Whether you’re opting for a vintage vibe or choosing a cutting edge designer bridal gown for your big day, your wedding dress is only part of how you’ll achieve your wedding look. Along with your footwear and accessories, your make-up and hair will complete your transformation.
When it comes to your make-up having the right foundation is the key to accomplishing a flawless, fresh-faced look and achieving that coveted bridal glow. Refining your beauty regime is essential in the run-up to your big day, and whilst you can complete those last-minute beauty bits in the month before your wedding date, a long term beauty routine is recommended.
Brides should start their new bridal beauty regime between 6 months to 1 year before their big day for the best results, but where should you begin when primping and prepping ahead of your wedding day? Here we reveal the beauty secrets every bride should swear by.
Get back to basics
You don’t need fancy products and beauty treatments to achieve beautiful bridal skin. Keeping your beauty regime manageable and consistent is the best way to give your skin the boost it needs in the months before your wedding day.
A simple combination of daily cleansing, toning and moisturising, along with gentle exfoliation two to three times a week will give your skin a youthful glow as well as get a handle on troublesome spots and blackheads. Going easy on your daily make-up is another must that will allow your skin to breathe.
If you have particularly dry skin, regular exfoliation will free your skin of dead cells to ease itching, encourage cell renewal for a brighter complexion, and keep your skin looking soft and supple.
Manage wedding stress
It may come as a surprise that stress has a major impact on your skin. Dermatologist Dr Anil Budh-Raja explains more about the brain-skin connection:
“Stress increases cortisol production from the adrenal glands, which in turn increases sebaceous gland activity, to produce more oil and sebum… The result can be acne and increased sensitivity of our skin. Cortisol also weakens the skin’s immune system, leading to oxidative stress which manifests itself as wrinkles, lines and lacklustre skin. It also increases inflammation on the body and conditions like eczema, rosacea and psoriasis can flare up”
Planning a wedding is a hugely enjoyable but rather stressful experience, so keeping a handle on anxiety and stress should be a vital part of every bride’s beauty regime. By controlling your stress levels in the months before your big day, you can successfully manage skin conditions, get a handle on skin sensitivity, and make surprise spots, acne, oiliness, dryness and dullness less of an occurrence.
Take care of those hands and feet
It’s not just your face that should be at the centre of your beauty regime. Your hands and feet deserve some love too, and your beauty mission should go beyond a well-time mani and pedi.
Massage hands and feet daily with olive oil or a good quality skin balm to keep dryness at bay and the delicate skin in these areas in tip-top condition.
Exfoliating feet in warm water with a pumice stone will also keep the calloused and cracked skin that can make standing for long periods a real pain under control. It’s the perfect prep for celebrating your big day in heels.
Call in the professionals
If you are worried about your skin or have a more difficult to manage skin problem, setting up an appointment with a dermatologist is a great way to find a beauty regime that you can rely on in the run-up to your big day and beyond.
It is important to acknowledge that achieving your dream skin goals takes time and you’ll often need several months to see the very best results. Investing in treatments like laser hair removal, teeth whitening, frequent manicures and pedicures, and regular facials are other effective ways to take care of your appearance as your big day draws nearer.
