The secret to Alicia Keys' no makeup look is a skincare routine that'll cost you $354.

American singer Alicia Keys hosted the the 2019 Grammy Awards this week, which means her face has been coming up in conversation again.

Not because she looked lovely. Not because she did an exceptional job as host. No, people are wondering whether the singer wore any makeup. You see, Keys, who’s 35 and a 15-time Grammy Award winner, has been an advocate of going fresh-faced, ever since a photographer suggested she try it for her album cover in 2016.

Keys felt liberated at the time, and wanted to ‘free’ other women; which is why, in her ‘Time to Uncover’ essay, which she wrote for Lena Dunham’s e-newsletter Lenny, she described how her fame and industry made her feel as though she “was not good enough for the world to see”.

Of her decision to stop wearing make up, she said: “I swear it is the strongest, most empowered, most free, and most honestly beautiful that I have ever felt.”

 

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BIG news…. ???????????? (check my story)

A post shared by Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) on Jan 15, 2019 at 6:31am PST

It wasn’t until 2017, when Keys appeared on the cover star of Allure magazine’s February issue, that the world saw her with makeup again. However, since then, the singer has mostly been captured fresh-faced; which is why this week, whilst hosting the Grammys, there was much speculation as to what the star had on her face – if anything.

Now, her makeup artist, known as Dotti, has revealed to W magazine that behind the bare face lies a lot of skincare – and a huge cash investment.

In fact, just to set up the routine yourself would cost you $354 – an expenditure you’d need to repeat whenever you have to replenish your products.

So, what’s first up?

“Alicia gets regular facials, does acupuncture and she eats healthy and exercises,” Dotti told W.

But one of the first things she does is use a jade roller to tighten the skin: “I stick a jade roller in ice, so it’s basically freezing when I roll it over her skin.”

What is a jade roller you ask? Here’s one sold on Showpo for $32.95.

Next, Dotti uses cucumber, which is so inexpensive in comparison to the other skincare items, we're not even ascribing it a value.

“On some days, I’ll look at her skin and say, ‘You need cucumber today,’ so I’ll grate a full cucumber, then place the pulp no higher than her brow bone and no lower than her under-eye bone, not going near sensitive parts of the eye."

Sounds cooling - and delicious.

Dotti continued describing the routine, explaining that she then uses MV 9 Oil Cleansing Tonic ($90) on Keys, sometimes combined with the brand's Pure Jojoba oil ($42).

 

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#Repost @honeynflower ・・・ Pure Jojoba // @mvskincare — It is a natural oil extracted from the seed of the jojoba plant it is closest to the oil produced by the human skin called ‘sebum’ that helps protect and heal the skin from external toxins. It is the first defense barrier for the skin. // This oil is good for everything! It can be used to remove the eyes makeup, as face oil, as eyes treatment, hair treatment, after shave treatment.. Should I go on? It is the perfect oil for every skin type, it doesn’t clog your pores and it gently hydrates the skin. I love to use this product in different ways, as eye treatment as a light moisturizer (more in summer time, now it’s too light) or mixed with my cream. Why is it amazing? Because it’s similar to our sebum, so it absorbs really quickly, and it gently nourishes and cuddles my skin and balances my skin at the same time. It’s a light oil so when it starts to become colder I suggest to use it mixed with your favourite cream. Do I recommend it? Yes, if you are trying to find a light weight oil, super natural, gentle on your skin. I don’t recommend it if you prefer to use heavy/rich oils. What do you think about it? Let me know!!???? // Bought on @greensoulcosmetics —— Pure Jojoba // @mvskincare - È un olio naturale estratto dal seme della pianta di jojoba, simile al sebo prodotto naturalmente dalla pelle. Aiuta a proteggere la cute dalle tossine esterne ed è la prima barriera difensiva per la pelle. // Questo olio per tutto! Può essere usato per rimuovere il trucco degli occhi, come l'olio per il viso, come trattamento contorno occhi, trattamento per capelli, e come trattamento dopobarba. Devo andare avanti? È il prodotto oleoso perfetto per ogni tipo di pelle, non ostruisce i pori e idrata delicatamente il viso. Utile per l’acne grazie all’azione disinfettante. Mi piace usare questo prodotto in diversi modi, come contorno occhi, come olio idratante (più in estate, ora è troppo leggero) o miscelato con la crema. Perché è incredibile? Perché è simile al nostro sebo, quindi si assorbe molto velocemente, coccola e nutre dolcemente la pelle e allo stesso tempo equilibra il mio viso.

A post shared by MV Organic Skincare (@mvskincare) on Oct 28, 2018 at 8:29pm PDT

Lastly, there's a couple of facial masks - the Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Masque ($54) and SK-II Facial Treatment Mask ($135), both of which are used on a regular basis.

Sounds great, if slightly... expensive for those of us who are not award-winning celebrities. If you headed out to the shops right now to start Keys' skincare routine, you'd spend a grand total of $354.

But you'd also save on makeup costs... right?

 

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I normally don’t see immediate results from a sheet mask, but this Facial Treatment Mask by SK-II, makes your skin brighter and firmer right away. ???? Making this my favorite sheet mask that i’ve tried thus far! The mask is soaked with pitera (SK-II’s bled), a combo of vitamins, acids, minerals blending together to amp up skin cell renewal. I wish I could slather the serum all over my body. SK-II if you’re reading this, please send me a vat of the stuff. This mask is pretty expensive, so I do covet mine for when I need to look AMAZING. ✨If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend getting your face into one of these!

A post shared by To Dew List (@todewlist) on Feb 11, 2019 at 8:03am PST

Dotti admitted that when Keys is performing, she wears a minimal amount of makeup - which is not exactly makeup.

Dotti uses Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer ($23) to fill in Keys' brows and add some freckles, as well as giving the singer a glow with Vita Liberata Self Tanning Anti-Age Serum ($76), and/or minimise shine with Mally Ever Colour Poreless Face Definer Mattifier ($56).

But what's the price of beauty, right? Um, perhaps we'll stick to makeup and face cream from the supermarket - when it's on sale.

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