How often do we say the words fresh-faced throughout fashion month? I’d hazard a guess at about a gazillion times. While ghost brows, space age eyes and a proliferation of baby hairs on the catwalks have got us chattering about trends, it’s the sheer brilliance of the models' luminous skin that has us in true awe.

Could it be due, in part, to the rise of the backstage 'flash' facial? Now, as well as the requisite hair and make-up brands jostling for space with their homespun, towel-covered stations, designers are recruiting expert skincare brands to ensure the models’ skin is glowing and up to the scrutiny of a thousand HD camera lenses, too.

The concept’s been bubbling under for a while - make-up artists like Tom Pecheux already include a dose of circulation-boosting facial massage (he swears by Rodin Olio Lusso, apaz) to prep skin before a show. If anything, it’s a marker of how youthful, dewy, healthy-looking skin has become the most covetable commodity on the catwalk. Let’s face it, within a sea of countless au naturel looks, sometimes it’s the only facial feature we can focus on.

There’s bound to be more, we’re not even half way through, but these are the backstage skin treatments we’re coveting so far this fashion month.

The Skyn Iceland pop-up spa at Erin Featherstone

‘This season the trend in beauty is definitely back to 'natural' and 'clean, fresh, glowing skin,’ said skyn ICELAND’s Sarah Kugelman backstage at the Erin Featherstone show in New York. Models were treated to a range of smart skin soothing pads, masks and gels to ease the redness and irritation that four days straight in a make-up chair can induce. ‘All of the make artists love our Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels - anyone who’s stressed, running around or staying up too late gets the eye gels to reduce puffiness and dark circles,’ says Kugelman, ‘and the models love them because they feel cooling and relaxing when all around then is in chaos.’   

The Clarisonic & Sunday Riley flash facials at Temperley

At Temperley yesterday models were treated to a 60 second ‘flash’ facial using the new Clarisonic Aria sonic cleansing brush and a dose of Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser. Once the skin was buffed clean, Clarisonic's National Head Of Training, Jeanette Nexgaard, and her team of two assistants massaged Sunday Riley Bionic Anti-Aging Cream all over the face to pep up skin and boost radiance, followed by Sunday Riley Start Over Eye Cream to ease any fashion-week induced puffiness.

The Eminence haute natural facial at Rag & Bone

The one-woman whirlwind that is Gucci Westman used the niche, natural brand Eminence Organic to get the Rag & Bone cast glowing in New York last week. Models were the first to experience facial massages using the brand’s new Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream (which launches in the UK this summer), as well as being treated with their cult Firm Skin Acai Booster-Serum, Herbal Eye Contour Cream and Coconut Age Corrective Moisturiser. Post make-up, the models were spritzed with Eminence Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist to hydrate skin and impart a final boost of radiance before they hit the catwalk.

The Dr. Jart super hydration facial at Opening Ceremony

The flushed, youthful glow created by Aaron De May for Sephora at the Opening Ceremony show wasn’t all down to make-up. Cult Asian skincare brand Dr. Jart set up shop backstage with a plethora of masks and suitably clinical looking tubes of cream ready to moisturise the models within an inch of their lives. Joy Fennell of Dr Jart doled out mini facials consisting of their disposable Water-Full Hydrogel Masks (available in the US only) loaded with a fast hydrating hyaluronic formula to instantly up the skin’s elasticity and dewiness factor. Okay, so they looked a bit like Hannibal Lecter during, but afterwards, their skin was beautifully pillowy and plumped.