BRIDAL TOP TIPS: YOUR THREE MONTH PLAN FOR THAT BRIDAL GLOW.
Bridal hair and skincare prep is essential to look your best on your wedding day. from a yorkshire based cruelty free hair & makeup artist
As you're getting ready for your big day, you're probably feeling excited and nervous all at the same time. Don't forget to take care of your skin, hair and nails. A simple maintenance routine can help you look your best on your wedding day and give you that bridal glow that everyone talks about.
As a hairstylist and make-up artist I regularly see first hand what a difference great skin and hair can make to the finish of your bridal look. Along with your confidence and beautiful bridal images. Whether you are 6 months or 6 weeks away from your wedding date, I want to give you some of my top tips to help you have the best look for your day.
Here's a three month countdown of my top essentials to help you get started:
Start now! It's never too early to get into a routine.
The best time to start a maintenance routine is at least three months before your wedding, if not before. This will give your skin time to adjust to the new products and treatments. Your wedding day is one of the most exciting and important days of your life. That's why it's important to start planning your skin, hair, and nail care routine as early as you can. Try to include a weekly treatment for your skin, nails and hair. Make time for yourself as the stresses of wedding planning can all have an effect on your skin, nails and hair. It is important to think about what will work for you and your lifestyle, to give yourself the best chance of maintaining a regular routine. Need some help? Maybe think about booking a skincare lesson to revamp your routine ready for your day. Take care of your skin from the inside out, a good diet is an important part of looking your best. The old adage ' you are what you eat' is very true where your skin and hair are concerned. Be honest about what you need, what you want and what will fit into your life.
It’s never too late to start looking after your skin. Get into a simple skincare routine. Use a gentle cleanser, toner and moisturizer every day. Exfoliate once a week to remove dead skin cells and reveal a brighter, more radiant complexion. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day, even on cloudy days. Thinking about doing your own makeup on the day? Getting married abroad or just want to do it yourself? Take the time to get several practice runs in before the day. If you feel you would like some help my Bridal Beauty Lesson may be just what you are looking for.
Start to think about how you want your hair to look on the big day. Get regular trims to keep your hair healthy and to minimise split ends. If you want your hair to be long and luscious you’ll still need to get regular trims. Your hair grows by about half an inch every month, get trims once every six weeks before the wedding. Try not to wear it in a tight bun or ponytail to minimise breakage and allow your hair some 'downtime' Start using a leave-in conditioner or hair mask to keep your hair hydrated and manageable.
Get your beauty sleep
We all know sleep is vital to keep us alive, but it improves our skin and mental energy too. During the night whilst you sleep your skin works overtime with your circadian rhythm to revive, rejuvenate, and repair itself. To help boost the process why not try an overnight serum or face mask that will help give you a radiant complexion. For a restful night’s slumber, try adding a pillow mist, sleep drops or eye mask into your evening routine to help you drift off to the land of nod. Reserve one night a week for some non-wedding fun or quiet time to regroup your thoughts or meditate, whatever makes you relax.
Drink lots of water
Our bodies are 80% water, so it is one of the most important glow enhancing ingredients for your skin. If you’re dehydrated, this will almost always reflect negatively on your skin, leaving you looking dull and tired. It’s recommended that you drink at least 2 litres of water a day to flush out toxins from the body and to keep your skin hydrated.
Tailor your routine
As always there’s no one-size-fits-all approach there may be specific areas of concern, such as hyperpigmentation or breakouts that you want to target ahead of your special day. It’s important to not add too much to your routine too soon, just add one active ingredient at a time, especially if you have sensitive skin and see if your skin can tolerate it without any irritation first. Add a serum to your skincare routine to help improve your skin's texture and tone. Start using a deep-cleaning mask once a week to remove any impurities from your skin. Book a facial or take some time to exfoliate your skin properly.
3 Months before the Big Day
The day is fast approaching! Once you reach the three month mark, you’ll want to up your bridal preparations. Confirm any skincare or beauty appointments; nails, brows, waxing. It’s time to start your fortnightly manicures, particularly if you’re in need of a bit of nail TLC. This will help to shape, strengthen and generally improve the appearance of your nails. If you haven’t decided what colour or design you’re going to choose to wear on your nails on the big day, try a different colour every time you visit your manicurist. Nail art might also be something you’d like to consider in-keeping with your look. How about including your flash of “something blue” in the creation? Think about choosing a wedding fragrance. It might seem trivial, but there is a proven link between scent and memory. It can transport you back to those wonderful memories with a single spritz. Lots of brides stick with their tried-and-trusted favourite, but others like to choose something special by way of celebrating the milestone.
One Month before Your Wedding
As the excitement for your wedding day builds, so should your body care routine. Exfoliating not only boosts circulation to help banish cellulite it is also crucial to achieving smooth, glowing skin. Make sure you’re still following your daily skin care routine, now isn’t the time to stop.
No later than seven to five days before your wedding should be the point that you have your waxing appointment, any later than this the skin may be too sensitive and too smooth for makeup to stick to. Avoid using any harsh products on your skin, such as scrubs or peels. Stick to a gentle cleanser and moisturizer, and use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 with a good rating for UVA & UVB filters. To protect your skin and avoid sun damage.
Two weeks before your wedding, Get a trim and colour so your hair is feels its best. By this time, you know exactly what your hair is going to look like on the big day, so this appointment will simply be for a quick tidy-up and not a drastic change. If you want to give your locks the best possible chance of looking super shiny on your wedding day refrain from using any heat the week before your wedding. If you are booked in for services from myself look out for my two week checklist email for some more handy hints.
One week to go!
Here are my top tips for you in the last few days before you say “I do!” your final top tip email will be on its way from my inbox to yours. Make sure to stay really well hydrated. It will help flush out your system and is one of the best ways to ensure your skin is clear for the day. For some other great tips take a look at this other helpful blog from the lovely people at Make Me Bridal here Do try and get plenty of sleep. I know everyone always tells you this and how hard it can actually be! If you can manage it I promise that it will be worth it – especially if you’re too excited to sleep the night before! Enjoy some pampering treats if you can. Now is a great time to have that final facial, brow treatment and wax. I wouldn’t recommend this any later than five days before the wedding. You may have never had a reaction before, but you want to ensure that there is time for your skin to recover, if need be. A manicure and pedicure a couple of days ahead of the wedding is also a great idea.
By following these tips, you can have beautiful, healthy skin, hair and nails on your wedding day. Relax and enjoy the pampering. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear all about your plans and help you on your day.
I’m a award winning, cruelty free hair stylist and airbrush makeup artist, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. I beautify brides and their bridal parties across Yorkshire with the occasional makeup lesson, corporate event and glitter bar added to the mix.
Want to learn some new skills, planning a wedding or event? Let’s chat!