The Crown-Season Skincare Rule: Hydration First, Highlight Later

No place name, no name attached — just a technique. Essences sit between cleanser and moisturizer, and the pitch is simple: they carry water deeper than a serum alone, which is why the pageant and red-carpet circuit treats them as prep, not extra. The idea isn't a new bottle so much as a new step, slotted in before anything with shimmer goes on. Restored bounce reads better under photography than any last-minute highlighter fix.

With reporting from Elle.