Hollywood’s most flawless faces including Jessica Alba, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Emmy Rossum, Suki Waterhouse, Shay Mitchell, Kelly Rowland, Laura Harrier and more all rely on celebrity facialist Shani Darden to keep their skin looking fresh, clean, young and glowy. While the skincare guru used to have her A-list clients sneak over to her guest house in West Hollywood for a coveted facial appointment, Darden admitted it was time for her to expand and finally open a studio in L.A.
“I have been working from a guest house behind my house forever and it was just time for me to grow up,” she told Stylish while celebrating the opening of her studio in Beverly Hills on Thursday, June 6.
But just because she realized it was time for a change, the intimate factor she became so known for won’t be lost. Stars can enter through an unassuming side door to avoid being photographed while enjoying some self-care time.
“I knew I wanted a very private space and that’s kind of what it is. I hope that it’s the same kind of chill vibe that it was before,” she said.
Besides the location update, Darden’s new studio has four rooms where she’ll be offering treatments that celebs are already lining up to get. “It’s hard for me to personally see everyone, but now I have two other aestheticians that will help a lot for sure,” she revealed.
Some of the standout treatments include a new micro-current machine, custom peels, an LED light bed, and an Honest Facial, which is a clean facial inspired by Darden’s longtime client, Alba.
“The Honest Facial is great because I didn’t offer that before and I know a lot of people wanted it. It’s mostly the same me with more options,” she explained.
Regardless of what her clients are coming in for, Darden focuses on their personal needs and customizes a plan that works for them. “In a perfect world, you should get a facial once a month if you can. …It all depends on your skin, but I like for everyone to use a retinol if they can. I think it’s the absolute best for anti aging other than sunscreen, so I just try to get people on a routine and to include retinol in it if possible”
When it comes to sunscreen, the skin guru is all about teaching people to wear it all the time. “A lot of my clients come in with concerns about anti-aging and sun spots from being out in the sun and not wearing sunscreen. … You want to be wearing 30 SPF or higher — never less — always,” she dished.
As for her overall skincare motto, Darden believes that keeping it pretty effortless works. “I would say less is more for sure. You don’t need a lot of products to have great skin, you just need the right products. … I think people really trust me because I’m not going to sell you something just to sell it.”
