Makeup artist and skin therapist Isabella Schimid shares her editorial skin-prep routine

The glow before the glam.

If you ever have the pleasure of sitting in Isabella Schimid’s chair, you’ll experience more than just flawless makeup application. As a trained skin therapist, Isabella treats each client to a pre-foundation facial ritual, featuring a lymphatic massage, high-tech tools like Shark’s CryoGlow Mask, and a carefully curated skincare routine.

“If you prep the skin properly at the very beginning, it allows you to apply less makeup overall and helps the skin look healthy,” she explains. “I would rather someone say ‘Oh, your skin looks so good,’ than ‘That’s nice makeup!’”

For more reviews on the latest products and treatments, head to our Beauty section. 

Over her 25 years in the industry, Isabella has become one of fashion’s most in-demand makeup artists. She’s painted the faces of Gemma Ward, Lara Worthington and Willow Smith (to name a few), created the cover looks for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle and worked backstage at runway shows for Burberry, Victoria Beckham and Giorgio Armani. But above fashion, her first love is skin.

“I always knew I wanted to work as a makeup artist, but when I was 16, most makeup schools wouldn’t accept students that young. That’s what led me to beauty therapy,” she explains. “Once I started, I realised how much I loved the skin side of the industry.”

Now, Isabella is renowned for blending meticulous skin therapy treatments with world-class artistry, creating looks that let the natural skin shine through. “I love the idea of being able to help someone not only look their best, but also feel confident in their own skin,” she says.

Always in pursuit of that elusive glow, we asked the newly appointed Shark Beauty Skin Therapist to share her editorial skin-prep secrets.

Her pre-shoot routine

For Isabella, no two skin preps are ever the same. “It totally depends on what the skin needs,” she tells us. Regardless, skin health is the first thing she focuses on. 

“I always start by cleansing the skin with a light exfoliating product, then using the right tool to help make the skin look radiant,” she says. “I follow this with a mask, a serum and then a moisturiser and sunscreen if needed.”

Beauty tools 101

After cleansing and before any product goes on the skin, Isabella uses the Shark CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling + LED Face Mask. 

“This helps prepare the skin so that all the skincare is absorbed more effectively,” she explains. “The CryoGlow technology utilises infrared LED light to penetrate the skin dermis layer, known to help stimulate collagen, while the cooling element helps to tighten and de-puff the eye area.” 

A first-of-its-kind beauty tool, Shark’s multitasking mask was developed with dermatologists to firm, smooth and reduce breakouts*. To use it at home, simply pop it on your freshly cleansed face, adjust the straps, choose your setting and let the LED technology work its magic.

Consistency is key

Facial massage also plays a huge role in Isabella’s skin prep. “It helps bring blood to the surface to create a healthy flush to the skin, and it helps to depuff and get the lymphatic system moving along,” she explains. 

Following a mini facial massage, Shark’s CryoGlow Mask can be applied directly to freshly cleansed skin. Then, Isabella layers serums and water-based products first, followed by oils and creams.

Short on time? Skip the makeup and go for hydrated, glowy skin instead. As Isabella says, “Consistency will get you the best results!”

Learn more about Shark’s CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling + LED Face Mask here. 

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

*Based on results from a 12-week study with 60 subjects and 1x per daily use in Better Ageing Treatment Mode and results from a 12-week study with 59 subjects and 1x per daily use in Skin Clearing Treatment Mode. Individual results may vary based on different skin types.