On the heels of the Oscars, you may still be stunned by the countless celebrities who hit the red carpet in gorgeous beauty looks. Her glam team is responsible for her stylish hair and makeup, but her favorite facialists are often forgotten when it comes to facials for skin on the red carpet. One of the go-to facialists on speed dial for stars like Lorde, Zendaya, and Paloma Elsesser, Sofie Pavitt entered the world of skincare after a 15-year career in fashion. Since then, she’s earned a reputation as an acne whisperer among celebrities, editors, and cool girls around New York City, and there’s always a months-long waiting list for her signature facials.
Pavitt is based in New York City, but you don’t have to book a flight to the Big Apple to get a true Sofie Pavitt glow—on March 14, the facialist will launch her eponymous studio-quality skincare line, Sofie Pavitt Face, starting with a mandelic acid serum.
Inspiration
If you want to learn about popular skin concerns, aestheticians are probably the best people to talk to, as they deal with skin every day. Pavitt, who like many other aestheticians turned skincare founders, revealed that her inspiration for launching a leave-on exfoliant came from her countless clients seeking solutions to skin issues.
“After treating so many clients with stressed and damaged skin in my studio, I wanted to create an exfoliant that could be easily incorporated into daily skincare routines, gently removing dead cells without irritation, while moisturizing and soothing,” Pavitt said. The entire product line is designed for people with a variety of skin concerns, aiming to eliminate unnecessary products from daily skincare routines and the market. The first product from Sofie Pavitt Face is centered around mandelic acid, one of Pavitt’s most popular exfoliating AHAs.
Product
Since Pavitt’s specialty is acne-prone skin, it only made sense that her first product would be an exfoliant. Pavitt is a big proponent of daily exfoliation, which is why she made mandelic acid the star of the show—mandelic acid’s molecule size is much larger than other AHAs, making it gentle enough to be used multiple times a week, even for sensitive skin. In addition to eliminating dullness, mandelic acid has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that help keep your skin clear.
Pavitt wanted this serum to work for a variety of skin types. That’s why it also contains hyaluronic acid, which adds moisture to the skin, and panthenol (or vitamin B5), which helps the skin retain moisture and soothes the surface. While you may want to slather this product on throughout the day to maintain a radiant complexion that gets smoother over time, the brand recommends using it once a day after cleansing and toning (or 3-4 times a week if you have dry/sensitive skin) and then applying moisturizer and sunscreen.
Reviews
“I just finished my second round of isotretinoin, which has pretty much cleared up my acne, but my pores are still clogged (probably because of the stronger moisturizer I use to counteract the drying effect of the isotretinoin) and my skin is generally dull from the winter. I used a mandelic acid serum a few years ago and loved it, but I haven’t been able to find the ingredient in popular products in recent years. So when I heard that one of my favorite aestheticians was launching a serum, I couldn’t wait to try it.
“I’ve been experimenting with this serum for a few weeks now and I’m really impressed with the results. It’s lightweight, non-sticky, and more hydrating than thick gels. I use it at night and haven’t noticed any minor irritation, even on my sensitive skin. I’ve already noticed a reduction in nasal congestion, a lighter (many) acne scars, and an overall improved appearance.” —Bella Cacciatore, News Editor
