Hollywood’s Go-To Skin Expert Specializes in “Snatching” Faces—He Shares His 9 Top Skin Secrets

Ever wondered how celebrities look so fresh, lifted, and, well, flawless on the red carpet? For some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, the answer is Iván Pol, an elite aesthetician and skin expert who’s perhaps better known by the moniker The Beauty Sandwich.

Whether it’s Emma Stone, Kim Kardashian, or Victoria Beckham we’re talking about (his A-list client list is endless), he’s a sought-after skin expert who specializes in “snatching” faces, aka lifting, sculpting, and contouring them—all without a drop of makeup. Along with his revolutionary facial, he has developed a line of effective skincare products (or “sauces,” as they’re known) to deliver tight, plump, and protected skin at home.

Since he is the beauty industry’s not-so-secret authority on all things skincare, I was beyond excited to interview him for The Who What Wear Podcast. During our long convo, I asked him my burning questions, and he answered. Ahead, learn some of his best skincare advice, including how to replicate the effects of his iconic skin treatment without an appointment, which at-home devices are *actually* worth the investment, and why the “glass skin” trend is overrated.

First, I needed some background on how Pol became The Beauty Sandwich. After all, you don’t become Hollywood’s go-to aesthetician overnight. Interestingly enough, Pol started out as a makeup artist. He moved to New York City and began his career learning from some of the biggest names in the business, including Trish McEvoy, Laura Mercier, and Bobbi Brown. “I would spend way too much time on the skincare. I was that makeup artist that was all about glowing skin,” he said.

After moving back to South Florida, Pol met Jennifer Lopez. “I get booked to do her makeup, and she walks in with this incredible, gorgeous skin.” After he asked her how she achieved it, Lopez said she got a facial before getting her makeup done. “I saw my whole life kind of flash before my eyes. I said, ‘This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to create the ultimate red carpet facial,'” he said.

Pol went back to school, earned his aesthetician license, and began working with the head of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, Martin Zaiac, MD. He became the aesthetic director of the practice, learning from Zaiac (or “Dr. Marty,” as he lovingly refers to him). Pol began combining modalities (or “sandwiching” treatments) to deliver dramatic lifting and sculpting effects on his clients’ skin. “It was a time when you would only do one thing,” he said. “You would go in and do a Fraxel [treatment], but all of this had so much downtime. That’s when I saw there was really a need for a truly noninvasive procedure.”

Skin Tip #1: Radio Frequency Is a Powerful Lifting and Sculpting Technology

While the Beauty Sandwich treatment is a combination (or “sandwich”) of modalities (including LED and infrared light), radio frequency is the cornerstone. Radio frequency is a noninvasive treatment that uses heat energy to stimulate collagen and elastin production, improve skin tone and texture, and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. “I didn’t invent the technology,” Pol said. “The technology was there. I revolutionized the way that radio frequency was used. I was using these devices as a highlighter, as a contour stick, to create what we now know as a snatched face.”

Elastin and collagen are structural components of the skin. “Elastin is what gives our skin that bounce and plumpness and then collagen creates that tightness and firmness,” Pol said. “As we age, our collagen levels start to decrease. If you start early enough, you can kind of maintain, in my opinion, this kind of bouncy, glowy, delicious skin.”

As such, each Beauty Sandwich treatment relies on a general “recipe” that Pol customizes for each client, depending on their beauty aesthetic and goal. “It’s about elevation, not augmentation. There’s something very powerful about receiving a treatment like mine, and when you’re done, looking in the mirror, it’s still you.”

Skin Tip #2: Always Be Gentle With Your Skin—Being Harsh Does More Harm Than Good

“I always recommend people do things in a gentle way,” Pol said. “This is about the long haul.” That’s why he uses lower settings on his devices than many other skin experts, including when it comes to radio frequency. “When you think about radio frequency, think about a hot tub. What happens when you first get into a hot tub? It feels hot. That heat level kind of stays consistent. It should never feel super hot. If you feel you’re getting burned, you probably are.”

However, the same can be said for any skincare product or device. “I think what we should be doing at home is repairing,” he said. “Stay away from anything too aggressive. Don’t start at the highest setting.”

Skin Tip #3: The Key to Flawless Makeup Is in Your Skincare Routine

As a former makeup artist, Pol knows what it takes to create a lifted, sculpted face with contour, highlighter, etc. However, he’s interested in delivering the same results with skincare alone. His facials are designed to “tee it up” for makeup artists ahead of the red carpet. The idea is that the more lifted, sculpted, and radiant someone’s skin is, the better, easier, and more flawless the makeup application will be. It makes sense, right?

That’s another reason he developed his own skincare products, or “sauces.” “When your skin can truly digest, makeup can then lay on perfectly, and it’s not going to digest the makeup,” he said.

Oh, by the way, Pol said the “glass skin” trend is overrated. He cautions against getting a glass-skin facial before a big event. “Everyone talks about glass skin. If you get a glass-skin facial right before getting your makeup done, you’re almost too shiny,” he said. “Shine picks up your flaws. You want to do the opposite. You want to have skin like fine china. You want to be like a beautiful porcelain plate. It picks up the light, but it looks perfect.“

The Beauty Sandwich Products

Skin Tip #6: You Can (and Should) Mix Up Your Daily Skincare Products

Most people say consistency is key when it comes to skincare. While that’s true in certain situations, Pol believes in the power of customization and feeding the skin exactly what it needs on any given day. “It’s about how your skin feels that day,” he said. “Are you going to throw cashmere on every single day? No. Are you going to wear a jersey every single day? Are you going to wear cotton in a winter storm? No. You want to have a sauce for the way you feel.”

You can swap out the sauces as needed or combine them to achieve the ultimate plump, glowing, yet “snatched” look. Here’s how Pol recommends doing it. Use SS01 from the cheekbones up to plump and volumize the upper half of the face. Then, use SS02 from the lower face down to the neck and chest to contour and tighten the skin in that area. This will create the desired V-shape that his clients come to him for.

Skin Tip #7: Beauty Comes From Within, so Focus on Wellness Practices

Pol is a big believer in caring for the skin from the inside out, and he knows how major basic lifestyle habits like exercise and sleep can be for the complexion. “You want to reduce inflammation in your skin [at home],” he said. He recommends sweating regularly, either from exercise, sitting in an infrared sauna, or both. “We want to sweat. To me, that’s one of the most underrated things is just sweating. That’s how your skin can detox. With the power of either cryotherapy or cold plunging, it can be very anti-inflammatory.” He said this combo of heat and cold is a skincare “hack.”

The Full Podcast Episode Featuring Iván Pol of The Beauty Sandwich