If you’re a celebrity, the day before the Oscars likely includes the following:

1. Hydrating facial with plenty of massage to help deport clogged pores and get those cheekbones poppin’.

2. Your workout of choice, whether it’s muscle-lengthening Pilates or a cardio session that will get you in the acceptance speech zone (will also help with loser face prep).

3. A spray tan.

4. A brow tint/wax.

5. Eyelash extension application, if you’re going that route.

6. A good blow out. Most hair stylists love second day hair (more on that later) to help add some grit to an updo that will land at the top of a best beauty slideshow in the next day.

But what about the day of? Celebrities book time with their go-to hair and makeup people, but a lot of that happens early on in the day. Hours later, when they’re exiting the ‘stretch and about to stomp the red carpet…those people who got them “red carpet ready” are back in the hotel suites where they prepped said celebs, hopefully a glass or two deep and ready to watch the big show. So what’s a celebrity to do? Here, our fave tips from the image makers who prep and prime the celebs.

 

1. SEND ‘EM IN WITH SUPPLIES

“I don’t get to go with them to the red carpet. I have to trust the universe. I send them off with concealer, lipstick, Q-Tips and sometimes one of those tiny little Beautyblender sponges with a little bit of foundation on it [wrapped] inside a tissue. But that’s only if there’s space for that — sometimes there isn’t. I send Q-Tips because they are the perfect little fix-it for something around the lips if things are moving, or to clean-up any fall out from eyeliner or mascara. It’s just the best way not to disturb the rest of the makeup. And I definitely use a primer. I used the new NARS primer, and it gives a beautiful base — it has this satiny finish, it’s an airy feel. That’s usually what I do on days like today when I know that makeup needs to last for hours. — Makeup artist Rachel Goodwin, who works with Emma Stone and Michelle Dockery

 

2. DON’T NEGLECT THE LAST MINUTE SKINCARE MAGIC

“Nicole Kidman wore my new Charlotte Tilbury Dry Sheet Mask (launching next month in Canada) before she had her makeup done for the Golden Globes and obviously she looked amazing, I mean her skin was like wild and then you put that on and it was even more glossy and luminous and amazing and dewy and incredible. — Makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, who has also worked with Jennifer Aniston, Kate Moss and Jennifer Lopez. 

 

3. GO IN WITH (SLIGHTLY) DIRTY HAIR

“Clean hair has no guts—it really doesn’t. It doesn’t hold a wave, it doesn’t hold a curl. Even if I’m doing an updo, I even spray dry shampoo on my hair pins with Dove Invigorating Dry Shampoo. It powder and starch in the formula gets in there and creates a good kind of friction so it won’t slip out. Every single bobby pin has to count. When I do an updo on Mary-Kate Olsen, she wants an updo that doesn’t require more than five bobby pins. And it drove me crazy that she said five because the biggest rule is, hair pins always have to be in an even number, you can do 1, 3 or 5 you have to do 2, 4 or 6! If you cross them to really really hold, so that’s when I was like ok… I tried spraying hairspray on the hairpins first but its so wet that it really will slip out of get or get that awful texture.” — Celebrity hairstylist Mark Townsend, who has worked with Jennifer Lawrence and Hailee Steinfeld.

 

4. TAKE A PRE-SHOW SELFIE TO FACT CHECK YOUR FACE

“Before leaving for the show, take a picture with your phone with the flash on—that will help give you an idea of how the makeup will react on the red carpet. To keep lips impeccable and to minimize the touch up, use an ultra-long wear lasting lipstick as Chanel Rouge Double Intensity. The flash from all the cameras on the red carpet makes the glue from the false lashes very visible. To conceal that, I apply a matte black liner (try Chanel Calligraphie de Chanel Longwear Intense Cream Eyeliner) on top of the false lash strips to eliminate the undesirable shine reflection. In your bag, you’ll need to bring Q-tips and blotting papers. — Chanel makeup artist Julie Cusson, who has worked with celebrities such as Jessica Paré and Isabelle Huppert.

 

5. GET STARTED IN THE SHOWER

“Prescribe to your biggest issue, and pick a shampoo and conditioner based on that. It will make styling so much easier. And deep condition! People are so lazy and don’t want to do masks that take ten minutes in the shower. I tell them to put John Frieda Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner (launching soon in Canada) in their hair and go to sleep with it. Or do it on while you do chores. But do it, because it makes such a difference when you get down to styling.” — Hairstylist Harry Josh, who works with Olivia Wilde and Gisele Bunchen.

 

6. REDIRECT THE DRY SHAMPOO

“Dry shampoo can be used to prevent flatness and stickiness. I spray it into an actresses’ hands and have her pat her open palms along the back of her neck. If she’s wearing her hair down, dry shampoo like Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo will prevent the hair from sticking to her neck. I’ve also used it on men underneath their tuxes, right down the middle of their back where they really feel the heat. This keeps the area dry. I did it with David Beckham.”—Peter Gray, hairstylist who has worked with Kate Bosworth and Cate Blanchett.