Review: In ‘Skincare,’ cutthroat competition in the L.A. beauty industry leads to a face-plant

In a new venture for director Austin Peters, he presents his first narrative feature film titled “Skincare,” a gritty take on L.A. noir that unfolds within the beauty industry. The lead role is played by Elizabeth Banks as a renowned celebrity aesthetician whose standing takes a tumble over a fortnight. The movie echoes other suspenseful, scandalous thrillers that critique a city fixated on appearance – think of “Nightcrawler” or “American Gigolo” – and Peters deftly handles the genre’s distinctive atmosphere and tone.








