Alicia Keys. Michael B. Jordan. Tracee Ellis Ross. Regé-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,” she says. “It's the minimalist in me, but I know the makeup will hold without me adding any extra layers on the skin. 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 liquidy. 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.
Her line is very curated because she puts a lot of thought and attention to it. She very rarely releases something, so when she does, I know it's done with intention. She's also a makeup artist, so she's addressing a lot of the concerns of an artist, which is why I love the patches, because I'm a multitasker. I'll put the eye patches on and then take a whole Zoom meeting with the camera off or run around. It stays where you put it.
My spot treatment
I don't break out too much, but when I do get a spot, I use the Clinique Acne Solutions Gel. I used to dab it off my finger, but it's too big of a spot for coverages so I just do it with a little Q-tip. It will dry it out within 24 hours. In 48 hours it's like it never happened.
My face mists
A rose water face mist. If I have something in the morning and have a dinner later on and don't want to take off my makeup, I saturate my face with rose water. It opens everything back up. Then I can manipulate the makeup and add more to it. Especially if I've had to powder once or twice during the day, it refreshes without me having to completely remove it.
My sunscreen
If I'm on vacation, I don't wear much makeup. I'll maybe mix a little bit of foundation into my moisturizer. But I use the Chanel UV Essentiel to protect my skin because I use Retin-A, so I have to be very, very careful with my sun exposure. If I do have makeup on and it's a sunny day in California, I'll use the Glossier Invisible Shield because it's matte. I dab it on over makeup and can reapply.
My lip balm
I go for lip balm basics like Aquaphor. It adds a little bit of a glow and keeps lips hydrated. You get a lot of bang for your buck. It's a huge, huge tube. I have them scattered all over the house and car.
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My devices
I use the Jillian Dempsey Gold Bar in the morning to get all that fluid out of my face and really drain it. I'll press it under my cheekbone, and the muscle kind of tightens and gives me lift. I also use ice balls. You know the ones you make for your cocktails? In the ice ball mold, I'll put water, a little bit of rose water and sometimes a couple essential oils and pop the top off. I keep the bottom on and roll it over my face.
