The “Quiet Luxury” Facialist’s Skin Bible: Acne Fixes, The New LED Masks and is Salicylic Acid Out?

Athena Hewett is the cool girls’ master aesthetician (she counts stylish faces like Chloe Sevigny, Sofia Coppola and Greta Lee as clients). She’s also the hands behind the glowing skin at Khaite and Victoria Beckham’s (!!) A/W 2026 runway shows. Plus the San Francisco-based facialist holds artist-in-residences at the iconic Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan and most recently, with a limited pop-up at Vie Projects Gallery during Paris fashion week, in collaboration with the iconic Dover Street Market Parfums Market. Listen in as Athena reveals all of her quiet luxury secrets, like her unique breakout-busting philosophy that involves a skincare diet of nothing but face oils, her innovative pimple extraction technique that promises to reduce skin damage, along with details on how as a skincare formulator, she chooses ingredients for her small-batch botanical skincare range, Monastery. You’ll discover: [00:00:23] How did Athena Hewett build a "Cool Girl" brand for stars like Sofia Coppola? [00:02:18] What does a "Quiet Luxury" skincare routine actually look like? [00:04:16] What is the difference between prepping skin for the runway vs. the red carpet? [00:06:44] Why is lymphatic drainage the most important step before sculpting the face? [00:08:08] How did the collaboration with the Coppola family "Hideaways" begin? [00:12:28] How did a personal battle with cystic acne lead to the creation of Monastery? [00:13:51] Why is an oil cleanser the secret to fixing acne? [00:17:06] What is the "Rose Reset" and can it heal your inflamed skin in two weeks? [00:19:24] What makes the Gold Oil’s omega acids more powerful than Bakuchiol? [00:21:22] What is the Athena Hewett's unique extraction technique [00:23:40] Which common ingredients are on Athena’s "No" list for healthy skin? [00:24:06] Why is Salicylic Acid potentially the worst ingredient for long-term acne healing? [00:31:35] What is the real difference between essential oils and carrier oils? [00:34:04] Should you stop using tap water to wash your face? [00:37:45] Is Burgundy light therapy more effective than standard Red LED masks? Shop everything mentioned in this video here: https://shopmy.us/collections/4299698 MONASTERY | X Coppola Hideaways Essence Hydrating Floral Essence: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46561455 MONASTERY | Rose Glycolic Gel: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46561866 MONASTERY | Rose Cleansing Oil: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46561762 MONASTERY | Gold Botanical Oil Serum: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46562327 MAY LINDSTROM | The Blue Cocoon : https://go.shopmy.us/p-46562478 MONASTERY | Attar Floral Repair Concentrate: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46562658 MONASTERY | The Deep Red LED Mask: https://go.shopmy.us/p-46562738 Shop more of my favorite products here: https://shopmy.us/breakingbeautypodcast Links & Social Media: Get all product and episode details: https://breakingbeautypodcast.com/episode-recaps/ 🇺🇸Shop, and follow, our USA Amazon storefront for even more deals! https://www.amazon.com/shop/breakingbeautypodcast 🇨🇦Shop, and follow, our Canadian Amazon storefront for even more deals! https://www.amazon.ca/shop/breakingbeautypodcast Join the Breaking Beauty community: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakingbeautypodcast/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakingbeautypodcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1401081996684767 Substack Signup: https://substack.com/@breakingbeautypodcast Podcast Hotline: 1-844-227-0302 Hosts: Carlene Higgins: https://www.instagram.com/carlenehiggins/?hl=en and Jill Dunn: https://www.instagram.com/jilldunnbeauty/ Theme song, used with permission: Cherry Bomb by Saya: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5M60ox9b9C4RSPOYYQLTae?si=5fTy2nnTSCS-VsPrBl4hpg Produced by Dear Media Studio: https://dearmedia.com/ More about our podcast: “If you're going to trust anyone's beauty expertise, make it Breaking Beauty's founders, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins” - ELLE.com Get ready with us! We’re Jill and Carlene, two longtime beauty editors who have seen it all and swatched it all, and now we’re here to tell you what’s good every single Wednesday. Whether you’re searching for the latest insider-fave foundation, building a gimmick-free skincare routine, or interested in learning tips from the absolute best talent in the beauty biz, tune for epic guests like Makeup By Mario, skincare guru Dr. Shereene Idriss and breakthrough people who are moving the needle in beauty today: everyone from celebs like Hailey Bieber and Tracee Ellis Ross to creators like Jackie Aina and Mikayla Nogueira. Plus, don’t miss our monthly #DamnGood reviews of trending drugstore and spendy finds that are worth the $$$ – you’re glowing already!