Insiders' Guide- Beautiful People.(facials)

nsiders' Guide Beautiful People

Olga Lorencin-Northrup: Facialist

By Jenny Bailly s a young girl in Belgrade, Olga Lorencin-Northrup had no interest in tea parties or Easy-Bake ovens. She was too busy stirring face masks over a real stove: "I would make them from berries and black beans in my mom's kitchen, but she'd never let me use them on her." These days, Sofia Coppola, Christina Applegate, and Christina Ricci willingly submit to her facials at West Hollywood's Kinara Spa -- the operative word being "submit." "I tell it like it is," says Lorencin-Northrup of her bedside manner. She doesn't hesitate to share her punishing views on extractions ("Oh, God, yes -- and they need to be deep") and traditional facials ("They're the worst. I call them steam-and-creams"). Clients can expect the same candor: "If you smoke, drink seven cups of coffee a day, and go to bed with your makeup on," she says, "don't complain to me." And she isn't any easier on herself. "After my first facial at 13, my eyes were red from crying, and my skin was puffy from all the extractions," she says. "I loved it."

Her Secret Weapons

Unlike many spa owners, Lorencin- Northrup forgoes the ease of carrying product lines in their entirety, instead cherry-picking the true stars from about 20 different companies. Standouts include: Osea Ocean Cleanser: "Even women with dry skin love foamy cleansers; milky ones just don't make them feel clean. This one gets sudsy, but it's very mild." Astara Daily Refining Scrub: "I'm not a big lover of scrubs, especially for people with sensitive skin. I like this one, though, because it is superfine." IS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum: "This serum is great for people with rosacea, redness, or mild discolorations. It's incredibly hydrating but also contains kojic acid, a natural bleaching agent." Ayur-Medic Eye and Lip Line Corrector (above right): "It's retinol-based, so it fights wrinkles, but it's ...