Alicia Keys. Michael B. Jordan. Tracee Ellis Ross. Rege Jean Page. What do all these people have in common? Besides having flawless skin, they’re all clients of makeup artist and groomer Tasha Reiko Brown.
Known for her skin-forward approach to makeup, Brown has mastered the art of luminous, clean, and hydrated skin—a signature style she likes to call “satin skin.” The secret? Lots of product layering, but with an unexpected twist.
“One of my biggest tricks to satin skin is reversing the order of products,” she tells Glamour. “I will lay down your moisturizer first, and then put the serum on top of it. Typically when you layer, you put on a serum and then you lock it in with moisturizer. But if you do moisturizer first, followed by serum, you will always have this layer of hydration that’s floating on top of the skin. So when I put foundation on and then you powder it strategically, you always have this glow that breaks through. All of my clients tend to have the same satin skin texture because I use the same technique on everyone.”
Another beauty hot-take? Brown sends her clients down the red carpet without a spritz of setting spray. “I don’t use a setting spray. It’s the minimalist in me, but I know the makeup will hold without me adding any extra layers on the skin,” she says. “Plus, setting spray dulls the skin too much sometimes.”
Minimalism is something Brown also extends to her own skin care routine. Fresh off working with Jordan for his Creed III promotional tour and, most recently, the Oscars, Brown is constantly on the go. “I’ve gone from Mexico to Paris to London, from London to Utah for a day, and then to New York,” she says. “I won’t cut corners with my routine, but I don’t have an overly complicated routine to begin with. If I add too many things, a lot of times it can tip over into reading greasy. That’s one of the reasons why I’m a minimalist. Skin should be clean and strategically moisturized.”
Ahead, Tasha Reiko Brown shares her favorite skin care products for Glamour‘s Drop the Routine.
My cleanser
I use the La Mousse Cleanser by Chanel. I love a cleanser. I travel a lot, so I can’t travel with something that’s too liquid-y. This is a cream cleanser, so I can put it on and let it sit for a while to dissolve the makeup. Then I massage, massage, massage, before I wash it off. I love the creaminess of it and the ability to let it dissolve.
My toner
I go really natural and just use rose water. It smells great, and it’s been proven to work. It’s a staple that’s been around for so long. It’s historically proven to be fantastic.
My serum
Serums are key to my look because I float it over the moisturizer. I like the Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Serum. If you told me I can only use two products to prep my face for the rest of my life, it would be the Hydra Beauty Serum and the Chanel Le Baume. Those two together give me satin skin every single time. I use the products to target things. Every product doesn’t need to hit every concern. So I like a serum that’s moisturizing and tightening with a beautiful glow.
My moisturizer
The Chanel Sublimage Le Baume because I use straight Retin-A from the dermatologist, which is a little bit drying. A lot of times I’m using it probably a tad more than I should because sometimes my days get mixed up and my schedule’s hectic. I can’t quite pin down when it’s the last time I used it, so I’ll use it rather than not use it. When your skin is dry like that, I always tell clients to turn the moisturizer bottle upside down. If it begins to seep while upside, it’s probably too thin for somebody who is really, really dry. I love this moisturizer because it’s a balm that stays where you put it, so I can really press it into the skin. It doubles as eye cream too.
My face mask
I like the Jillian Dempsey eye masks. The tray is very convenient because they’re multiple use. So sometimes I’ll use it and stick it back in the tray; it’s so emollient that, especially if I’m doing something in the morning and then in the evening, I’ll pick it right back up and I’ll sit it on my eyes for my evening routine as well.
