It’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of looking fabulous for the big day. There’s nothing quite like having an important date in the calendar, such as your wedding, to get you motivated – it gives you a focus.
If you want a flawless complexion, shiny hair, a bright white smile, a trim figure and toned arms – think Pippa Middleton in her short-sleeved wedding dress – then you need to put the work in.
If there was ever a time to justify hiring a personal trainer, it is now. When you look at those toned triceps in the photos, you’ll forget all about the pain and dedication that it took to achieve them, so start your regime as early as you can.
Organising a wedding is a very stressful business and if you don’t get everything under control, your complexion will start to show it. Stress worsens many inflammatory conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and keratosis pilaris. As stress weakens the immune system, chronic inflammation worsens. Excess anxiety can also disrupt your sleep, which in turn can lead to a decidedly unbridal grey complexion.
Mindfulness goes a long way
So what’s the answer? It’s important to chill out, exercise regularly, eat well, drink loads of water and avoid junk food. Do relaxation or yoga classes and check out some of the guided meditation apps on line. A touch of mindfulness goes a long way.
If you need to start a serious skin plan with a visit to a dermatologist, bear in mind that some treatments take time so plan several months ahead. Swop red and white wine for detoxing green juice but if you’re not prepared to go teetotal, at least cut back on alcohol and swop it for liquefied leafy greens once a day. Green juice is great for the skin because it’s oxygenating and contains vital minerals to help stimulate the lymphatic system and drain away puffiness.
If you have redness or broken capillaries, it’s usually because of too much exposure to sun, so use a moisturiser with SPF protection. Various treatments for reducing inflammation include dabbing skin-soothing arnica – found in health food stores – or gentle blasting with light-emitting LED diodes.
Stress-busting facial massage
Have plenty of facials and exfoliate treatments, and get a good skincare regime going with the help from professionals. The good thing about facials is that they bring out the gunk to the surface. However, any lurking pimples will erupt so build in time for the skin to settle down.
Nearer the wedding is not the right time to experiment with new products or have your first deep cleansing facial. That should be done at least six months before the big day.
De-puff with a stress-busting DIY facial massage by applying light pressure to your forehead, cheeks and chin. Start by using a few drops of face oil or a rich, buttering cleansing balm. It will stimulate circulation and give that ‘lit from within’ glow.
Looking for that healthy body glow? Invest in a body brush – you’ll need it for exfoliation, and the benefits include increased blood circulation. It also stimulates the flow of lymph, the all-important fluid that whisks toxins out of our systems.
Importance of a good diet
Dry brushing is a wonderful tool to rid the body of waste. Start with three dry brushing sessions per week before a shower and build up to doing it daily. Use lots of body moisturiser afterwards to hydrate the skin.
Your hair is your crowning glory. Strong glossy hair is helped by a good diet rich in lean proteins such as eggs and healthy fats from avocados and nuts, and also look into taking multi-mineral supplements. Take professional advice from your hairdresser or pharmacist. As well as being relaxing, having scalp massages helps increase blood flow.
If you colour your hair, the rule of thumb is to stay within two shades of your own natural hue whether it’s darker or lighter. It’s a big mistake to experiment at the last minute with a new colour that you’ve never used or a new hairdresser. The result may colour your day!
Be true to yourself
Over-shampooing lifts, dulls and fades hair colour, so it’s best not to shampoo more than three or four times a week. Treat yourself to deep conditioning treatment, either in a salon or at home where you can DIY by using a hydration lotion on wet hair, popping on a plastic shower cap and then wrapping everything in a piping hot towel. A few drops of vitamin E oil mixed into your conditioner also works well.
When it comes to the hairstyle, you want a timeless look and to avoid morphing into someone unrecognisable. The idea is to get a slightly elevated version of your own look so you end up amazing and relaxed. That won’t happen if you turn up the formality factor one hundred per cent and don’t look remotely like you.
Satin-finish foundation has luminosity and makes the skin look pretty. It gives a balance – a bit of glow and dewiness – that is reminiscent of natural skin and is ideal for the photography. Fine-tune the shade of foundation for the big day as it should be seamless between your face, chest and neck. The tones need to be the same – ¬even on your hands ¬¬– and if they aren’t, it will become more apparent in photos than in real life.
Balance and soft lines
If you aren’t a big wearer of make-up, don’t just do it for your wedding day. It is important to add a bit of colour to your cheeks and lips to avoid looking washed out, especially if you are getting married in a white or cream dress.
Strive for balance and soft lines when doing your eye make-up. Nothing should be used overly strong or extreme. Enhance your brows for the day by choosing a shade that’s closest to your natural brow tone or hair colour. If you are looking for a bolder brow look, go a shade darker.
If you are self-conscious about staining on your teeth and worry about having the perfect smile for the photos, consider having professional teeth whitening. These days, whitening treatments won’t break the bank and can involve convenient take-home whitening trays, depending on the level of stains. But if you want white teeth for your wedding, you are going to have to give up red wine.
With this beauty regime you will have laid the foundations to be a head turner on your big day.