elebrity outbursts areas common an.d ex­pected on movie sets asafai drinks and per­sonal assistants. Dittofor the excessive ego'soothing that follows.What's more surpris­

ing is that when a star's skin freaks out, itreceives an equal amount of pampering­and not just (rom on-set makeup artists.Dermatologists and aestheticians will travel

thousands ofmiles to calm a belligerent pimpleor mollify a noticeable brow furrow. But allthe fuss isn't just to appease spoiled actresses."As silly as it may seem, a blemish can inter­rupt filming, costing studios many thousandsof dollars," says Karyn Grossman, depart­menLchief of the divisi01:l of dermatology atSt. John's Health Center in Santa,Monica. Forthose of us without a SA G card, skin crisescan still be highly annoying. Good thing thetips that work for the stars-from their highlypaid skin fixers-apply to everyone.

THE OLD SAYING "THE SHOW MUST GOON" DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR MONSTERZITS. "You can't change the lighting tohide a bump, or shoot from a differentangle, without upsetting the continuityof a scene," says. dermatologist David'C~lbert of the New.York DermatologyGroup in New York-City. "On the setof A Beautiful Mind, production wasslowed because one of the major cast

I

members had an acne cyst. A simplecortisone injection on set cured theproblem overnight...and I was put in thelast scene of the movie as a doctor."

When actr'esses' breakouts are espe­cially inflamed, Tina Alster, clinicalprofessor of dermatology at GeorgetownUniversity in Washington, D.C., followscortisone shots with short bursts fromher GentleWaves light-emitting diode(LED) device. "A 35-second treatmentmarkedly reduces redness and swelling,"she says. (The handheld gadget is cur­rently available only to doctors; otherat-home LED machines, such as PerriconeMD Light Renewal and OmniluxClear-U, can help in the same way, justnot to the same extent, Alster says.) Thebacteria-fighting heat from the Zenohome device also "works with cortisoneinjections to help cysts heal more effi­ciently," says Neil Sadick, clinicalprofessor of dermatology at Weill CornellMedical College in New York City.

After treating existing bumps, derma­tologists dole out advice and productsto help prevent new zits from forming."I'll ask the makeup artist to first applya moisturizer with a built-in antibiotic tokill acne bacteria," SGlYS Debra Jaliman,

116

assistant professor of dermatology atMount Sinai School of Medicine inNew York City. (Jaliman likes her ownprescription Rx Moisturizer with 2 per­cent metronidazole, but says that lotionswith benzoyl peroxide, such as CliniqueAcne Solutions Clearing Moisturizer, aregood options as well.) Experts also urgeactors to remove their makeup at theend of the day with the vibratingClarisonic skin-care brush.

EVERY ACTOR MUST PASS THE MAKEUPTEST WITH NO RASHES BEFORE SHOOT·ING HER FIRST TAKE. Makeup artists trythe exact formulas they plan to use dur­ing filming, not only to see what willlook good on film, but also to checkwhether anything triggers a rash orbreakout. "We do see some reactions tocosmetic ingredients," says dermatolo­gist Brad Katchen of SkinCareLab inNew York City. Occasionally troublewill ensue. When one star attempted totouch up her roots herself· halfwaythrough filming a thriller, she had asevere reaction to a chemical in the dye."Her face ballooned, her eyes swelledshut, and her hands turned puffy," saysJaliman. "I immediately gave her a highdose of prescription steroids, and shewas back on set in 24 hours."

For these issues, cortisone is a sure­fire remedy, one Sadick likes to bolsterwith other skin soothers. To treat oneactor with a bad rash brought on bypreservatives in makeup, Sadick pairedthe steroid shot with cold soy-milk com­presses, which reduce inflammation. Healso recommended a basic moisturizer

by Cetaphil or Eucerin for several days,and pleservative-free mineral makeup.

THERE'S NO NASTIER MOVIE VILLAINTHAN THE COLD SORE. "It's crucial tocatch them early and stop them in theirtracks," says Colbert. "So instead ofwasting time traveling to the patient, I'lloften use teledermatology." Someone inthe film crew will send a high-definitionpicture to the doctor, and he'll tell the

Special EffectsMakeup tricks for film can alsowork in real life.• WRINKLES: "I hide them by fillingthe smile lines around the mouthwith Yves Saint Laurent ToucheEclat in a shade lighter than thefoundation that I apply over it,"says makeup artist Mary Burton,who has worked with Halle Berry.• ZITS: Angela Levin, who didJennifer Aniston's makeup for Marley& Me. uses the tip of "the tiniestbrush I have" to trace the base of thepimple with a creamy concealerthat's a shade lighter than the skin,feathering it outward. Then she dabsthe peak with a creamy concealerthat matches the skin "to createthe illusion of a flatter surface."• SCARS AND COLD SORES: A purepigment designed to be mixed withalcohol "works great for texturedbumps," says makeup artist EvelyneNoraz, who did Anne Hathaway'Smakeup for Bride Wars. Sherecommends the Skin Illustratormakeup palettes. -KAYlEIGH DONAHUE