A Makeup Artist’s Perspective on Pre-Wedding Skincare at Home
Having beautiful, glowing skin on your wedding day is probably something that everyone wants on their wedding day. There’s so much advice out there so we decided to break it down, and keep it simple so you can be confident in your beauty routine. Your beauty routine is an opportunity to practice some self care every day and gives you that opportunity to destress ahead of your big day.
As a makeup artist, I know that your skincare routine has a big impact on how makeup sits on your skin during the day. Having a beauty routine in place to take care of your skin, will help give you that glow that you want on your wedding day. So here they are, my recommendations on your Pre-Wedding Skincare at Home.
1) Great Skin Starts from Within
Your skin is an organ, so it can be a key indicator for your overall health. You can buy all the products in the world, but if you don’t take care of your overall health, you will not be able to have the best skin possible. So here are a few things to think about:
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - drinking plenty of water each day helps to plump up your skin and keep it glowing.
Manage your stress - stress causes inflammation which can cause a ton of inflammatory conditions. Do what you can to chill out and relax.
Get plenty of sleep - sleep allows your body to work and rejuvenate. Get plenty of sleep so you can look refreshed in the morning.
Eat a healthy & balanced diet - so many people decide to crash diet before their wedding day which can stress out your body. Be mindful of what you’re putting into your body and be sure that you’re nourishing with plenty of nutrients. Cut down on the processed foods, sugars and alcohol.
2) Create a Pre-Wedding Skincare Routine
When it comes to your skincare routine, pay attention to the products that you are buying. It can be tempting to purchase a whole new set of skincare and wonder why your skin is reacting to it. We recommend starting with the necessities and adding products to meet specific needs. If you are close to your wedding date, this is not the time to test new products. Just make sure you are cleansing, toning and moisturising regularly.
1) Cleanse
Our facial skin is exposed to so many toxins and pollutants each day so it’s important to clean your skin each day. The skin on our face is delicate so harsh cleansers are not necessary here.
Firstly, remove your makeup from the day. We love using Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm or Farmacy- Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm on a reusable bamboo facial round to remove the makeup for the day. Be careful around the delicate eye area and use multiple facial rounds if necessary.
Expert Tip: When cleansing, make sure you are using a fresh facial cloth each time to prevent bacteria build-up!
Some people also like to do a double cleanse at night where they use an oil-based cleanser which will also remove makeup, then a water-based cleanser afterwards. Now, remember that even if you have oily skin, an oil-based cleanser actually removes oil-based impurities so will not make your skin more oily. We do recommend double cleansing at night if you wear a lot of makeup or have acne-prone skin. Two of my favourites for all skin types are Tatcha- The Rice Wash and Philosophy- Purity Cleanser.
2) Tone
Following your cleansing, you can then add the toner to your skincare routine which is often the step people forget. The toner can remove whatever is left that your cleanser may have missed and also penetrates the skin with ingredients that can help plump up and rejuvenate the skin.
We recommend Glow Recipe- Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner.
3) Moisturize
Lastly, adding in a great moisturizer hydrates and softens your skin. Our skin naturally loses moisture as we get older so the moisturizer is a must-have part of your skincare routine to keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. You may choose to have a lighter moisturizer for the day and a heavier night cream that does the work while you sleep! You can also find a moisturizer with SPF for the day to protect your skin from the sun.
My all-time favourite moisturizers are Bobbi Brown -Vitamin Enriched Face Base and another current favourite is Olehenriksen-Truth : C Rush Brightening Gel Creme. I also really enjoy the nighttime moisturizer, Youth To The People- Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask (it contains Maqui +Vitamin C, Squalane & Hyaluronic Acid!).
4) Exfoliate
We also recommend adding exfoliation as part of your pre-wedding skincare at home. If this is not a step that you’ve added before, start with just once or twice a week. If you exfoliate too frequently when your skin is not used to it, it can irritate your skin.
Using a gentle exfoliator can remove dead skin cells and increase blood flow to your face. This will brighten a dull complexion and help your makeup sit better on your skin. Now it’s important not to use heavy scrubs on your face and apply these gently for them to not irritate your skin.
We recommend using the Caudalie-Glycolic Peel. It’s great for all skin types and has a brightening effect to fix dull skin or uneven tone. I also love Youth To The People-Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial which is an instant at-home Microdermabrasion Enzyme Treatment. It improves skin texture, evens skin tone and improves radiance too.
5) Serums and Eye Creams
One of the biggest game-changers when it comes to great skin is incorporating serums and eye creams into your routine. So these are definitely something to consider adding to your pre-wedding skincare at home. My all-time favourite serum is Caudalie- Vino Perfect it works well under makeup and helps create flawless-looking skin by reducing the appearance of any imperfections.
When it comes to eye creams Ole Henriksen- Banana Bright Eye Creme is my go-to for daytime to brighten the under-eye area and reduce any fine lines. For the night, I use Youth To The People- Dream Eye Cream which works overnight to hydrate and replenish that under-eye skin.
3) Custom Beauty Treatments for your Pre-Wedding Skincare at Home
Once you’ve perfected your Pre-Wedding Skincare at Home, you may decide that you need additional treatments to resolve any skin concerns that you can. This can include visiting a dermatologist who will be able to advise you on what you need to do to fix these areas. You may also choose to visit an aesthetician who can add some skincare treatments to help you fix those problem areas.
Again, if you are just a few weeks out from your wedding day it is not advisable to make any big changes to your skincare as you may not know how you will react to treatments.
4) Don’t Forget the Rest of your Body
In our skincare routines, we often pay attention to our face and forget the other areas of our body. It’s important to exfoliate & moisturize the rest of your body in the same way. Here are a few tips to add to your pre-wedding skincare at home for the rest of your body:
Dry brushing can help boost blood flow around your body and improve the appearance of the skin.
Don’t forget those areas that get extra dry such as your knees and elbows.
Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the outdoors
Lastly, when it comes to your skincare routine it’s important to speak with your beauty team. They will be able to provide you with recommendations on how to make your hair and skin look the best before your wedding day. If you are looking for a hair & makeup artist for your wedding day, I would love to be considered! Contact me today to book your wedding date!