Beautiful bridal skin care solutions for that perfect bridal glow

Every bride wants to look as good as she can on her wedding day. But with the stresses of daily life, this can be difficult to achieve sometimes, so then, how can you achieve this?

Just follow my easy to follow bridal preparation guide and you will look your very best on your special day!

It is important that your bridesmaids look as great as you do on this special day as it reflects on you, so forward this on to them – to help them look their best!

Even if your wedding it is a laid-back event, you still need to have your girls and guys looking their very best!

The weeks before;

Six weeks ahead;

Indulge yourself in an overhaul. Have a facial, manicure and a pedicure. If you are thinking of changing the shape, or thickness of your eyebrows, do it now, in case they do not look right, so that you will have time to grow them out.

If you are having a fake tan for your wedding, also try it out now, so there will be no nasty surprises!

Now is the time to have your hair cut and coloured so that you know how it will look on the day. Haven’t had your trial yet, so not sure how to get it cut – book that in now – so you know if you need to buy hair extensions or not, and if you need some foils put through your hair to help hold the curls, or if you need a full head of foils because the base of your hair is too dark when it goes up.

If your budget does not allow for a facial, manicure and pedicure, you still need to start grooming your hands, feet and face now, so that they look their best on your wedding day.

Make sure you cleanse, tone and moisturize 2x daily, and exfoliate 2x weekly as well as using a suitable mask. Don’t forget to pay great attention to your eyes, as eye makeup goes on a lot more smoothly when the skin is hydrated and smooth. My favourite products which give the best results for bridal perfect skin – foolproof, no matter what your skin type is the Ethical Beauty Expert’s skincare range – you will receive a trial pack on your hair and makeup trial day!

Apply hand cream and foot cream daily as well as body lotion. Your body needs a good body scrub as well as your face 2x weekly! So ensure you use a specialized body exfoliant for this – it must be grittier than the facial one, to really slough off those dead skin cells. Work it in around your knees, elbows and ankles.

Watch your diet, so that your skin glows on the day!

Make sure you drink plenty of filtered water, and get daily exercise to get your lymphatics flowing – this will ensure a glowing face, as well as a slimmer body. If you are having skin problems add 3- 6 flaxseed capsules to your diet, zinc and skin tablets such as an anti-aging tablet – not for its age control, but for nutritional support. Having enough nutrients also keeps you calm and focused as the last weeks become challenging.

If you have any food allergies or intolerances – for the next few weeks avoid anything which will cause you to bloat or break out – your body, mind and health will thank you for it.

Ensure your diet is alkaline – lots of green vegetables, omegas from avocado and fish and clean plant proteins. Avoid dairy, sugar and glutenous grains such as wheat and alcohol. Although a small glass of organic red wine is ok if you need it to decompress, but avoid white wine, champagne, spirits and beer.

Daily exercise will help you look your best on the day – and keep you calm and healthy, your exercising to look good now and not loose weight – so look at Yoga, long walks, Pilates, swimming and anything which helps manage stress! How about dancing!?

Two weeks before the wedding;

If your teeth are not their shiny best start a whitening treatment, available from supermarkets and pharmacies. If you are really organised, you will have booked yourself in at the dentist, for a treatment, but this can also be costly. Start your man on the same program, as he needs to look great as well!!

If your wedding day is looking hot – organize fans where you are getting married, be it at home or at a hotel. Many Airbnb’s or holiday venues do not have air-conditioning, so contact them and make sure that you will be able to stay cool and fresh on the day.

1 week before the wedding;

Have a final facial, have your hair trimmed and coloured if it needs it. Make sure your girls have their hair is in the condition you would like it to be in on the day. Check that the boys are all having theirs cut as well.

Make sure you have all of your hairpieces and jewellery packed. Pack your fragranced body lotion, or one with a shimmer through it. Shimmer body powder, and makeup you need for the day. Check that you have scissors, and sewing needles packed.  Make sure all the men have their shoes polished and packed.

2 days before the wedding;

If you are having fake tan applied, book yourself in for a full body polish, and then the fake tan. The tan will look luminescent after a body polish. If you are getting married in the Southern Highlands of NSW Australia – I highly recommend Emma McGill Makeup Artist, her tans look so natural, you think that you have spent a week in the sun!

