You want your skin to be blemish-free and glowing every day of your life, but more so than ever on your wedding day when you'll forever cherish the pictures.
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With the dress, the shoes, the flowers and so much more to organise when it comes to your bridal look, beauty prep can take a backseat. But it turns out you should start prepping your skin up to six months ahead of your big day – that's a lot of forward-planning!
Weddingsonline.ie partnered with Dr Anny Choudhry, Aesthetics Physician at Aventus Clinic, to take a look at the dos and don’ts of wedding skincare. From whether you should get that last-minute tan top-up to tackling blemishes, you'll want to take note of these top tips…
Do:
1. Practice makes perfect: stick to your skincare regime. Skin loves consistency!
2. Start retinol about six months before your big day: If you're new to retinol, start a light non-prescription preferably serum retinol every other night.
3. Speak to a professional: a skin consult can help you focus on your skincare needs and plan your time to see how you can tackle them.
Dr Anny Choudhry suggests keeping your skincare routine consistent before your wedding day
Don't:
1. Change your skincare routine six months in.
2. Try harsh new products before your big day, especially in the last two months. This is vital as drastic changes can cause breakouts, redness and dryness.
3. Wear heavy make-up and thick SPFs in the last month. Give your skin room to breathe; debris and micro-pigments can really build up on the skin and make it look dull and dry.
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"Your wedding day is one of the most important days in your life, and you want your skin to look immaculate. Starting a regular skincare routine is vital from about six months before your big day, if you don't already have one," Dr Choudhry added.
What's the best wedding skincare for my skin type?
Everyone is different when it comes to keeping their skin healthy, and that means it's important to choose the right products for you. Dr Choudhry said: "For oily skin and combination skin, niacinamide-based serums really help regulate oil production and calm the skin preparing it for bridal make-up."
Paula's Choice niacinamide treatment, £47, Cult Beauty
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Pixi collagen and retinol serum, £26, Cult Beauty
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"For dry skin, licochalcone-based moisturisers can help soothe and calm the skin. It's also anti-acne to help prep your skin for wedding-day make-up," she continued.
Eucerin Atocontrol lotion, £12, Look Fantastic
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It is also worth planning your wedding makeup around your skin type. Dr Choudhry advised brides take full advantage of makeup trials, explaining: "With make-up, do at least two make-up trials to make sure the products sit well on your skin. For all skin types, I would recommend a hydrating under-eye concealer. For dry-skin types and acne-prone skin, avoid foundations and concealer with talc. This can cause the skin to look cakey and dry."
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By Terry hyaluronic concealer, was £36 now £28.80, Look Fantastic
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NARS concealer, was £24 now £20.40, Look Fantastic
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How can I get rid of blemishes on my wedding day?
Ultimately, you can't totally get rid of pesky blemishes but you should leave them totally alone (easier said than done, I know!) and use clever products to hide them.
So what does the expert advise? Dr Choudhry said: "Firstly don't panic - stress can make it worse! Also, do not touch, poke or pick it. This can cause it to look worse or even cause it to burst! An oozing lesion is impossible to cover with make-up. Use a deep salicylic acid face mask to contain it and then cover using a highly pigmented concealer."
The Ordinary salicylic acid mask, £10.30, Look Fantastic
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What beauty treatments can I have done ahead of my wedding day?
Skincare and makeup can go a long way in making you look and feel your best, but there's no reason you shouldn't get a helping hand with aesthetic treatments if you want to
Dr Choudhry said some of the most commonly sought-after treatments are skin peels and tear trough fillers to eliminate tired eyes and give you brighter skin. Her recommendations? A light BHA peel twice a week.
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