Arranging your wedding is an exciting (and slightly daunting) task! Most people are super excited to have all their loved ones in once place, however for some, the thought of having all eyes on them is a little overwhelming..
Picking an outfit, along with your hair and makeup look can feel like ALOT. Along with the rest of the problem solving and logistical things you’re organising….But when you look and feel great, the day (and world) will be your oyster!
My aim for all my clients, is for them to feel like the most elevated, confident and polished version of THEM.
In the lead up to your day, there are some simple things you can do, to get your hair and skin looking as fresh and healthy as possible!
I am SUCH an advocate of people taking a holistic approach to beauty and wellness; there are so many good products out there now, and consistency is key with skin and hair care, however these things work overtime if used alongside an all round approach to wellbeing…
My first tip would be to NOT introduce any new skin products (particularly active ingredients like retinol or acids), 3 months or less before your wedding day. The skin changes and replenishes in cycles, so needs time to adjust when you are changing products.
This is even more relevant if you have sensitive or acne prone skin, as changing products can sometimes trigger symptoms (spots, redness, texture, dryness, pigmentation). Actives are not suitable for everyone, so if you are looking to explore these leave plenty of time to do so before your day.
If you have a routine that works for you, ignore those Instagram ads, influencers, and stick to what you know works. After all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
If you haven’t yet found a routine that you feel works well for you, go and see a professional dermatologist! Trawl through Google Reviews to find the best one near you.
Sometimes my customers also get the urge to do something a little more drastic last minute (cut/ change in hair style or colour, botox/filler, spray tan). I would advise pausing for one moment before going through with this!
How we feel beautiful is SO personal, and if you want to do all of the above then go for it!
However I would advise making these decisions at least 6 months before the wedding day, just in case you don’t like the results. (A trial run spray tan is always a good idea!)
Take Care Of Yourself
Lifestyle factors also obviously play a huge role in how we look and feel; stress causes issues with hair and skin, and dietary and sleep choices can also play havoc, along with causing weight gain! (Cortisol I’m looking at you)
If you want to feel and look your best on your wedding day, and you have the motivation/ self discipline, you could incorporate all, or some of the below to feel like your best self:
- 8 Hours sleep a night (at least!! CBD oil can help, see below)
- Drink water! (at least 2 litres a day; you wake up dehydrated, so have a pint of water first thing before you wake up, before your tea/coffee)
- Downtime (pockets of true rest where you stop everything for a moment)
- No alcohol (don’t punch me; your skin, liver, wrinkles and mental health will thank you)
- No caffeine (this is especially amazing for my anxious babes out there, you also won’t believe how much more energy it gives you! I have included below a caffeine free option from Dirtea that I am obsessed with below)
- No or low sugar (helps with skin, mood, and blood sugar/energy levels)
- Massage (lowers cortisol- excess cortisol is not good for your mental health, waistline or your skin)
- Yoga/meditation (lowers cortisol and gives you time out)
- Exercise (happy hormones and overall health)
- Phone usage (having clear boundaries around when you will have a break from checking your phone/ emails; I like to turn off my wifi and data when it gets to 7pm at night, until the next morning. Not having a flurry of constant notifications really helps me to relax! Having an hour or so of no notifications first thing is also SUCH a peaceful time)
We all want to look and feel incredible when we get married, and when it comes to having a gorgeous makeup look for your wedding day (that also looks great in your photos!), having an experienced makeup artist who listens to YOU is key; having healthy and glowing skin for me/them to work on helps to elevate things EVEN more! We are talking goddess vibes.
So in the lead up to your day when is comes to skincare, I always say that it’s best to keep things SIMPLE & CONSISTENT. The skin barrier is sensitive, so it needs to be treated in a gentle and considered way.
My go to for myself and my clients, are mostly Korean brands; they have some amazing skincare products that I swear by; I find them to be simple and natural in terms of their ingredients- therefore they are great for sensitive or reactive skin.
My sense is that they hydrate without clogging the pores (even acne prone skin needs hydration)- a lot of the products I have are super thin and light on the face, yet they still pack a punch! (Product recommendations below!).