1 day before your wedding;

Manicure, pedicure, eyebrows shaped and eyelashes tinted.  Exfoliate face and body and apply a face mask. Even better, have that last week facial so that you wake up with a glowing skin! Wash your hair that night, and wash it well.

Spoil your bridesmaids and organise for them to have their eyebrows tidied, eyelashes tinted, and their hands and feet done. You will be rewarded with a bridal party who shines around you increasing how wonderful you look.

Make sure they also use a facial scrub and mask the night before (even better use the Ethical Beauty Expert’s Enzyme Exfoliating Mini Mask followed by the French Clay Mini Mask (double masking is the best way to achieve amazing glowing skin results!), so their skins glow. If you cannot fit manicures and pedicures for your girls into your budget, and they cannot afford it themselves, bring the bits and pieces they need with you so you can all have a girly night before. DO NOT leave nails, and toes till the day of the event. Nor eyebrow tidying.

Ensure that anyone who is having an up style, or hairdo which involves hot rollers or straightening irons thoroughly washes their hair. Double wash the scalp – this is done by wetting the hair, shampooing the scalp all over, and then bringing the shampoo through the rest of the hair. Do this twice. Ideally, do this with a deep cleansing shampoo, my favourite is Davroes’ Deep Cleansing Shampoo . The cleaner the hair, the better the hairdo. If you are having your hair blow-dried on the day – this should be done in the morning and left wet for the myself or the hairdresser.

The big day!!

On your wedding day, make sure there is plenty to eat and drink, so no one feels sick or drunk. Most hotels are able to make arrangements for you, but if not, caterers are always an option and not too expensive.

An antiperspirant which does not turn white or stain is a must have on the day, especially if it is a hot one. Apply to underarms as well as bottoms of feet and around toes. If you tend to sweat at your neck or your man does, apply it to your neck at the back, or for the guy, all the way around the collar.

If it is a very hot day, just before you dress, immerse yourself into a freezing cold bath, this will drop your body temperature instantly without ruining your makeup and hair. Apply a light gel cream body lotion, or your favourite scent in a body lotion, all over as well as an antiperspirant, you will smell fresh and look fresh as you walk down the aisle. Do not apply perfume on a hot day; it will turn stale before everyone gets to kiss you.

Also, on a hot day blotting paper and powder are great to carry with you to keep the shine at bay – or use a refreshing facial spray – just spray if from a decent distance so you don’t cause your makeup to run.

Carry pretty hand fans to blow cool air onto your face and under your arms if need be!!

On a cold day, you do the opposite. If you are shivering with cold before you get into your dress you will shiver the whole way up the aisle. Before getting dressed soak your feet in a bucket of hot water, it is amazing how fast you warm up. Sip on a warm drink – maybe a chamomile tea with honey to really warm you – the chamomile will calm you down at the same time as creating warmth!

Massage your feet lavishly with cream, slip on some woolly socks whilst dressing, and you will have beautiful soft warm feet for the rest of the day. You need to keep your body rugged up as much as you can on a cold day, so as not to look blue.

Most brides seldom have enough sleep the night before their wedding day, so be sure to stock up on some Berocca’s, They will keep you sprightly all day and night. But to help you sleep the night before, invest in either a herbal Valerian tablet or Restavit – an over the counter sedative. The downside of the Restavit is if you take more than a quarter to half you will find your self very drowsy on your wedding day! Some brides ask their doctors for a mild sleeping pill script such as Normiston to help them sleep.

Be sure not to drink too much alcohol the night before the wedding as it will make your eyes look puffy, as well as the rest of you on the day, it will also disrupt your sleep.

This is NOT the day to apply facemasks of any kind as you really do not know how the skin will respond, and often the masks effect how well the makeup goes on and stays on.

Make sure to apply plenty of moisturizer and eye cream before you have your makeup and hair done (This includes body, hands and feet). The more hydrated the skin, the smoother and more glowing the makeup.

Because you sometimes still drink and eat after your makeup is applied, bring along a packet of whitening chewing gum or a whitening mouthwash to clean your teeth just before the photographer arrives unless you are able to brush your teeth without spreading toothpaste all over your face.

If you need more advice – I  offer a holistic skin consultations face to face, or by skype to find out more click here!

Or follow me on my ethical beauty blog