckily, we were given access to the beauty prep and pampering that went on before the show and have pulled together three of the *best* expert tips for nabbing a Victoria’s Secret filter-like finish for yourself. The best part? It’s super simple!

1 / Prep your skin

It seems beautifully flawless skin is all in the prep! The Victoria’s Secret Angels had none other than celebrity facialist Georgia Louise on hand to help whip their skin into flawless shape in the lead up to the show. Louise treated the Angles to a highly-customised facial to get their skin runway-ready, including an array of LED and radio frequency treatments. While we may not be able to nab ourselves one of these signature ‘Angel Face’ facials, we can stock up on the Dr. Barbara Sturm skin care products Louise used.

She prepped the Angels’ skin by applying the Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Mask to add some extra smoothness and moisture, before using the Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum and Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Pollution Drops to rehydrate and repair the skin. She finished with a few drops of Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops on top of their cheekbones for a stunning touch of shimmer.

2 / Use a slightly darker foundation shade

While we’ve heard a billion tricks and tips on how to find the perfect foundation match for our skin tone, it turns out we’ve been doing it wrong. Apparently, you’re not actually supposed to match your foundation to your skin tone (if you want naturally glowing skin, that is). In a press release, Charlotte Tilbury (who is the official sponsor of this year’s show) said that for a flawless-looking coverage, she used a shade which was slightly warmer than the models’ natural skin tone to give them that healthy runway glow. Interesting!

3 / Buff your foundation

Yep! Don’t wipe, swipe or anything in between! Tilbury revealed that ‘buffing’ her Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation gave the models a “natural skin but better effect”. After all, the whole point of foundation is to make your skin look so incredibly natural and flawless that it looks like you’re not wearing a slick of makeup!

The buffing or stippling technique is hands-down one of the best ways to achieve that filtered-look IRL. So, how does one buff their foundation? It involves lightly tapping your foundation (you’ll need a brush like MAC 187S Due Fiber Face Brush) all over your face until it looks kind of pixelated. You then swirl the brush super lightly in small circles to blend. The result? A totally airbrushed look.

We’re already mistaking ourselves for Romee Strijd!

If you’re looking for some more Victoria’s Secret-worthy makeup tips, check out Elsa Hosk’s easy trick for making your eyes pop.

What do you think of these tips? Would you try them? Let us know in the comment section below.

Main image credit: @ctilburymakeup

Erin Docherty is a Beauty Writer for BEAUTYcrew, Beauty Editor for Women's Health magazine and a Grooming Writer for Men's Health magazine. She has a keen interest in cosmeceutical skin care and is currently working on minimising her 9-step skin care routine – because ain’t nobody got time for that. When she’s not writing about the latest beauty news, or applying copious amounts of serum, you can find her spending all her money in Sephora.