Beautytap Luminary Spotlight: Adeela Crown, International Facialist + Skincare Authority

Sought after by the world’s most famous faces and beauty brands, Adeela Crown has built a holistic, multi-hyphenated career that encompasses not only elite aesthetics and skincare but also finance, journalism, and a degree in cosmetic chemistry.

As an international facialist, Crown travels the globe to work her bespoke magic with celebrity clients on the set of their films and serves as Contributing Beauty Editor to the Financial Times with her Ask Adeela column, while also leading exclusive residencies at renowned luxury hotels alongside prestigious, results-driven skincare brands.

Revered for her educationally-driven, skin altering techniques, Crown is a self-described “science nerd” who prides herself on taking deep dives with each skincare product she incorporates into her customized facials, with the goal of gaining an in-depth understanding of the science and ingredients behind every formulation. This entails frequent travel to brand headquarters, touring the labs and speaking with the product innovators.

In addition to utilizing highly advanced facial tools during her personalized treatments, it’s Crown’s trademarked Skin Dance™ method that her clients clamor for - her proprietary face sculpting massage that visibly lifts and tightens the skin. Think of her artistry akin to a non-surgical facelift.

Currently in residence at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills until November 10th, Crown has crafted singular treatments in conjunction with La Prairie and is highlighting the Swiss skincare brand’s age-defying innovations including their latest marvel, Life Matrix Haute Rejuvenation Cream - designed to “reset the skin matrix to a younger state.”

Crown sat down with Beautytap to share more about her work ethic and artistry, her current residency treatment offerings, how she carved out her own niche in the skincare industry, and the power of “sticking to your convictions.”

How did you get your start as a facialist?

A long time ago, I decided I wouldn’t be a facialist with a place down the road. I will travel, I will fly, I’ll open my horizons. As a result, I accepted every opportunity, well-paid or not, at the start of my career. I saw amazing people, mostly through word of mouth, because that’s how I built my business: one face at a time, I jokingly say - one face at a time that I have slapped.

I started my career working with plastic surgeons because I transitioned from a very niche part of finance, forensic accounting. I can sniff money. I’m a financial bloodhound. You throw me in the matrix; those ones and zeros will make absolute sense to me.

So, I’m a total nerd, but I also pushed myself that much harder. There’s no such thing as a 9 to 5 in finance, even if it says so on paper. You work through the night; you eat dodgy takeaway. I was sleeping in my office on the sofa and waking up in the morning with crazy hair and a few spots here and there, which turned into a whole face of breakouts, which turned into a huge self-esteem issue. It was really bringing me down. And where I am of British Pakistani origin, if I scar, I scar badly - it looks like someone took an eyebrow pencil in the darkest shade and drew dots all over my face.

That’s when I started looking at solutions. We didn’t have these fancy devices, equipment, or machines 14 years ago. I mean, lasers were hot, peels were painful, and microneedling would turn me into a giant bruise for at least a few weeks before it was time for me to come back and do it again.

But I followed the cycle. I was patient with the results, and the results didn’t happen overnight. I went to dermatologists and experts, and my skin began to change. My confidence came back. My shoulders went up. I wasn’t hiding behind my hair anymore.

And I thought, “Oh my God, going to these appointments is the most painful time of the month.” But I was still counting down the days, looking forward to these treatments because they’re literally changing my life. I realized that I’d like to inspire that confidence. I’d love people to look forward to coming and seeing me. And so, that’s how my love for skin was born.

When you switched from finance to facials, did you return to school?

I earned a second degree in cosmetic chemistry to learn about the anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology of skin. I didn’t go to beauty school because being a numbers person, I wanted to make sense of this new world I was entering. I could really get into the forensic part. See, that part stayed within me. But this time, instead of looking at balance sheets of numbers, I was looking at the balance of skin. So that’s why the world of beauty eventually made sense to me.

I started working with dermatologists. I was a workhorse, I was hungry, I was like a sponge. I wanted to absorb everything. I learned a lot about reconstructive work, every device under the sun, and what they can do regarding transformative results. I also learned the limitations in terms of toxins.

And then I opened my little clinic in London behind Harrods which - today, I’m sitting in Waldorf Astoria, and [my clinic] was literally the size of my bathroom here [at the hotel]. That’s why you have to stick by your convictions. You have to find your niche and honestly believe that it will happen. If you really, really push yourself, it’s possible to make your dream come true. I wanted to work with the biggest brands in the world, to be my own boss, to travel and meet amazing people. But I also want to do the treatments on my own time - not how it's done with the dermatology experience, like a sushi conveyor belt of patients.

So I thought, hold on a minute. I’m working for myself. I can spend as much time as I want to with people. Now I’m known as a person who is very generous with her hands and her time because I was finding, unfortunately, that in this industry, cosmetic treatments are very transactional. But that was never my business model. My business model was that I was here to build relationships with these people. And that has served me well because one good client led to another.

