Lets talk bridal skin preparation – this is such an important part of the run up to your wedding. Whether you are months away or only a few weeks, you can make changes now to ensure you get the best out of your makeup application, skin care and well being on the countdown to the big day! Glowing skin will never go out of style.

Makeup can make us feel amazing and on your wedding day you want to feel your very best! However makeup is only applied to the surface of your skin – so if your skin needs some TLC then consider making some changes to your routine. You will be amazed by how small changes can make such a huge difference to your appearance and especially your makeup application. Especially if your skin is dry – which can leave your makeup patchy. Makeup can transform our little imperfections but it can only do so much – treat your skin as your canvas…

Check out my tips for making those little changes to get great results on your wedding day!

TRIAL TIPS

Please ensure you pre-book your wedding trial asap if you need a specific day/date as I can’t guarantee availability at short notice.
Please bring some inspo photos to your trial appointment so we have a starting point for discussion. It is very important to have realistic expectations when it comes to choosing a look for example winged eyeliner on small lid space/hooded eyes won’t have the same effect as the model you see on instagram. Kim Kardashian’s “natural” makeup is definitely not natural – she wears lots of products to achieve that natural look. I will advise flattering alternatives if I think the results couldn’t be achieved due to different facial features, skin type etc.
My style is more towards the natural glam end of the makeup spectrum however, if you usually wear very little makeup or even none at all, you will feel like you are wearing more than usual. Yes that’s a stupid statement but its really important to understand that hiring a professional makeup artist will always involve wearing more products on your skin to ensure a beautiful skin prep and application. Even a very natural application will feel different to the way you usual apply your own makeup.
If you are anxious or worried about having your makeup applied, feel free to wear your usual makeup to your appointment so I can assess your comfort level and personal style.
Wear a top that is the same colour as your dress… white? ivory? pink with blue spots? It will help you to get an overall feel of your complexion.
If you have a favourite lipstick that you know you will want to wear to your wedding, bring it with you to the trial so we can compliment the colour with the perfect eyeshadow.
Consider whether you are aiming for a specific wedding or personal style… vintage? boho? classic? If you have a theme that you would like to tie in with your look, let me know so I can get an understanding of what vibe you’re going for.
Be honest with me… I have met some of my brides already who have been clients before booking the wedding. With some of you, I will be meeting you for the first time at your bridal trial. Once your trial is finished, I want you to be excited to get your makeup done again on the big day. So, if you have any concerns or you want to make any tweaks at your trial, please just let me know so I can help to put you at ease. If there are things you absolute don’t want as part of your makeup application, for example if you hate wearing eyeliner, tell me. If you don’t want to wear a brown eyeshadow, tell me. I will always give you my honest advice and thoughts regarding your makeup application and expectations of a desired look. Likewise, communicate with me too if there is anything I need to be aware of. Together we’ll be an awesome team 🙂
Lastly, if you plan on tanning on the big day or if your brows are a little unruly before your trial, be sure to do exactly what you would do in terms of beauty prep in time for your trial too. Nothing ruins a makeup look more than straggly eyebrows that need a bit of TLC. Also, your makeup application can look entirely different with/without a tan. So if you plan on having a tan on your wedding day, you definitely need to have a tan at your trial too.

RUN-UP TO THE WEDDING

Drink water!

Easy – drink 2-3 litres of water and it flushes out toxins, improves the appearance of your skin, plumps out any fine lines (especially noticeable when your skin is dehydrated). It boosts energy which is always welcomed when you are busy planning a wedding and helps with weight management if you are working hard on your bridal bod.

Don’t change your skin care products!

Avoid changing your skincare routine or trying new products close to the wedding. Your skin requires a period of time to adjust to new products so don’t be surprised if changing up your products leads to breakouts or skin irritations. The same applied to hair products or household products (washing detergents etc).

Moisturise your whole body!

Vitamin E cream is fabulous for nourishing skin… don’t neglect the rest of your body. Don’t forget you might have your arms or shoulders out – or even your legs if you are wearing a short tea dress. Hydrated skin will also look so much nicer than dry, rough skin that has been neglected.

Facials!

I fully recommend treating yourself to facial – just make sure you leave a full clear week before the wedding. There are lots of different facial types – whether its hydration, exfoliation, speak to a skin practitioner who can advise the most appropriate one for you.

Lips!

Don’t forget to look after your lips and keep them hydrated. Imagine applying your lovely lip colour to dry, cracked lips… it wouldn’t have the same effect and it only takes a little bit of effort to keep them looking wedding-ready.

Drink green tea!

Ok, it looks grim and it tastes even worse but its full of anti-oxidants and perfect for flushing out toxins. One a day. You can manage one a day, cant you? 🙂

Eat your way to great skin!

We definitely are what we eat. If you are already eating a balanced diet then you’ll already be reaping the benefits but if not try cutting out sugar, processed foods and avoid caffeine. Sugar is especially bad for your skin. It enhances fine lines in your skin and even causes premature wrinkles. Fill up on vegetables – they are great for improving the elasticity in your skin.

Tanning!

Please avoid the sunbed. I could write a whole other article on all of the reasons not to use a sunbed but in a nutshell, it ages your skin and increases risk of cancer. If those two reasons arent enough to put you off then I’m not sure what is. If you are fake tanning, please have a trial run first. You don’t want any orange or patchy surprises to deal with on your wedding day. I had a bride once that had a spray tan but they didn’t spray her feet! I’m sure she can look back and laugh now but it wasn’t funny on the wedding day.

AHA ingredients!

Using skin products that contain AHAs (exfoliating acids) regularly will remove dead skin cells. Also, be sure to always wear SPF on your skin (especially if using AHAs) as your new skin will be exposed.

Body brushing!

Body brushing with a firm natural bristle brush stimulates the lymphatic drainage system and exfoliates the surface of your skin. It will also help with fluid retention, tiredness and getting rid of toxin build up.

Reduce stress!

Easier said than done but keep stress levels down by being organised, get help from your bridal party for those final preparations, exercise even if its a 30 minute gentle walk to clear your head and get your body moving and try mindfulness. There is a really good app called “Headspace” which will guide you through short guided meditation.

Don’t buy fake makeup!

I feel very strongly against buying fake makeup. I previously wrote a blog about this (you can read about the dangers and reasons why not to buy fake here) but also recently one of my brides ordered a lipstick online from a supplier that sold her a fake lipstick. At her trial I gave her the name of the lipstick we trialled and I advised her to buy it for the wedding day to top up. I gave her the brand and name of the lipstick – however as this wasn’t bought from a counter or a reliable source it wasn’t until the wedding morning that we realised the lipstick was neon pink instead of the pale pink of the real lipstick. Please please please – fake might be cheaper but its dangerous and you are only paying for fake packaging and not the product quality which defeats the object.

LVL (lash lift)

Just one thing to note about lash lifts (lash perming) – if you choose to have this treatment for your wedding please be aware that you wont be able to have false strip lashes on. The curl in the natural lashes will push strip lashes off – so even if we get them on your natural lashes they probably won’t stay on or lay correctly.

So I hope you find these tips useful. If you haven’t yet booked your wedding makeup don’t hesitate to contact me to check my availability or you can find more information about my bridal services here.

Thanks

Gemma

Main image – credit to Diamond Photography