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Michelle Obama’s facialist reveals secret to former first lady’s glowing skin

The two have been working together for five years

Olivia Petter
Friday 18 January 2019 09:21 GMT
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Michelle Obama reveals what she was thinking when she left Donald Trump's inauguration on Air Force One

Michelle Obama is a remarkable woman in more ways than one, so it should come as no surprise that in addition to her long list of professional achievements, she also happens to have perfect skin.

The former first lady spent the last few months of 2018 doing a promotional tour for her memoir, Becoming, and with her enviably dewy complexion on full display, fans were quick to speculate about her skincare secrets.

Now, it’s been revealed that Michelle’s regime is surprisingly simple: employ a self-proclaimed skin guru.

Facialist Jennifer Brodeur, whose clients include Oprah Winfrey, has been working with the 55-year-old author since 2014.

Speaking to Refinery29, Brodeur explained that she likes to keep things fairly simple when working with Michelle, and avoids potentially irritating treatments, such as peels or exfoliants, where possible.

“We started with an anti-inflammatory system, and then it was about integrating more vitamin Cs and then vitamin A in the evening,” she told the website, adding that she treats Michelle to a vitamin C-based facial before every public speaking event in order to brighten her complexion.

While vitamin C is most commonly consumed in supplement form, it’s become an increasingly popular ingredient in the beauty industry due to its naturally illuminating and plumping properties. It’s also a powerful antioxidant and is a key component of anti-aging products.

LED lights also play a crucial role in Michelle’s routine, Brodeur continued. “I always incorporate our LED device, which is called Max. Often I’ll use the yellow light [setting], and it really helps with that glow of the skin.”

She added that Michelle also takes a collagen supplement called withinUS, which she describes as “vital for flying” due to its high electrolyte count. Another go-to product is the Peoni L’extrait oil, which she credits as being excellent for hydrating the skin while on long haul flights.

Brodeur went on to describe her close relationship with Michelle, explaining how she sometimes creates bespoke products for her “that show up to her door with no name in strange little pots”.

“There’s a trust there,” she added.

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