You’re engaged! Now you want to look the best for your big day – and the base for everything is your skin. How can you make sure you’re glowing – without makeup? You need to start early, but it’s not hard to be movie-star gorgeous as you walk down the aisle.
Start Now with Good Habits
The first step to flawless skin is building good habits. If you’re not taking care of your skin on a daily basis, all the spa treatments in the world can’t provide an immediate fix. If you already have a great routine in place, excellent! Otherwise, you need to start one.
Step one is to stay hydrated. This means drinking plenty of water, but if water isn’t your style, you can add some juice for flavor – whatever will make sure you drink enough! Your goal is around 108 ounces a day.
Next, wash your face twice daily and properly. Warm, but not hot, water is essential, and a mild cleanser applied with your fingers will do the job without irritation. Rinse and pat dry – don’t rub!
After washing, apply a moisturizer and any other necessary products. This can take some experimentation – what works for one person won’t work for another. Some brands, like Mary Kay, have skincare lines designed for certain types of skin – dry, oily, combination. This gives you a place to start looking, and then you can adjust products as you learn what works for you and what doesn’t.
Keep your routine simple – while a fifteen-step routine using imported beauty products may be trending on Instagram, for most people, extensive routines are not only unsustainable, but also ineffective. Cleanser, moisturizer, and possibly an acne treatment – that’s all most people need on a daily basis.
Since you’re building good skin habits, you should also work to stop some bad ones – specifically, touching your face and tanning. Touching your face transfers oils and dirt from your hands, which can lead to breakouts. Tanning can cause permanent skin damage – if you want some color, opt for a spray tan. In the meantime, every time you’re leaving the house, apply sunscreen and avoid spending extensive time outside.
Start Occasional Skincare Extras Now
You have a daily routine, but now is also the time to start doing a bit extra. Weekly, or monthly, use a face mask to deep-clean impurities out of your skin. Try for mild ones that won’t cause irritation and watch how your skin feels afterwards – masks should not be painful!
Four To Six Months Early: Hit the Dermatologist
Those with skin damage or conditions may want to seek a little extra help from a professional – and you should do it early! This can include laser treatment for sun spots, mole removal, or anything else you’ve been thinking of getting done. Handling these treatments in advance means your skin has time to calm down before your big day – and you have time to adjust your plans if something takes longer to deal with!
Two Months Early: Trial-Run with Your Makeup Artist
If you’re having a professional do your makeup, schedule a trial run a couple of months in advance. This gives them a chance to find your perfect product shades, and gives you some wiggle room in case you need to change who you are.
Your makeup artist can also recommend products or treatments that can help with any skin issues you’re still facing, but use your own judgment.
One Month Early: Last Major Treatments
If you want Botox to hide those fine lines or a bit of lip plumper, do it before the four-week mark. Again, setting this deadline gives your face time to adjust before you’re caught looking like a bee-sting victim at your ceremony.
Once those treatments are done, that’s it – no more changes. By this point, you know what works for you and you should stick to that routine. Make sure you have extra of your favorite products at home, so that you don’t run out, and sit tight.
One Week Early: Hit The Spa
It may sound fun to go to the spa the day before your wedding, but doing so is asking for trouble. Instead, book any spa treatments one week before the wedding. Many wraps and facials can cause mild irritation, so you don’t want to wait.
If you have a favorite spa, book all of your services there. If not, get recommendations from family, friends, and coworkers – now is NOT the time to try the new place with lower prices.
Also, keep your treatments to a minimum. If you’ve been taking care of your skin, you won’t need five different face options. Just a mild facial, maybe a mud wrap, and a massage will help you relax and have you glowing.
The Big Day: Go Glow
Start your wedding day with your normal face-washing routine, hydration and a light meal – you do not need any other treatments that morning. Stick to a natural and light makeup look, and use your favorite products from a well-established brand, like Mary Kay. This isn’t the time to debut a red lip if you’ve never worn one before. You don’t want to feel self-conscious or unsure, and you don’t want a look so heavy that you’re afraid to move or sweat. Remember, you’re going to be kissing your fiancé, greeting friends and family, and hitting the dance floor! Don’t let the wedding day look be an obstacle to fun and celebration.
A great skin base will also make not only your makeup glow, but also special additions such as henna or face glitter with premium skin artists such as Paige Jamie.
Everyone wants to look their best on their wedding day, but it can be easy to be too overzealous. Focus on good habits and only get necessary treatments, and you’ll naturally glow. Go overboard, and things can go wrong far more easily!