Pre Wedding Preps!

Getting married this year? Here's some skincare, and make-up tips you'll need.

Preparing for your wedding beauty is a confusing business. Do you apply your own make-up or hire an artist? When do you spray tan? Should you buy a new perfume or wear one your future husband already adores? And how do you make sure you’re spot free on the big day? From skincare and make-up to fragrance and nails, here are some expert tips you need to ensure you’re the most beautiful bride you can be.

Beauty is Only Skin Deep: Start a course of facial and body  treatments 3 – 6 months prior to the wedding, this will allow your skin to acclimatize and show improvement in time for the big day. 

If your skin lacks luster and turgidity try radio-frequency treatments to tighten and tone the skin. Vitamin infusion with mesotherapy helps to achieve radiance and lustre for the otherwise lifeless skin.

Mild peels coupled with the above mentioned treatment work wonders for the dull complexion. All these treatments are already a norm for the star celebs before the award seasons. So, if you have the budget splurge and spoil yourself to a star-style radiant face and body.

Problem Skin: If you suffer from acne and blemishes, you should treat your skin gently with some light peels and by using a light salicylic acid product at home on the problem areas, but stick to anti-aging skincare elsewhere to prevent drying the skin out.
Blue LED light treatment helps clear skin bacteria and give you spotless skin, couple them with a light salicylic acid peels to achieve maximum benefit. 

For eczema use omegas, start taking a 6000 mg combination of half flax and half fish oils, whilst looking for skincare products containing GLA rich oils such as borage, meadow-foam and hemp seed.

Flax seed oil also works wonders for adding radiance to dull complexions, as does weekly exfoliation and regular daily facial massage (do it when you apply your night cream) to stimulate circulation.

Shine Control: If you suffer from excess shine – use products with Vitamin A and salicylic acid to work on balancing the sebum production Babe AKN acne cleanser, toner and mask help achieve nice results.  Also, cut out sugars, fizzy drinks and reduce dairy, but eat plenty of good fats. Make sure to keep the skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water and also using a good moisturizer – don’t ignore moisture as an oily skin can be lacking in it.  And always keep blotting papers to hand.


Retinol for Radience: A ‘six week controlled application of retinol at-home is a powerful method of achieving glowing skin before your wedding.  Use Skinceuticals Retinol 0.3, or Pharmagel’s  Bio A over six weeks, gradually increase the frequency of applications from 2 times per week to 3-4 times per week before the wedding to allow your skin to become adjusted to the treatment.  Retinol gives amazing results by speeding up cell renewal in skin, but it is important to use it correctly to get good results. Proper use of moisturizers is vital while using retinol products. To combat redness accompanied with retinols try a vitamin K based moisturizer, "Hydravital Factor K" from Mesoestetic is something I use in my practice.

Eye Bags: Stress and tension of planning for the big day can reek havoc for the eyes. Eyes are the first area that show stress in the form of bags, puffiness and dark circles. Drink plenty of water to help avoid bags under the eyes. Light drainage massage with fingertips is key while applying eye products; try Babe Eye contour cream kept in the fridge. Also, soak cotton pads in rosewater and store in the fridge to cool and use the day before and on the morning of the wedding. A little help from the pharmacy: AminoGenesis "Gone in sixty seconds" can erase any bags or wrinkles instantly. You can wear "Gone in sixty seconds"on top or under your make up for an instant lifting effect.

Lovely Lashes: Long curly eyelashes really give you the glamour effect. If you’re worried about smudged mascara post-vows, go for lash extensions. Opt for a look as close to natural as possible.  If you want your natural lashes enhanced try "LashGenesis" from AminoGenesis. It helps grow naturally long lashes start using it every night 4-6 weeks prior to your big day. On your wedding day you’ll be pleasantly surprised  with your own natural long luscious lashes.

Last minute Rescue: If you wake up on the morning of your wedding with a spot, reduce any swelling immediately with an ice cube wrapped in clean muslin.   If there is a head on the spot, only then gently extract, covering finger tips with tissue, making sure to have opened the pores up first in the bath or shower. Next, apply Skinceuticals clarifying clay mask. Use more ice on the area after to calm and settle further. Babe spot control will zap the zit in the bud, apply twice daily just on the spot.

Makeup Inspiration: Always pick your make-up once dress, hair and flowers have been chosen! Not so much to ‘match’ your make-up but to inspire a look. For instance, if the bride's bouquet has little touches of plum shades, make-up can be kept extremely natural with shades of pink, beige and light brown, but you could choose to lightly underline eyelashes with a dark plum shade to ‘marry’ the look.
Really formulate an idea in your head of what you would like your make up to be like on the day. Start by tearing out images that you love from any magazine, don't restrict yourself to just bridal magazines – ‘red carpet’ make-up is amazing for inspiration because the make-up is defined, flawless and just beautiful.
On your wedding day you should look like the best version of yourself possible.  Think of it as getting ready for the biggest party of your life rather than trying to change your usual look, otherwise you may end up feeling uncomfortable and not ‘yourself.
I believe that bridal make-up should be subtle and unobtrusive, yet reveal and enhance everything that’s most beautiful about your face. Whatever look you choose for your big day, it’s essential that you look like you and that the photos won’t look dated in a few years.

Pucker Up Your Pout: If you're born with naturally small lips you can use a doctor's help to plump up the lips with some hyaluronic acid fillers. Good make-up can help giving the illusion of slightly fuller lips too, draw outside the lips with a pencil and finish off with a lip color and gloss.
Instant lip plumpers can also help. They do the plumping trick in minutes without any needles invilved and you can enjoy sexy plump pout for few hours. I recommend Lips-To-Love by AminoGenesis.

Lock Down Your Make up: Remember longevity is the key and there are some ways of ensuring your make up lasts if you are doing your own on the day. Use an oil-free moisturizer, followed by a primer that ‘locks down’ your foundation. Apply concealer over your foundation and blend. Finally set with a translucent powder.

Finding A Fragrance: Find your perfume way ahead of the big day. You don't want to experiment with something new. Spray some on inner wrist and let it sit for few hours, see how it blends with your natural body odor. Make sure you're not allergic to the perfume. If you've a history of allergic reactions to perfume find something which you're not reactive to, don't apply it on your body directly apply it on your dress few minutes before putting it on.
Instant way to stand out in a crowd and smell individual is to use a combination of your favorite fragrances on different parts of your body.
Always wear something warm and spicy down the front part of your body and spritz something sweet in your hair.  You will smell absolutely amazing and no one will be able to identify what you’re wearing!

Mani s and Pedis: Don’t neglect your hands and feet. Get monthly mani and pedi's pre 'big day'. Just don’t go crazy filing off too much dry skin from the feet as it’s there for a reason - to protect, especially against the beautiful new shoes you may be wearing for the 10+ hours of your big day!