IFC’s ‘Skincare’ Unmasks the Dark Side of the Beauty World

My big mama used to say, “Everything in you has got to come out,” and that could’ve been used as a tagline for the new pulpy IFC thriller, Skincare. 

Elizabeth Banks stars as Hope Goldman, a Hollywood facialist on the rise, poised to take her career to the next level with the launch of her own skincare line. Two weeks out from the launch, everything seems to be going as planned until a new skincare guru, Angel Vergara (Luis Gerardo Méndez), opens a boutique directly across from Hope’s store. The mere idea of a competing business immediately weighs on Hope, and she begins to fear that her business is in jeopardy. This fear proves somewhat justified as customers start visiting the new shop, and business opportunities begin to fall through in favor of Angel. Convinced that Angel is sabotaging her business, Hope enlists the help of her friend Jordan (Lewis Pullman) to prove it and get her business back on track.

Banks as lead is really the only vehicle you need to propel the story forward. A somewhat comedic actor, Banks has an effortless range which aids in her portrayal of Hope as she gradually loses grip on reality. She’s pleasant and reassuring to her receptionist and friend Marine (​​Michaela Jaé “MJ” Rodriguez) and sweet when pleading with her landlord Jeff (John Billingsley) to give her an extension on her overdue rent. Yet even before Angel’s shop enters the picture, we see a less-than-perfect version of Hope, as the film opens on her primping in a mirror to prep for an on-camera interview, eyeliner smeared beneath her eye and a discontent expression on her face. It’s clear that our lead character is dealing with internal stressors. 

Skincare might remind viewers of the classic To Die For — a gritty sometimes satirical thriller that reminds us that beauty is only skin deep. Beneath the surface lie insecurities, ruthless motives, and deceit. Austin Peters’ directorial debut is fiction but inspired by a true “ripped from the headlines” story.  While some of the theories Hope makes in the film seem like a likely deduction considering the events that unfold, others are wild enough to distance you from the possibility that any of what you’re seeing is true. 

Banks shines in the film and shares her spotlight with Pullman leaving Rodriguez woefully underused in a role that feels less than supportive. As the film progresses, it’s clear that had they spent time developing the surrounding characters, there would’ve been more story to impact the twists and turns the screenwriters try to give us. The stakes just aren’t as high if you aren’t completely bought into what’s happening. And though we get our fill of Hope, there’s not enough of those connected to her to be moved by some of the swings the film takes. 

Hope has spent the last twenty years building her brand and crafting the perfect persona to sell it. We see the lengths she’s willing to go in order to protect this image in subtle ways. She buys a pack of cigarettes and claims they’re for a friend to protect the persona that she wouldn’t dare put anything that’s bad for your health inside her body. It’s almost as if these little things she’s hiding — smoking, lack of financing, dwindling client list — made it easier for her to jump to the conclusions she did about Angel. 

Skincare serves as a mirror of today’s society, where everyone struggles to maintain an image of perfection while their lives—and the world around them—are rife with imperfections, problem areas, dry patches, wrinkles, and more. This facade prevents them from finding the true formula to address the root of their issues or target the areas of real concern.

Following through Hope’s point of view, we witness her descent into paranoia. In the film, it isn’t just how you perceive yourself but how you perceive others and how those perceptions are used as a license to justify poor behavior.  

Skincare has morphed beyond taking care of the skin you have into crafting the skin you want. Regardless of what’s done on the outside, what’s inside will continue to seep through revealing your true nature.

Peters delivers a solid directorial debut that gives Banks room to stretch. A fun ride that takes you down a few roads you don’t see coming, Skincare is a cautionary tale: focusing too closely on others’ imperfections will leave you blind to the problems right in front of you. After all, no matter how many steps are in your nightly skincare routine, whatever is inside you, is bound to come out. 

Skincare is now playing in theaters.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars