A Look Behind The Treatment with Kristyn Smith, Celebrity Esthetician

The dewy, radiant skin that you see in magazines, movie screens, and models’ Instagram snaps doesn’t come without TLC. It’s carefully treated, pampered, and nurtured by beauty powerhouses like Kristyn Smith.

With a dedicated, star-studded following (including supermodel Bella Hadid), Kristyn is one of today’s most revered estheticians. We couldn’t wait to chat with her about her remarkable rise, results-based approach, and the beauty must-haves you’ll find in her bag.

Meet Kristyn Smith, Esthetician to the Stars

Kristyn Smith broke into the beauty industry over 22 years ago as a makeup artist in London. But, the use of makeup to cover up skin conditions, rather than care for them, quickly clashed with her wellness-based beauty philosophy.

So, Kristyn moved back to the West Coast, where she worked alongside plastic surgeons as a medical esthetician. Along the way, she developed cutting-edge skincare techniques with a holistic approach, cultivating beautifully healthy skin from the inside out.

Over the last 22 years, Kristyn has consulted and launched luxury spas, curated skincare lines, and garnered a client base devoted to her customized approach. Most recently she founded Practise NYC, an airy Tribeca clinic offering wellness-forward skincare treatments using both modern and traditional therapies.

Kristyn’s Illustrious Rise

A common thread runs through Kristyn’s journey to becoming the preferred esthetician to A-list celebrities: results-based skincare, tailored to the individual.

“Shortly after completing my esthetic training, l was fortunate enough to work with a very prominent medical esthetician in Southern California,” Kristyn told us. “It was here that I began to see the important part both ingredients and technology played in delivering “results-based” skin care; and it was also here, through her large industry network, that I was able to form relationships with brands, individuals, and businesses (many that I still have to this day) that aligned with the things I wanted to embody in skin care.”

“When I set out on my own, I continued to be very strategic in terms of where I worked and who I partnered with, always making sure that there was a similar, “results” oriented alignment in ethos. My skin care journey took me from LA, to SF, and onto NYC, and I continued to find that the science-based approach of the plastic surgeons and dermatologists I often worked with consistently made the most sense in terms of how I approached my own clients - I would listen to their concerns, make a prognosis, and then come up with a customized protocol to treat their skin.”

“This philosophy continues to drive my skincare practice - I assess the need and come up with a plan of action to address it. I find this “skin focused” (what is the issue and how do we solve it?) versus “spa focused” (massage, pampering, etc) approach is often the reason people of all types (A-list and everyday) visit my team and I at Practise NYC.”

The Evolution of the Skincare Industry

With her varied and longstanding experience as an esthetician, we asked Kristyn about her take on the skincare industry’s evolution over the past decade.

What’s changed over the last 10 years? In Kristyn’s words, “So many things!”

“For one, the rise of “indy beauty” has been exciting to see and has brought forth so many smaller brands with great lines that target specific niches.” Everyone’s skin has unique, complex needs – niche skincare brands make it possible to address a broader range of concerns.

Kristyn added, “Also, with the technology boom of the last decade, the skin care industry as a whole has launched a variety of great/effective devices that can be used both professionally and at home.” One device that has become a mainstay in all of Kristyn’s treatments is Omnilux red light therapy.

“Finally, I’d say social media has definitely added a new angle (both positive and negative) to things - it created an easily accessible platform to both share and receive information, made finding new products and businesses much easier, and, thanks to the constant stream of selfies, posts, and reels, created more of an overall awareness in people to find answers and solutions so that their own skin/appearance (which is now more visible than ever) can look its best.” It’s through social media that we can easily admire Kristyn’s work for celebs and models like Bella Hadid, Jacquelyn Jablonski, and Paige Reifler.

Red Light Therapy’s Role in Kristyn’s Work

Kristyn has been an Omnilux believer since its inception, so we were eager to learn more about her experience with the device:

“I started using Omnilux in 2020 when the Contour mask first came out - I loved the combination of cutting-edge technology with convenience when it came to travel and general usage.”

Since discovering Omnilux, Kristyn has continued to recommend it to her clients and even uses it in her own skincare routine. The device delivers professional-grade red light technology to stimulate collagen, refine skin texture, and eliminate acne-causing bacteria, all with a convenient, comfortable mask. A few 10-minute treatments per week are enough to, as Kristyn notes, revitalize, calm, and clear the skin.

Kristyn added: “I had been using LED lights prior to Omnilux, but found most of the modalities to be somewhat cumbersome, which reduced the chance of me using them regularly.”

With an expansive client base, Kristyn successfully manages all types of skin conditions. She most commonly recommends Omnilux devices for her clients with acne, signs of aging, and inflammatory conditions, such as eczema and rosacea.

Kristyn’s Skincare Must-Haves

As one of the most sought-after estheticians in the industry, we couldn’t wait to take a peek into Kristyn’s own travel bag:

Omnilux Contour delivers medical-grade light therapy at home, making it easier to maintain the results of professional esthetic treatments.
Hyaluronic acid locks moisture into the skin and soothes redness (you’ll find it alongside niacinamide and green tea leaf in the Omnilux Hyaluronic Acid Serum).
Vitamin A, or retinol, enhances skin cell regeneration to gradually improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
SPF is a daily essential to shield the skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays, a major contributor to premature skin aging.

Thankfully, for those of us who can’t make it into Kristyn’s skincare oasis in NYC, Omnilux can provide a piece of her renewing treatments from the comfort of home.