From Skincare to the Screen: Our Chat with Ignacia Soto-Aguilar, MUA for Hulu’s The Bear

From Skincare to the Screen: Our Chat with Ignacia Soto-Aguilar, MUA for Hulu’s The Bear

Among bustling kitchens, intricate selves and a beguiling cast of stars, skin may not be the first thing you think of when you watch Hulu's Bears. But getting effortlessly glowing skin in every spotlight is no small feat. Experienced makeup artist Ignacia Soto-Aguilar took on the challenge.

We sat down with Ignacia to talk about the beauty and skincare behind Bear, including the magic that makes Jeremy Allen White shine on screen.

Meet Ignacia Soto-Aguilar: Storytelling Through Beauty

Professional makeup artist Ignacia Soto-Aguilar is no newbie to Hollywood. But as an editor and fashion makeup artist, it was the art of storytelling that drew her to the screen: “I knew there was a place for me in this world of telling important stories,” Ignacia told us.

"Being able to apply my skills [as a makeup artist] to a storytelling environment like Hollywood... to assist the world with this particular form of makeup artistry was a natural transition for me, Let me keep challenging myself."

With over a decade of experience as a professional makeup artist, Ignacia is now one of Hollywood's hottest makeup talents. In addition to serving as the makeup department supervisor for famous TV series such as "Bear" and "Claws", she has also participated in makeup work for blockbusters such as "The Hunger Games", "Catching Fire", "The Wire", "Catching Fire", etc. , "Heist", "Vice" and "Project Power" and other blockbusters. While working for the big screen, Ignacia discovered that makeup is more than just skin-deep:

"Making people objectively more attractive is probably what most people think of when they think of the role of a makeup artist," she says. "But after enhancing a woman's beauty or modifying a man's appearance, a funny thing happens. Now -- they tell a different story with their body language.

The Bear is the ideal canvas for Ignacia's comprehensive approach: "The Bear" is a perfect example of a show where makeup isn't just about improving one's appearance on screen, in fact makeup isn't the point at all. It's there to make The audience gets to know who these characters are, and I love delivering that information in a controlled environment while still prioritizing skin health.

Skincare on The Big Screen

Skincare is inseparable from Ignacia’s work. On the set of "Bear," skin care became even more important as close-ups were easy to take and time for makeup touch-ups was limited.

"Skincare is a proactive approach with long-lasting benefits, while makeup is a short-term corrective. The health of everyone's skin in my chair is a top priority, as is the ultimate effect of makeup In this way, by improving the condition of the skin, I can effectively reduce the workload of keeping a person on camera long-term.

In addition to long-lasting benefits, skincare enhances Ignacia's cult-favorite creation: "Skincare] also makes any makeup look smoother and more natural and beautiful. Preparing the skin before applying makeup is essential.

But enhancing skin health doesn't start in the makeup chair: "The key to success in skin care is consistency," says Ignacia. "Like anything else, being consistent with your skin health regimen will pay off—and why Why not take 5 minutes a day to help our skin look its best?

Understanding Consistency in Skincare

Let's take a deeper look at skincare consistency -- and why it's Ignacia's golden rule.

Active ingredients and skin treatments don't produce dramatic results overnight. This is because skin cell regeneration is a weeks-long process.

The skin cell renewal process takes about 28 days in the early and middle stages, and this process gradually slows down over time. For this reason, treatments that promote skin cell repair and new cell growth, such as red light therapy, need to be used consistently for at least a few weeks to achieve noticeable results.

If you skip your skincare or treatment products before they work, you could miss out on radiant results.

An Inside Look: Jeremy Allen White’s Skincare Routine for The Bear

Want to know what the crew of "Bear" is looking forward to? Of course we objected, and Ignacia's opinion did not disappoint us. "She made it clear: "During the filming, the filming location of the "Bear" crew was as complete as the kitchen in the show. “I try to minimize the disruption of makeup touch-ups during intense storylines and care about respecting their space.”

Ignacia on the set of The Bear with Jamie Lee Curtis

Prepping for The Close-Up

When it comes to creating a reliable close-up look, Ignacia turns to our skincare favourite: ‘I incorporated luxrenew Men into Jeremy Allen White's home skincare routine this season, and it changed everything. In the second week of daily use, the signs of redness were almost undetectable, so much so that I had planned to put some sunscreen on him for the five-year flashback episode ‘The Fish,’ but that day we just applied sunscreen - and he looked that good.

These improvements led to an unexpected shift in Ignacia's work: ‘As the shoot progressed, I found myself having to add pain marks to his face in scenes where they were needed, which I had never done before. We joked that maybe I should have waited until the end of the shoot to put a mask on him, as I went through the transition from using skin correction on Cami to now having to add FX colours every now and then for extra signs of skin stress’.

