Bridal Beauty Prep

I have a friend, we'll call her Dora! She lives in Sydney, Australia and is getting married this December, I was asked if I could put together a bit of a bridal skincare survival guide to help Dora with her skincare prep leading up to the wedding. I have made notes of things I think she will need, and a bit of a programme for the months leading up to the wedding. 
It inspired me to do it as a blog post as I thought some of my clients might find it interesting too and for anyone else that is planning a big event and wants their skin to look in tip top condition, also Dora can have a read at her leisure in Aus!

So a bit of background on Dora, she is mid to late (sorry Dora!) twenties and has a combination skin type, as a teen suffered with breakouts and oily skin but has more recently found her skin dehydrated, no longer problematic and just starting to feel as though she should be thinking of anti ageing for prevention. Dora has always looked after her skin and had a good routine so its just about a few extra bits to make sure her skin is looking in tip top condition. 

In the run up to an event such as a wedding your skin can start to do strange things due to the stress and busyness of planning and dealing with everyday life including hormones, lack of sleep and a few nights out here and there! So the first thing to make sure is that you are in a good simple routine and you are sticking to it like a religion! 

Typical daily routine should be: 

1. Pre Cleanse/Remove make up (evening only)

2. Cleanse

3. Tone

4. Apply any serums/oils/boosters

5. Apply eye products

6. Apply moisturiser

7.Apply SPF (especially important for Dora living in Aus, morning only)

Here are my product recommendations for the routine:

1. I would suggest a micellar water to pre cleanse and remove all make up quickly and easily, as I know Dora leads a busy lifestyle. Micellar waters are great as you can quickly remove make up as soon as you get home from the day, then I leave doing my full routine until just before bedtime. Personally I fly through micellar water so I use the Garnier one (its cheap and is gentle on the skin, I'm guessing you could get it in Aus) 

2. A wash off cleanser is again quicker and easier and you can do it in the shower if that is easier, the Elemis Nourishing Omega Rich Cleansing Oil if the skin is feeling more on the dehydrated side or the Bare Minerals Clay Chameleon Cleanser is quite deep cleansing but not stripping if you feel the skin needs balancing.

3. Follow cleansing with the Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner.

4. So in the lead up to the wedding we want the skin to look radiant and glowing. A good serum to use to help with skin radiance, anti ageing and hydration is the Bare Minerals Brilliant Future. This would be your go to serum for use day and night pretty much all the time, so I would start this now. Then around 3 months before the wedding I would do a full course of the Elemis Cellular Recovery Bliss Capsules so day and night apply the contents of the capsule onto the skin for 30 days (you don't need to use the brilliant future serum at this point just the capsules.) This will detox the skin and help with any stress related breakouts. Then after you've finished the capsules go back onto the brilliant future serum in the day but use the Elemis Superfood Facial Oil at night, this will feed the skin with vitamins and nutrients, nourish the skin and make it look super healthy!

5. Bare Minerals also do a Brilliant Future Eye Cream to go with the serum and its lovely, its not heavy at all, sits lovely under make up and is anti ageing and hydrating. 

6. To moisturise I would go with either Bare Minerals Bare Haven, a lightweight but super hydrating cream or Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream for a little extra anti ageing. 

This may look alot of steps but it really wont take too long once your in the swing of things.

Weekly Treats:

So I do hear from my sources (aka Dora's Mom hehe) that maybe the weekly treatments are what Dora sometimes struggles to fit into her routine. Exfoliating the skin and using a mask will just ensure that the skin is getting a bit more attention and really give the skin that extra boost.

So twice a week (I will let you off with once if it is being done EVERY week!) I would suggest exfoliating using the Bare Minerals MIX SMOOTH EXFOLIATE granules, these are super easy as you just sprinkle the powder into whatever cleanser your using at the time so it doesn't require any steps, then the 2 masks I would recommend would be the Elemis Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask, which is clay based to deep cleanse, with strawberry and kiwi to brighten and rejuvenate or the Elemis Exotic Cream Moisturising Mask, packed with essential oils to moisturise and nourish (this one is especially good if your skin feels dry from being out in the sun.) 

Added Extras:

Something I couldn't of lived without in the lead up to my wedding was the Elemis Pro Collagen Hydra Gel Eye Masks! These will instantly revive tired eyes, hydrate and soothe the eye area, and make up goes on like a dream after you've had them on. In the couple of weeks before the wedding pop a pair on once a week and then this is a must for the night before!

Don't forget the body, in the lead up to the wedding try and exfoliate the body more so it is silky smooth and use a body oil to really hydrate, the Elemis Frangipani Salt Glow is such a treat if you want a bit of relaxing me time and follow with the Elemis Frangipani Monoi Oil which you can use as a hair mask too.

Hands! Keep a bottle of the Elemis Jasmine and Rose Hand Cream in your handbag in the weeks leading up so your hands, nails and cuticles look good for the ring shots! 

On the day under your make up the Elemis Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm acts as a moisturiser, primer and radiance booster. Your make up goes on beautifully over the top and just gives the skin such a glow. 

So I hope this helps in terms of the beauty prep for the big day! Your going to make a beautiful Bride!

Emma x