Lord Gavin McCleod's The Method facial is one of the hottest treatments in Hollywood. Getty Images; WireImage; Page Six Red carpet trends come and go, but Lord Gavin’s McLeod-Valentine’s treatments are here to stay.
The sought-after facial masseur has prepped stars for everything from the Oscars to the Met Gala to the SAG Actor Awards, with repeat clients including Demi Moore, Emily Blunt and Sharon Stone.
So when I got the chance to try one of his famous The Method facials at Augustinus Bader’s extremely chic Skin Lab in February — the day after he flew back from the Grammys, no less — I was eager to get a peek behind the curtain.
“When I came to the brand and we were sort of designing the facial process, I knew that post-COVID, there was a return to connection,” he told me.
The treatment room at Augustinus Bader’s NYC Skin Lab is gorgeous. Page Six “People wanted to feel human touch, but [they] also had an expectation … [that] they should look different after a facial, because medspas had kind of changed what could possibly happen within a room,” he added, noting that the popularity of Botox and fillers have helped raise clients’ expectations.
As a result, the treatment he developed involves physical manipulation and a systematic layering of Augustinus Bader’s celeb-adored skincare products — including The Rich Cream, which he told me he discovered from Kim Kardashian — in addition to technologies like radiofrequency, LED and cryotherapy.
When I arrived in the luxe-looking treatment room, McLeod-Valentine started off by cleansing my skin, before getting to the main event: slapping (yes, really).
He uses his signature massage method to help sculpt the face and contour cheekbones, strategically pinching and tapping certain areas to help with lymphatic drainage.
The spa itself reflects Augustinus Bader’s famous blue and gold packaging. Page Six Far from your standard spa massage, the motions feel forceful — and in addition to sculpting, they also helped relieve the excess tension in my jaw, which Gavin immediately clocked.
To soothe my skin after all of that, he applied products including Augustinus Bader’s Hydrogel Face Mask. While I’ve tried plenty of masks with price points from $5 to $50, this one takes the cake for the most soothing and cooling.
Pricey products aside, Gavin also uses guided meditations to help get his clients in the right headspace.
He’s told me stories of meditating with Sharon Stone before the Oscars and calming Maude Apatow’s nerves before her first Met Gala, and I can totally see how his calming presence would be a secret weapon for stars facing career milestones.
He’s worked with Sharon Stone for years. lordgmv/Instagram “I [have] a few Oscar winners under my belt, and it always feels special to be part of that moment because I know the pressure,” he told me, recalling working with Zoe Saldaña before her historic best supporting actress win last year.
Zoe Saldaña got a facial from Lord Gavin before her big win at the Oscars in 2025. AFP via Getty Images McLeod-Valentine worked with Kathryn Hahn for the SAG Actor Awards this week. Getty Images He got Sydney Sweeney ready for the 2025 Met Gala. Getty Images While I was headed to the office instead of a major stage, I can totally see how the star facialist is a good luck charm for famous folks.
As I sat under a red light listening to his guidance, I started feeling far more grounded and calm than when I entered. (As I left, he told me not to jump up and spring into chaos and checking my phone — a tall order for 9 a.m. on a Tuesday!)
Right after the treament (left) and a hours later (right). Page Six While my skin looked quite red immediately after, it dissipated in less than an hour — and I immediately noticed my complexion looked more lifted and snatched.
I can totally see why celebrities sign up for this particular treatment, slapping and slathering again and again. After all, when it comes to self-confidence, even A-listers need a (literal) hand.
This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Associate Editor for Page Six. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts celebrities’ brands to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.