How do you create your intricate skincare treatments and please share more about your trademarked Skin Dance™ and the benefits?

When I design a skin treatment, I look at four pillars.

There’s the medical aspect, where I want to make sure that I know exactly what this person is doing and not doing, how they’re looking after their body, their hormonal placement, etc.

Then there’s the wellness aspect, where I look after the skin from a technical point of view and try to drive products as deeply as possible without being a drug.

There’s the nutrition pillar because I can apply lovely products, but if you’re going to go and have a cheeseburger afterward, that nullifies all the good work we have done.

And then there’s the movement pillar. Now, I’m known for movement, okay. We don’t do the two-finger, slow-motion facial massage and treatment. I’m inside your mouth. I am literally inside your muscles. My trademarked technique is called Skin Dance™ where I have blended Hungarian tapotement, Tanaka, Kobido, Face Yoga, Gua Sha and more. Which is like a deep muscle work to build lifted definition, contour, sculpt and drain. All of these aspects that I mix are my Skin Dance™. So we take all these important boxes of medical, wellness, nutrition and movement to create a treatment that actually fires up your cellular engine from deep inside.

I deliver time-release results, where I want your skin to perform at its best a week later, two weeks later, or a month later. People now treat me as the personal trainer of their skin, just like a personal trainer would look at their body and know where they can configure certain things, how far they can push their body, and where they have to pull back. I also know how many muscles you have, how you use them, if you’re using them symmetrically in your face, if you’re overworking something, and if you have pockets of toxin or fluid trapped in between.

But the idea is then I can step away, and you’ve learned so much that you can be your own personal trainer going forward. That’s how you actually bring about a lasting change.

How did your residency with Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills come about?

I’m doing a residency here at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills because I have a relationship with them and La Prairie. When I’m in town, they like me to live here. I have a similar relationship with the Bulgari Hotel in London. That means when I’m in London, I’m doing my residency there for a certain period. I see who I need to see and then fly off to another part of the world.

I also work as an expert, doing press events or hosting lunches and launches. I recently launched the La Prairie Life Matrix, which is this $1,950 cream, making it the most expensive cream in the world. Since I come from that educational background as well, La Prairie has tapped into the fact that I’m a nerd and can explain it from a practical point of view without boring you to death about DNA and RNA. That’s also how I became a Contributing Beauty Editor for the Financial Times.

How many residencies have you done at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, and it must be beneficial to spend time in Los Angeles where you are able to see your Hollywood clientele?

Yes, definitely. Because most of my lovely clients and creative talent live and work in LA. Even the ones who don’t live in LA are in and out constantly. So, with Waldorf Astoria, we try to time my residencies around special events.

May was the first set of longer residencies that I hosted, and then a nearly month-long residency this October. We’re also covering LACMA Arts and Film. One of my dearest friends, Baz Luhrmann, the director, is getting a special award there. And there’s the Baby-to-Baby gala happening in LA. So we are ticking off lots of boxes while we’re here.

Prior to that, I’d been coming to the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills for years to host red-carpet event pop-up [appointments]. We did the 2022 and 2023 Oscars. Each time, I set up with a brand in one of the private suites - I don’t do it in the spa because of my caliber of clientele; they expect privacy. It’s also so much more unique one-on-one, and they get the level of comfort and privacy they need because no one knows they're here. And that’s the kind of discretion they look for.

Waldorf Astoria is the perfect location for that because it is not only central but also very chic, very modern, and very much aligned with the Adeela Crown brand. My talent absolutely loves coming here. It also helps that I’m very close to Kathy and Paris Hilton. They’ve been great champions and wanted me to headline something here. So, that was very sweet of them and very collaborative.

How do your treatments differ from those offered at Waldorf Astoria’s La Prairie Spa?

It’s great from a marketing perspective because Waldorf Astoria is offering something unique by partnering with me, which no one else is offering in LA. And it’s excellent for La Prairie because I bring the products to life. After all, what I do is not what they do at the spa here. Our treatment protocols are entirely different. Here, we have radio frequency, ultrasound, acoustic wave therapy, and hydra facials. You name it, we have it. So it’s those aspects plus my skin dance, which is literally where my fingers dance on the skin's surface. So, we have incorporated that trademarked skin dance method, along with La Prairie products and devices, to create something very unique. Hence, the price point reflects that.

Are you offering any treatments exclusive to Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills?

