Taking Care Of Your Skin Inside and Out

How many times have you heard, “You’ve only got one face! You can’t cover it up, so take care of it?” This is of utmost importance as you prepare for your wedding day. As the bride, your wedding day is your day. All eyes will be on you from engagement to your wedding shower to your big day. There will be lots of pictures taken and looked at for a lifetime. It is so important that your face be as flawless as possible from every angle.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to get you on the right track toward that bridal glow:

DO start taking care of your skin as soon as possible. Get on a good skin care regime at least three months before your wedding. All the color cosmetics in the world won’t help you if your skin isn’t healthy underneath. Almost all cosmetic counters will offer a free consultation and probably some free samples for you to try before you buy. Also, there are many independent beauty consultants who would also offer a free consultation for you as well as your bridal party.

DON’T meet a makeup artist on the day of your wedding for the very first time. It is imperative that you schedule a trial run of what your wedding makeup will look like. Few things are worse than being unhappy with your makeup on the day of your wedding. If you don’t feel like a million bucks, it will show. With that in mind, when you do meet for the trial run, be very honest about your likes and dislikes and make sure that the makeup artist is willing to honor them.

DO bring a camera with you to the trial run so you can see what you will look like on film. This will allow you to see what needs to be added and/or taken away.

DO look like yourself at your own wedding. Yes, you did read that correctly. On many occasions, a bride has decided to “try something new” or “experiment with color” on the day of her wedding only to discover that half the guests thought they were at the wrong event. If you don’t wear a lot of makeup as a general rule, don’t show up at your wedding looking like Dolly Parton (I love Dolly but she is pretty heavy handed in the makeup department); by the same token, if you are generally a glamour gal, now is not the time to go “au natural.” Remember, you sent out invitations with your name on them so be that girl who sent them.

DON’T get dehydrated the week before the wedding. Translation: take it easy on the “adult beverages.” Alcohol may be many things but most importantly it dehydrates your body faster than you can say “I do.” Dehydrated skin does not look good in person or on film. So your best to drink 8-10 8 oz. glasses of water daily (even after the wedding; it’s just good for you). Water has so many benefits: it helps to keep skin hydrated and clear, flushes toxins out of the body; it helps if you are trying to drop a few pounds, and the list is endless. Drink your water; you will be glad you did.

DO check your makeup from all angles. Not only will your photographer be snapping photos on your wedding day, family and friends will be taking photos as well. Make sure your foundation blends into your neck so that there is no line of demarcation. Speaking of foundation, keep in mind that the only purpose of foundation is to even out your skin tone. No one should ever look at you and say, “Oh look, here comes Sally and her foundation.” If that happens, run to the nearest cosmetic consultant and get the right shade.

DO opt for waterproof mascara and eyeliner. Even the least emotional person might shed a tear or two on the big day, no need to look like Tammy Faye in the pulpit.

DO have a powder compact nearby on your wedding day so that you can touch up, if necessary. You might also consider having the lip products used nearby as well (your lipstick, liner and gloss). You might ask a family member or your maid of honor to carry these for you and to let you know when you might need a touch up.

DO be very careful about sun exposure. This should be a DO all the time but it is especially important the month before your wedding. It is not easy to cover a sunburn or try to blend a blotchy tan. If you are not wearing a daily sunscreen, find one that you love and don't skip a day of application!

DON’T go to sleep with your makeup on! This is a big one. I think we have all done this at least once. Use an eye makeup remover to remove all eye makeup and a cleanser appropriate for your skin type to take off the rest. Don’t forget to moisturize with a product appropriate for your skin type.

DO use an eye cream. We have all seen that the eyes are the first things to go on the face. Crows feet appear and then wrinkles set in. It can be a challenge to fend them off. Apply eye cream with the ring finger and just pat around the brow bone. Take care of your eyes now, whatever your age, and you will thank me later. The skin around the eyes in the thinnest skin on the face, treat it well. It is important to never pull or tug in the eye area; try to be as gentle as possible.

DO exfoliate and moisturize your lips and your hands. Dry, dead skin is never appealing. Use a buffing cream of some kind, it will feel very gritty, but you will be very happy with the end result. Take care of this the day before the wedding or even the day of the wedding (as long as you are familiar with the products and have used them before).

The memories (and the photos) of your wedding day will last forever. With a little preparation and a little time, you can transform “every day” into “extraordinary”. This is not a time to be someone else; it is a time to be you at your very best.