NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 07: Alicia Keys attends the Tom Ford Fall 2016 fashion show during New York Fashion Week September 2016 at The Four Seasons on September 7, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)Getty Images
News of Alicia Keys's makeup-free movement has been heard 'round the beauty world, much to the delight of those who felt liberated by it (and to the disdain of those who know that going foundation-free is, well, somewhat of a privilege when you're already at the top of your game and in a position of power.) When we see Keys on The Voice or the red carpet, we see her dewy, flawless complexion, and we know that even with exceptional genes, a lot of work—and money—can go into maintaining that.
In a recent interview with W, the music star's makeup artist, Dotti, detailed how exactly Keys maintains her healthy glow, and her routine has a distinct holistic bent to it. "Alicia gets regular facials, does acupuncture, and she eats healthy and exercises," she said. "She knows you have to invest internally for your skin to look great externally. It's also about how you process your energy. She comes from a very strong place and she comes from a very kind place. That in itself is superimportant. But it's about the choices she's making and the products she's using. It's the work of a good team."
A facial routine like Keys's isn't as unattainable as it may sound on the surface: Dotti also broke down a few of the methods they're currently using, and get this: It comes down to supersimple ingredients like ice, cucumber, and face oils.
Dotti said they use ice to tighten her skin and bring blood to the surface. Cucumbers are also used to cool irritation, and face oils, as expected, are a "staple" for how they are able to mimic the natural sebum our skin produces on its own but can run short of during drier weather. All of this—plus a few masks here and there, some acupuncture, and good old fashioned get-your-body-moving exercise—keeps Keys looking as healthy as she really is.
Her makeup-free movement is incredibly important in deconstructing so much of the subconscious narrative around makeup. It should be something you choose out of self-expression, not in a desire to cover up who you really are. And Keys's replacement beauty routine is aligned with what she says her intentions are: Keeping it natural, keeping it real, keeping it her. (We couldn't love it more.)