How Does Stress Affect The Skin?

Ignacia had to paint the stress on Jeremy's skin to illustrate the demands and intensity of a new restaurant opening. But what effects does stress have on skin in the real world?

The body's response to stress includes the release of inflammatory chemicals and hormones such as cortisol. Some of these hormones stimulate pro-inflammatory skin cells, such as mast cells. Mast cells are known to cause redness, itchiness, scarring, and inflammation of the skin.

Stress can also damage the skin's outermost layer, which protects the skin's moisture barrier and protects against external irritants. If stress damages this layer of skin, it can lead to irritation and poor skin repair. For people who are prone to acne, stress can also exacerbate breakouts.

By promoting skin repair and suppressing inflammation, luxrenew home red light therapy can help counteract the effects of stress on your skin.

Luxrenew Results for The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White

The biggest difference in Jeremy’s skin after using luxrenew According to Ignacia: “Texture, pore size, redness, the ability to hold hydration in cold Chicago temperatures…the skin was plumper, there was noticeably less irritation when shaving, pigmentation evened out substantially - and this was all in a matter of a few weeks!”


Take a look at Jeremy’s skin transformation with luxrenew:

Credit: Matt Dinerstein/FX
Before Luxrenew, with no makeup on his skin

Credit: Hulu
After Luxrenew, with no makeup on his skin
"That's when I started noticing a difference in my pigmentation - my skin became more even and healthier," notes Ignacia.

As Jeremy's skin started to glow, Ignacia couldn't help but add Omnilux to her skincare routine: "On Jeremy's second week of using it, I noticed real results for the first time. I started using it every day and now it has become the most crucial and beneficial step in my skin care routine.
Luxrenew is an FDA-cleared LED light therapy device that works by stimulating skin recovery and repair. The Luxrenew Men device that Ignacia prescribed for Jeremy uses Texas Power's deepest near-infrared wavelength (1072 nanometers) to stimulate rejuvenation of men's skin (which is 25% thicker than women's skin!). Clinical studies have shown that it can improve the appearance of wrinkles, enlarged pores and discoloration in men.

Rest assured, Luxrenew is for men. Ignacia relies on the Contour Face, a rejuvenation device with 132 medical-grade LEDs that emit optimal wavelengths of red and near-infrared light. Promote collagen production, improve skin texture, even skin tone, and make skin look healthy and youthful.
 

Ignacia’s Makeup Kit Essentials

Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, and water-based moisturizers are all powerful moisturizers that instantly improve skin’s signs of fatigue and give it the plumpness it needs, making it the perfect canvas for makeup application,” says Ige Nasia says, “For maximum absorption, I apply the sterilized Luxrenew Mask to cleansed skin for 10 minutes before applying the Luxrenew Hyaluronic Acid Serum. “To maximize absorption, I apply a sterilized Luxrenew mask to cleansed skin for 10 minutes before applying Luxrenew Hyaluronic Acid Serum – it’s very lightweight yet deeply hydrating, perfect for in-between mask applications or use later.

Ignacia’s Favorite luxrenew Topicals

The Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Peptide Concentrate from luxrenew made their way into Ignacia’s makeup kit. Here’s what makes them so special:

The Hyaluronic Acid Serum is formulated to enhance the effects of LED light therapy. It contains hyaluronic acid to pump and deeply hydrate the skin, along with niacinamide for an even, bright complexion. Antioxidants from green tea leaf soothe inflammation while licorice root reduces redness. Rest assured, this serum is safe for all skin types.

The Peptide Concentrate boosts the rejuvenating effects of luxrenew treatments with potent peptides matrixyl and argireline. Matrixyl promotes collagen production to fade fine lines and wrinkles, while argireline diminishes the appearance of dynamic wrinkles. It’s an ideal topical to lock in moisture and firm the skin after LED light therapy.

Proactive Skincare for Stress-Free Beauty

We don’t all work in unpredictable, fast-paced professional kitchens, but we have to deal with stress every day. Thankfully, a proactive skincare regimen can keep you camera-ready without picking up a makeup brush.


Ignacia’s parting beauty advice? "Sleep. Eat nutritious foods. Stay hydrated. Wash your pillowcases and try to sleep on your back. But most importantly, always wear sunscreen."

"If you didn't get the SPF memo in your 20s, you're in luck, there's a company like luxrenew that has created a medical-grade at-home treatment device that's clinically proven to actively reverse sun damage with continued use more than ever before. It’s faster than ever. The best part is, you can answer interview questions while wearing it, just like I’m doing right now!”


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