Bradley Cooper is nominated for three Academy Awards for A Star is Born, in which he starred alongside Lady Gaga last year, meaning all eyes are on him during the Oscars tonight. For the event, his celebrity groomer Natalia Bruschi (also groomer to Ben Affleck, Ben Stiller, Daniel Craig, Tom Brady, Benicio Del Toro and many more) came up with his look––a stylish scruffy beard and combed back hair. Partnering with the Italian fragrance and skincare line Acqua di Parma, Bruschi used the Barbiere collection from the label along with other products from her kit. Here, Bruschi speaks about how she groomed Cooper for tonight’s Oscars, her creative approach to facial hair and the surprising trend she’s seeing in the male grooming world.
How did you prep Bradley’s skin on the day of the Oscars?
"I prepped the skin using the Acqua di Parma Barbiere Face Scrub, followed by the Acqua di Parma Barbiere Clay Face Mask. I had him leave it on for 10 minutes. I used the Acqua di Parma Barbiere Moisturizing Face Cream for the SAG’s, but tonight Bradley wanted to minimize shine so I skipped right to the Moisturizing Eye Cream. The soothing roller ball on the end of the Eye Cream helps to sooth any puffiness and minimize dark circles. I also use the Jillian Dempsey Gold Bar over the Moisturizing Face Cream for a facial massage and increased definition."
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Choosing the Ideal Beard Balm
Tonight, Bradley Cooper went for a more scruffy look. Can you walk us through the process?
"When he has a beard, I use the same hydrating Acqua di Parma facial products (Moisturizing Face Cream and Moisturizing Eye Cream) as I do if he is clean-shaven, but I swap in the Acqua di Parma Beard Serum. It absorbs beautifully into the skin and smells so good. I love using excess product on neck and even in the hair for shine. I used the Acqua di Parma Beard Cream on Bradley’s beard––he really likes the scent. I also combined the Acqua di Parma Beard Serum with some medium texture styling cream to give his hair some subtle shine."
Does wardrobe ever come into play in terms of grooming when working with different male celebs?
"Definitely. When it's more of a casual look––like with jeans––we'll do more of a daytime, casual look that's more undone, with the hair a little bit looser. And then when a man has a suit on, I try to make him look a little bit more polished looking. And then for a red carpet event, I normally always make a man look more sleek and sophisticated looking, and that goes for facial hair as well––if he's wearing a beard, I trim the beard so that it's not unruly looking, for example."
Related: The Best Beard Oils for a Suave and Polished Look
Do you have any suggestions for clients to help prep their skin in the week before a big event like the Oscars?
"Ahead of a big event, I always tell clients to minimize alcohol intake and maximize water intake the week before. It’s important to treat your body well ahead of time with plenty of sleep and exercise to help blood circulation. For facial treatments, I recommend getting a professional facial or laser treatments 1 – 10 days before the big event depending on skin sensitivity. It helps to renew the skin by exfoliating and removing dead skin cells from the surface. You also can’t do enough masking. I recommend hydrating masks 2 – 3 times a week leading up to the event and a clay mask the night before."
What’s a trend you’re seeing in the male grooming world?
"I feel like everyone's shaving. I think that in 2019 we're just going to see more of a clean-shaven man. That's just my prediction. I could be wrong, but I feel like beards are going to start to come off this year. I've already seen it with Ben Affleck. Ben Affleck shaved his beard off. I just feel like maybe it'll catch on, you know?"
Related: The Best Beard Conditioners to Add to Your Grooming Routine