Skincare For Your Wedding Makeup
- Klairs Toner (Hydrates the skin after cleansing the face; helps the skin to drink up all of the next products you put on it- I used to think toner was a load of rubbish, but this one is AMAZING- great for all skin types)
- Snail Mucin Serum (Use after toner, adds a layer of soothing moisture before moisturiser)
- Snail Mucin Moisturiser (Super thin, hydrating moisturiser, works for dry sensitive skin, or oily/acne prone)
- Holika Good Cera Emulsion (Great thin, hydrating moisturiser that doesn’t clog the pores, great for normal to dry skin as well as sensitive skin)
- ProCoal Antiaging Cream (Thicker moisturiser for those that like a thick hydrating cream, good for mature or dry skin)
- Vaseline Barrier Treatment (online known as slugging)- The ritual of putting Vaseline on your face after your evening skincare routine; the Vaseline barrier locks the products between itself and your skin, meaning that they have nowhere else to go other than into your skin! Cheap and amazing results. Wake up with an extra glow on your face- Not advisable for acne prone skin, fine for everyone else)
- Thankyou Farmer SPF30 or 50- Great lightweight face SPFs, that don’t clog the pores or cause a reaction.
- La Roche Posay Toleraine Makeup Cleanser- (Super gentle cleanser and makeup remover! Doesn’t strip the skin too much, yet removes all dirt and makeup.)
- Microfibre Face Clothes- (Use with water to remove your makeup, very eco friendly, soft on the face, and grabs all of your makeup instantly making it super easy to remove. These are rewashable.)
- Silk Pillowcase- (Sounds very bougie! However you can find some good deals online, and they feel so soft on your face and hair. Helps to prevent hair breakage, wrinkles and dehydrated skin.)
LED Treatments
LED light therapy is incredible, for giving you tailored treatment for your specific skin issues. The different colours and wavelengths of light, access different layers of the skin, to replenish and calm it. It also helps to promote collagen, reduce fine lines, reduce age spots/ pigmentation, smooth texture and calm spots
It is totally non invasive (I find it very relaxing!), and it WORKS.
You can have this treatment in salon OR at home.
There are some great at home LED Masks:
(At home LED masks end up paying for themselves after the equivalent of 2-3 in salon treatments! I highly recommend doing this, however make sure you get a proper one with the correct frequencies like the above 3.)
- Red Light; Anti-aging, promotes collagen production, skin tightening, reduction of wrinkles.
- Blue Light; anti-bacterial effects which can help reduce and prevent acne, Works to reduce inflammation and oil production, improves skin texture.
- Yellow or Green Light; stimulates red blood cells to reduce redness, lowers the appearance of dark spots, helps increase wound healing.
Other in salon options:
Chemical Peel, or Micro Needling treatments (Great for acne prone skin/ scarring/ spots- not recommended for dry or sensitive skin!)
Haircare For Your Wedding
- Rosemary Hair Oil (great for smoothing the ends of the hair and keeping it hydrated between washes; use weekly on your scalp before washing your hair; apply it to the scalp and massage the scalp. Helps to promote scalp health and therefore hair growth)
- K18 (incredible bond repair treatment- REALLY GOOD for dry coloured hair/ damaged hair)
- Tangleteezer (avoids hair breakage and shedding)
- Lee Stafford Hair Growth Conditioning Treatment (amazing conditioner/ treatment that smells amazing)
- Microfibre hair turban towel (doesn’t damage the hair follicle, is super practical when you have washed your hair, and absorbs more water than a regular towel, super soft and lightweight!)
- Regular mini trims (prevents hair from splitting, therefore preventing breakage and giving your more robust ends as your hair grows) In Brighton I recommend House Of Hair (Rob for colour, Ben for cut) or The Riah Studio (Dan for colour or cut)!
LIFESTYLE:
- Dirtea (my favourite caffeine free drink, made of adaptogenic mushrooms; it makes me feel calm, focused, yet productive, helps to stable my blood sugar throughout the day, and I sleep like a baby! Makes me feel SO MUCH more zen and energised than tea or coffee does- give it a go)
- CBD (I use this when anxious or overwhelmed, or before bed if I want a solid sleep- works like a charm!)
- Large water bottle (I cannot function if I am not hydrated; I recommend having a pint of water when you very first wakeup- having a large 2 litre bottle on your desk or at home is a great way to ensure that you drink enough water each day; so important for metabolism, skin health, energy levels, digestion; the list goes on!)
All of my tips should help you feel and look like your best self NATURALLY before your wedding day! A little bit of my hair and makeup magic will just be the icing on the cake.
I can’t wait to make you feel AMAZING!
Lizz xx
