If there’s one thing you can give yourself on your wedding day, it’s good skin. Why?
- Make up goes on smoother and looks more natural
- Less foundation is needed because there’s less to cover up…and so less potential for the caked on look
- Make up application happens faster
- You will look flawless in pictures
- Plain and simple: good skin=happy skin=more confident bride=happy bride=happy wedding (ok maybe a bit of a stretch…but, I’m trying to prove a point)
I was really happy with the condition of my skin on my wedding day. My skin tends to be very sensitive, dry, and dehydrated, and I get eczema breakouts, which is exacerbated by stress, change in weather, diet, you name it. My goal was to have soft, supple, eczema-free skin on my wedding day, and I think I achieved it. My make up artist, Sherry Vanstone, even commented that the good condition of my skin meant she had to put on less make up, which led to a faster application.
So what did I do?
Good skin doesn’t happen over night. When I was a teenager and in my early twenties, my skin was awesome. As I get older, I still have pretty good skin, but it’s become increasingly sensitive. I started getting facials regularly about 3 years ago, so about 2 years before my wedding. However, the facials are not the key: the key is finding an amazing esthetician, an amazing spa, and products that are perfect for your skin. It’s all about maintenance, not quick fixes. One facial the week before your wedding will not produce miracles.
I’m not a make up artist or esthetician, but based on my experiences, here are my suggestions for awesome skin:
1. If you haven’t already, find a good esthetician and good spa and book a facial!! For recommendations, ask friends/family you know who have great skin and get regular facials.
Please don’t go to the $3 threading place in your neighbourhood for a discount facial–your skin will not like you!!
I highly recommend Pure + Simple Spa. Ladies (and men), it is honestly one of the best spas in the GTA. They combine European Esthetics with Ayurveda principles to create a holistic approach to skin care and all of their skin products are organic—heaven to my sensitive and reactive skin.
2. Go for regular facials. If you’re not engaged yet and your skin’s in ok condition, go at the change of every season when your skin tends to be most reactive.
3. Soon after you get engaged, get a facial, tell your esthetician you’re getting married and ask for advice regarding a facial schedule. She might recommend every 4 to 6 weeks, but if that’s financially prohibitive try to go at least every 8 weeks. Incorporate it into your wedding budget!!!! What’s the point of paying $5000 for photography and $500 for make up if your skin looks like yucky?
4. If that still doesn’t convince you, at least ask your esthetician for a skin care regime to improve and maintain the condition of your skin–you might want to do some extra work on a regular basis on your own if you don’t want regular facials. And, please, ask an esthetician. Not the lady at Shoppers’ or the lady at the Clinique counter–they haven’t examined your skin under a giant light and, based on personal experience and friends’ experiences, they often “misdiagnose” your “skin problem” and recommend wack products.
5. Go for a facial a week before your wedding–not only will it help prepare your skin, but it will also offer some “ME” time before the onset of the wedding madness.
6. One common fear I hear from women is: “What if I react after my facial?” Well, that’s a good question. Avoiding a potential reaction only strengthens the importance of finding an esthetician you trust. If you go for a facial and you have a reaction, don’t go back. That means your skin was not properly assessed or treated. I have the most sensitive skin ever (I can’t even use products meant for sensitive skin), and I have not had a reaction after a facial–because my esthetician knows what she is doing!
What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Any other ideas or suggestions for flawless skin?
xoxo,
LBB 
