- Molly R. Stern has worked as a celebrity makeup artist for 25 years.
- She's prepped celebs like Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway for red carpets and photo shoots.
So much anti-aging skincare advice is about the long game: Finding and sticking to a routine that involves sunscreen, collagen-boosting products like retinol and vitamin C, and lots of moisturizer.
It's only natural to desire quicker results, especially when you have an upcoming event where you'd want to feel your most confident.
In Molly R. Stern's line of work as a celebrity makeup artist (with a client list that includes Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway, Maya Rudolph, and Cara Delevingne), fading fine lines right before a red carpet event or photo shoot is a crucial skill. It's why she spends so much time layering serums and other hydrating products to make her clients feel youthful and refreshed.
While routines are still important in seeing long-term results, we asked Stern for her best tricks for reducing wrinkles in a short time frame.
Use priming pads to reduce dryness
According to Stern, dryness and dehydrated skin can be key factors in developing prominent fine lines.
She really loves Retrouvé Skin Brilliance Priming Pads ($65), which she describes as "almost little exfoliating pads, but gentle enough for someone with sensitive skin to use."
They feature alpha-hydroxy acids derived from fruits, which help wipe away dead skin cells and improve your skin's hydration. She said they're "amazing for somebody who's dealing with surface dryness."
They're also fairly intensive: They should only be used once or twice a week, based on the brand's instructions.
Invest in more intensive peels and masks
While Stern loves the priming pads as a weekly product, there are two items she brings out when she really wants to feel "fresher and tighter and just ready" for the camera.
The first is Natura Bissé Diamond Glyco Extreme Peel ($295), which she said is "a way more intensive exfoliation" than the priming pads. It exfoliates skin in 15 minutes, with ingredients like glycolic acid smoothing and evening out skin tone.
But the product she said really makes a difference is the brand's Diamond Extreme Ice-Lift ($170), a peel-off mask Stern described as "a facelift in a bottle."
"You paint it on, you let it dry, it sits for 20 minutes," she said. She enjoys peeling it off with her hands, but also said you can use a warm washcloth to gently remove the mask.
And while Stern said it's "a home run every single time," she also recommended a more affordable option from the brand: its Diamond Instant Glow set ($100), which features three serums and is a little more involved, but also cost-effective. "If you're on a budget and you have an event or a wedding or a party where you really wanna go the extra mile, the Diamond Instant Glow kit is a great alternative," said Stern, noting that, still, "Nothing beats the Diamond Ice-Lift Mask."
Try tools that stimulate collagen and freshen skin
When getting celebs ready for the cameras, Stern said there are two products she uses with everyone: The Pause Fascia Stimulating Tool ($115) and the Jillian Dempsey Gold Bar ($195).
She recommended using them in the long term for greater anti-aging benefits — the Pause tool claims to have collagen-boosting effects while the Gold Bar is designed to tighten the face. However, she said she "absolutely sees an instant effect, in the sense that it wakes the skin up."
Beyond reducing fine lines, she says the tools immediately give her clients a more flushed, refreshed look: "Like they've just had a really hot, romantic make-out session."