The Guide to Wedding Skin Prep
I’m a skincare nerd, so much so that I was that girl in college who, no matter how late my friends and I were out, would always wash my face and do the the five other steps of my nighttime routine before making it to bed (hehe). That routine hasn’t ever been super consistent though because I would use new products all the time and would try my best to incorporate “clean” products that wouldn’t irritate my skin.
Leading up to wedding day I wanted to get a consistent and effective routine established. You know how your skin is usually flawless on the days you’re a total hermit and the week you actually have a lot going on it conveniently will breakout? Well I was determined that was not going to be the case on wedding day.
Here is what I did to make sure my skin was glowing on August 3:
1) Facials 1-2 times a month starting 6 months out from the wedding day.
Make sure you do your research before choosing the Esthetician that you want to work with. A good esthetician will do what your unique skin needs, not just any treatment you read about on the internet - even if it is more expensive. I came in with the general idea of wanting deep cleaning and detoxing for my skin and Julie, my esthetician, would do a slightly different treatment each time I came in based on what my skin was needing that day, with keeping my skin clear as the ultimate goal.
She also helped me find a few products to use regularly use for my skin routine, all from Dermalogica and PCA. If you’re in the central Iowa area, I 100% recommend seeing Julie Bisbee for all your skincare needs!
2) Workout regularly.
It’s so important to break a sweat and remove toxins out of your system. Exercise also has others benefit for wedding prep, that can help with keeping your skin glowing, like reducing stress and bloating. Just make sure you shower right after, hanging out in sweaty skin would be counter-productive!
3) Drink at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water everyday.
I cannot emphasize hydration enough! It helps keep your skin clear, plump, and your whole system running smoothly. When wedding week rolled around I was drinking so much water you couldn't ever catch me without a water bottle in-hand and I only had time for wedding errands and going pee.
4) Eat clean - lots of cucumbers.
Don’t get tooooo wrapped up in this one to the point of being obsessive - that can just cause more stress. Aim to eat clean as much as you can but also treat yourself to keep you sane. I suggest as many veggies and greens as possible, smoothies are a perfect (and better tasting) way to get those greens. Cucumbers were my go-to snack because they also are packed with water.
5) Don’t skip SPF & wear sunscreen made for your skin type.
Definitely don’t skip out on SPF (especially if you’re wedding prepping over the summer) thinking your going to get a nice tan before the big day - nobody wants to accidentally end up a lobster bride. But you do want to choose your SPF wisely - my favorite sunscreen brand is EltaMD and I use the UV Clear for sensitive skin - It wears great under makeup too.
6) Be consistent.
Once you find a routine that works stick with it. Definitely do not go chasing anything up a week before the big day or even try to spot treat a pimple - a pimple is actually way easier to cover up than dry, flaky skin!