Every treatment I perform here is exclusive to me and won’t be available to book with anyone else once I return to London. Four base treatments range from $850 to $1950 - the Skin Caviar or White Caviar, Gold Radiance, Platinum Rare, and Life Matrix Skinlife Longevity facials. For this last treatment [Life Matrix], there’s an option to add on the take-home La Prairie Life Matrix Haute Rejuvenation cream for a total of $3900. It’s a chance for you to experience the longevity facial because it’s literally Clinique La Prairie in a jar. The brands [La Prairie and Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland] have finally joined forces and pooled all of their RNA and DNA longevity research into this product, which makes it so special and, in turn, makes it absolutely uniquely priced in the market.

I’m also known for my generous gifting. When you come and see me, you walk away with a nice bag full of custom, curated skincare. I partner with brands. We do not charge you. We want you to be able to continue the Adeela Crown Method. The gifting structure is the same whether you’re a celebrity or just coming in to experience my treatment.

Can you explain cellular science further and how it has changed our perception of skincare?

Our lifespan is only increasing. We will also age very differently from our parents and grandparents thanks to advances in modern science and understanding of wellness and nutrition. We are only taking care of our bodies more and more and hyper-aware of diseases and skin issues. And we want to ensure that in our 50s, we don’t have the skin of a 50-year-old. And thanks to cosmetic procedures there’s this heightened sense of, “How do I preserve my skin?”

That’s where cellular science comes in. You can apply wonderful products on the skin's surface but your skin is a barrier - itt will only allow a certain percentage or amount of product through. So, the real change comes from a cellular level. And the doctors at Clinique La Prairie have been talking about longevity science since 1931. Now, it’s very fashionable for brands to mention cellular science, longevity, and so on, whereas these people have been breathing and living that concept and mantra for such a long time.

Are your appointments available to everyone?

We’ve democratized luxury skin care. Each time I had these [private] red carpet pop-ups, they had a phenomenal response, so we decided to host these residencies where everyone has access to me. It’s not just for celebrities or influencers, but anyone looking to experience the Adeela Crown Method.

What also helps is that this is the only La Prairie on the West Coast. Since I have such a lovely relationship with La Prairie, I like to incorporate them into my treatments and my high-tech devices. So, the treatments have become uber, super luxurious, and hyper-customized.

My ethos is that every face is a star. Every person I meet is a star. And everyone deserves to be made to feel that way. I treat some of the most beautiful faces in the world. But whether it’s Cate Blanchett or Demi Moore walking through the door, or you, skin is skin. I completely forget that’s their name or job. I’m not interested in that. So it’s not like they get something that you won’t, and that literally was the premise of creating these bespoke treatments with Waldorf Astoria. That’s been my superpower. I treat everyone like an average person. They actually feel human in my company. And that’s how I build lifelong relationships. For me, anyone from every walk of life is the same because pigmentation, sun damage - they don’t discriminate.

Also, you won’t see me take many selfies with celebrities. Maybe it’s because I’m British and, you know, we’re very reserved, and etiquette is absolutely everything. You would never see me wave a camera in any celebrity’s face and say, “Okay, now I’ve done the treatment with you; I need to document it for my Instagram.” Over the years, that’s been one of my unique selling points, where I’ve been so discreet, and that discretion has helped me build relationships.

How many clients are returning for this residency versus new clients?

It’s actually quite a happy mix. Each time, we have increased the number of appointments available because of the length of the residency. At the last count, we had nearly 100 appointments available with me. 50% of my appointments or more are available to anyone wishing to book an appointment, 20% are press, influencers, and VIPs, and 20% are the celebrities I normally work with.

When you’re not working, what are some of your favorite things to do in Los Angeles?

Remember, I’m from Europe. I’m sun-starved. But I’m also a nerd. So you’ll find me at LACMA and in the museums. I like to spend a lot of time just soaking in the culture.

I also, and it’s a running joke at Waldorf Astoria, take Tuesdays off because it’s Taco Tuesday.

I tell them I’ll work weekends, but just give me Tuesday off so I can go and soak in the whole ambiance of LA Taco Tuesday. And they all laugh at me. I go and gorge on tacos. I’m very good for the rest of the week. But hey, that’s my thing. We don’t have that in London. It’s those little pleasures in life that we need to enjoy.

I don’t just do it for the food. It’s more for connection reasons. Every friend of mine knows that Adeela takes Tuesdays very seriously. So it kind of becomes our little private day off. It also allows me to connect with my friends because it becomes a social thing. And it’s my way of decompressing because I lead such a busy life. I turn it into a joke day and everyone joins in. I’ve even managed to get some celebrity faces into Taco Tuesday. We don’t tell anyone we’re going, but we just casually show up incognito.

Are new clients, who miss your current residency, able to book a future appointment with you in Los Angeles?

Yes. We’re already discussing next year’s dates. I will be back at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills for the Globes [January] and the Oscars [March], followed by a longer residency like this one. It might very likely be in the spring.

Learn more about Adeela Crown via her website and Instagram.