Inside Gary Oldman's Emmys night prep: The $38 spray behind his 'slightly messy' low bun

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Hours before Gary Oldman steps onto a red carpet, makeup artist Desirae Cherman starts erasing any trace of evidence he's been in the makeup chair.

His skin needs hydration without shine. Concealer must cover only what needs covering. His long hair has to stay off his face while retaining its loose, piecey texture.

Oldman, 68, headed into Monday night's Emmys ceremony nominated for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for playing snarky, beaten-down spy boss Jackson Lamb on Apple TV's Slow Horses.

'For Gary's grooming, we keep things very minimal - a bit of concealer where needed, hydration and powder to keep the skin looking natural and fresh,' makeup artist Desirae Cherman told the Daily Mail.

Here's how she did it, step by step.

STEP 1: THE MOISTURIZER

Caldera + Lab The Base Layer Anti-Aging Rich Moisturizer, $65

Cherman began with moisturizer to give Oldman's skin enough hydration to sit smoothly beneath concealer without adding unwanted shine.

'One of my favorites for men,' she said. 'It gives the skin plenty of hydration without leaving behind too much shine.'

The Budget Swap: Versed Daily Recovery Rich Barrier Cream, $19.99, saves $45 and shares six listed ingredients with Caldera + Lab The Base Layer, including glycerin, squalane, caprylic/capric triglyceride and cetearyl alcohol.

Both are silicone-free creams designed to hydrate without leaving a greasy film. Versed adds niacinamide and ceramide NP and contains no listed fragrance. One Amazon reviewer with mature skin called Versed her new go-to. 'This moisturizing barrier cream does something magical,' she wrote. 'I receive more compliments on my skin now than I ever did in my 30s and 40s.'

STEP 2: THE CONCEALER

Maxine's Revenge French Face Concealer, $36

Rather than covering Oldman's face with foundation, Cherman applied concealer only to the areas that need it.

'I use this for any spot concealing that needs to be done,' she said. 'It's an incredible formula that still allows the skin to look like skin, with buildable coverage where you need a little more.'

STEP 3: THE POWDER

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Blurring & Perfecting Loose Setting Powder, $42

Cherman used a light layer of powder to take down shine while preserving the natural finish she created with the moisturizer and concealer.

'This is very finely milled, so it goes on seamlessly without leaving any white residue,' she said. 'It's perfect for controlling shine while maintaining a natural finish.'

The Budget Swap: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Translucent Loose Setting Powder, $16. Both are talc-free loose powders that use absorbent powders and light-reflecting minerals to set makeup and soften the look of pores. Neutrogena adds sodium hyaluronate, aloe and castor oil for a more hydrating, radiant finish. One Amazon reviewer wrote that 'this left my skin feeling and looking softer. It blends perfectly.'

STEP 4: THE TEXTURE SPRAY

Chris McMillan The Dry Texture and Volume Spray, $38

Oldman's hair is long for his current role, which gave Cherman enough length to pull it back into a low bun.

She sprayed Chris McMillan The Dry Texture and Volume Spray through the hair to build separation and grip before shaping it. The formula contains zeolite, an absorbent mineral that adds texture without the powdery finish of traditional dry shampoo.

Cherman uses it 'to create texture and movement without making the hair feel sticky or overly styled.'

The Budget Swap: Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Dry Finish Spray, $10, uses the same core texturizing ingredients as Chris McMillan's spray: denatured alcohol for a fast, weightless dry-down, VP/VA copolymer for flexible hold and zeolite to absorb oil and give hair grit. Both formulas also contain glycerin to help counter dryness. One Ulta reviewer wrote that it 'adds volume and definition without weighing my hair down.'

STEP 5: THE HAIRSPRAY

amika Headstrong Intense Hold Hairspray, $27

Cherman finished with amika Headstrong Intense Hold Hairspray, a fast-drying spray that keeps the bun in place without flattening its shape.

'We always gravitate toward a pulled-back, slightly messy low bun for Gary,' she said. 'His hair is long for the show, so we like to get it off his face while maintaining texture, volume and that slightly piecey, undone quality.'

The final test is simple.

'Nothing too perfect - the goal is for it to feel lived-in and effortless.'