Your wedding day is one of the biggest days in your life and naturally you want to look like the most beautiful version of yourself on your special day. For me, the key to achieving wedding ready skin is preparation. If you’re a little unsure as to where to start, read on for my top beauty wedding tips to look and feel beautiful from the inside out.
Have a Skincare Consultation
Every bride wants beautiful glowing skin for her special day. In the run up to the wedding, it is so important that you follow a skincare regime which will perfect your complexion and boost your natural glow so you skin looks healthy and radiant. I have clients who come to me a few weeks before their wedding looking for a quick fix and yes there are certainly treatments and products that will help improve the appearance of skin but to have it in tip top condition, ideally you should be starting to think about it a few months in advance. I always advise brides to come in for a consultation at least six to eight months before your wedding. This is a great way to determine your skin goals and find out the best way to optimise your skincare in the run up to the big day.
Schedule Some Facials
Regular facials make a big difference to your skin’s texture and the better prepared your skin is, the more flawless your makeup will look on the day and the longer it will last. Schedule a monthly treatment (aim for three) that will tackle your skin concerns along with improving the tone and texture of your skin. A facial is also a great opportunity to see what your skin needs or what it’s lacking. Some brides who have blemish prone skin, will benefit from a course of pore clarifying treatments and for many brides who come to see me, it’s all about achieving the glow! In this instance a course of Exuviance OptiLight Brightening Peels will deliver great results. And in the midst of all the wedding planning, facials are a welcome treat and a time for some self-care, which we all know the importance of.
Brighten Up
Get your wedding glow on with some Vitamin C. Considered the gold standard of skin-brightening, Vitamin C will help with overall dullness, dark spots, pigmentation and uneven skin tone. Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C interferes with the development of pigmentation, so with regular application and time it can really help the complexion, it is also a powerful antioxidant, protecting the skin from environmental aggressors and helps to promote the production of collagen and elastin, which helps to prevent premature aging of the skin. . The good news is that Vitamin C is incredibly easy to integrate into your skincare regime and suitable for all skin types. Try NeoStrata Enlighten Illuminating Serum, The Inkey List Vitamin C Serum or Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector.
Try Facial Massage
This is something I do on a regular basis and it’s a great way to achieve healthier more luminous skin. Massaging your face just a few times a week will stimulate your skin, wake it up and get your blood flow going which stops it being lethargic and kick-starts your fibroblasts to produce more collagen. Using your favourite facial oil, massage into your face using upward strokes. Even better, use a facial massage tool, jade rollers and gua sha are both popular and help release lymphatic drainage and stimulate the skin. One of my favourite tools is Hayo’u Beauty Restorer Face Massage Tool available from Currentbody.com €47. The results of a good facial massage are a reduction in puffiness, uplift in the firmness of the skin, a release of any tension in the face and that covetable healthy glow.
Catch Some Zzzs
Beauty sleep isn’t called beauty sleep for nothing. During sleep, the body goes into ‘repair’ mode and in the deepest stages of sleep will produce the most growth hormone, which aids in cell and tissue repair and it also makes new collagen, keeping skin strong and elastic. In order to make the best use of your beauty sleep, as early as an hour before you go to bed, and no later than fifteen minutes before you sleep, try and create a wind-down routine. Switch off the emails, dim the lights and relax. Along with reducing your caffeine intake, try having a long warm bath or shower before bedtime. If you’re still finding it difficult to drift off to sleep, try a sleep aid like ‘This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray’, which calms both the mind and body and literally soothes you to sleep with its beautiful blend of lavender, vetivert and camomile.
Eat Healthier
Research shows that a diet loaded with sugars, processed foods, saturated animal fats and too much alcohol are pro-ageing for your body and your skin. A poor diet can even make acne-prone skin worse, because so many foods that aren’t good for us cause inflammation. While the damage may not show up initially, in the long run, eating an unhealthy diet can make your skin suffer. For a luminous glow, look to incorporate foods in your diet that are rich in high-quality protein, antioxidants, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Include colourful fruits and vegetables, whole grains and other healthy fats, such as nuts, seeds and olive oil. And remember to keep hydrated and drink six to eight glasses of water per day. This is not only important for your overall health, but also helps to improve the look and feel of your skin. If you find it difficult to drink water, try the ‘Plant Nanny App’ to keep to your daily target.
Smile!
Not so much skin-related but most brides-to-be want a brighter whiter smile for their wedding. Today there is a vast array of toothpastes that have whitening ingredients in them, but for faster results, choose a special whitening one. I use Irish brand ‘Spotlight Teeth Whitening Paste’; they also have ‘Teeth White Strips’, which are a very safe and easy way to whiten teeth at home. If you do feel like a splurge, you can also visit your dentist’s surgery to have your teeth professionally whitened, just don’t go overboard, as if it looks too artificial, it might just be your teeth that take centre stage!
For brides-to-be, if you would like to have a bridal beauty consultation or facial treatment with me, email hello@shernamalone.ie you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @shernamalone.ie www.shernamalone.ie.