November 29th, 2016

Bridal Beauty Prep: Week by Week

You've been busy planning your wedding and there are many details to attend to. Consider your skin and beauty needs well before the wedding to have glowing skin on the big day. Before you even consider your makeup, focus on your skin first, preferably a year in advance.

Start A Year in Advance

1. Develop A Skincare Routine
To get your skin in top form, start a specific skincare routine about a year in advance. If you don't have that long before the wedding day try to adopt these good skincare habits as soon as possible.

2. Schedule Professional Facials
This is the perfect time to indulge in some pampering and work with a professional aesthetician to assess and improve your skin. Book monthly facials to refresh your skin. An experienced aesthetician will massage your skin, scalp and decolletage to stimulate blood circulation and keep your skin looking healthy.  This is a great time to address clogged pores and your aesthetician can extract the dirt from pores at your request. Only a professional should do this as if you try it at home it can cause scarring. If monthly facials are outside your budget opt for at least three in the 6 months before your wedding.

3. Use A Skin-Specific Moisturizer
Not every moisturizer works for everyone. You'll want to look for one that addresses your specific skin type. Even oily skin needs moisture to balance and hydrate. A gel moisturizer works well for oily skin. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ferulic acid, both of which help your skin maintain water. Dry skin benefits from moisturizers with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and squalane. Dry skin craves moisture. If your skin is prone to breakouts, choose a moisturizer that's noncomedogenic. The bottle should have this noted. Sensitive skin will benefit from a fragrance-free moisturizer and soothing ingredients such as raspberry extract and oatmeal.

4. Reduce Sunspots and Scarring with a Glycolic Peel
It may sound scary but a peel is another way to exfoliate skin with fruit acids. They are gentle enough for most skin types and you can request one designed for sensitive skin if your skin is more reactive. Glycolic Acid is an alpha- hydroxy acid that breaks down old, dead skin and a peel will slough off dead skin and bring new, fresh skin to the surface. This is a must for even skin that will make your makeup artist's job much easier since there is less to cover and your makeup will apply evenly. To make the most of these treatments book a series of peels in advance about two weeks apart. If you have a full year before the wedding book twice in fall and twice in the spring. Avoid a summer peel if you can since skin is more susceptible to burning this time of year. Another great option if peels are outside your beauty budget is to invest in an effective glycolic mask or peel pads well in advance of the wedding. Consider Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads or Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask.

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4-6 Months Before the Wedding

1. Self-Care is Key
Take care of yourself and boost your beauty efforts with regular exercise, getting plenty of sleep, drinking a lot of water and eating a well-balanced diet. Don't try any new products or aggressive skin treatments at a spa or dermatologist's office. Maintain your skincare routine and wear extra sun protection.

2. Visit Your Dermatologist
If you have major skin concerns like acne and uneven pigmentation, it’s best to get the situation under control well in advance. This is the time to have your doctor prescribe topical treatments such as retinoids and medications to address them. This gives you time to see improvement in your skin over the next few months without reactions right before your wedding.















3. Eat Super Foods
No matter what your skin type is it craves water. Sure, drinking water helps, but snacking on naturally hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables works too. Other super foods for your face? Try grapefruit, cucumbers, tomatoes and kale.

4. Get Brows On Point
Have your brow groomer settle on a shape and tint as far in advance as possible so you can figure out what you like best. For the most flattering and youthful effect keep brows as full and as natural (not too perfect) as possible, which may mean tweezing instead of waxing.

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Three Weeks Prior
 
1. Brighten Your Smile
Get your smile camera-ready with your dentist.  For a subtle upgrade book a professional cleaning to remove surface stains and plaque. Then, one day later, go back for an in-office whitening procedure like Philips Zoom QuickPro. To maintain the brightness, using over-the-counter whitening strips up until a day before the wedding can help.
 

















2. Refresh Hair Color
Figure out which hair color works best for you as far in advance as possible. Choose a color that makes you feel most like yourself. At this point you can update highlights or schedule a root touch up so the color has a chance to settle in and still look fresh. You won't have to worry about your roots growing out either.

One Week Prior
 
1. Say No to Salt
Since your wedding is a week away practice restraint as much as possible. Avoid salty foods, too many carbs and maintain regular exercise. These things can cause your body to retain water and can result in a puffy face and eyes.

2. Go for a Final Trim
Don't make a drastic change with your hair this close to your wedding to prevent any surprises. Have a trusted stylist trim your ends and bangs.

Three Days Prior
 
1. Wax Carefully
To ensure your skin is smooth but not irritated, get waxed no later than 72 hours before the wedding day. Don't overdo it but simply tweeze any stray hairs near your brows.
 

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The Day of the Wedding
 
1. Prep Your Skin
For a last-minute boost on the morning of your wedding, apply a gentle exfoliating mask like Murad Pomegrante Exfoliating Mask. Rinse, then apply a hydrating serum onto your face, neck and décolleté and layer on the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm to brighten and tighten the skin before makeup.

Now just relax, have your hair and makeup done and have fun!