Written by Stylist Bailey
The day you’ve been dreaming about has finally happened! You're feeling the magic of the moment after seeing him drop to one knee during a surprise proposal...but then you look down at your sparkling ring finger and think, "Where do I even start?”
Many brides get so caught up in planning the beautiful details of their dream wedding that skin and personal care take a backseat to table settings and guest lists. Don’t get me wrong— wedding planning is an exciting time! But on your wedding day, you want to feel confident that the best version of you is walking down the aisle. In order to bring that vision to life, here are five steps to wedding day skin prep you need to follow!
Step 1 | See Your Dermatologist
Whether you’re planning a short or long engagement, making an appointment with your dermatologist is the best strategy for creating a personalized plan to get your skin wedding day ready.
It doesn’t matter if you hire the best makeup artist in the business—without a fresh canvas, it’s difficult to create the picture-perfect look most brides are inspired by on their wedding day. Be honest with your doctor and speak candidly about your concerns. Whether you are dealing with acne, Rosacea, wrinkles, or sun damage, I promise they’ve seen it all!
Your doctor will be able to create a treatment plan specific to your needs, diagnose any underlying conditions which may need oral medication or in-office treatments, and communicate what kind of results you can reasonably expect before the Big Day.
2 | Be Religious About Your Skincare Routine
I know, I know...you’ve heard it a million times. Your skin ages seven times faster when you hit the sack with your makeup on, blah blah blah.
What if I told you that even if you aren’t prone to breakouts, sleeping with your makeup on prevents your skin from renewing? Disrupting this renewal process can lead to photo-aging, the formation of wrinkles, oxidative stress, premature wrinkling, and even collagen deterioration. Yikes!
To prevent this, find a skincare regimen that works for you and stick with it. Not only will you set yourself up to experience the maximum results from your products, but carving out time in your busy schedule to be intentional about caring for yourself (even for just 10 minutes!) is a great way to practice self love.
3 | Learn to Layer Products Properly
Okay, so you’ve checked in with your dermatologist and invested in a great skincare routine, but you still feel pretty overwhelmed by your new arsenal of lotions and potions.
A general rule of thumb when it comes to skincare is to layer your products from smallest molecular weight to largest molecular weight. Not to get all Bill Nye on you, but— similar to how it sounds—think of the "order of operations" when it comes to skincare as moving from lightest to heaviest.
Step 1: Makeup Remover or Oil Cleanser
Step 2: Hydrating or Foaming Cleanser
Step 3: Exfoliator/Toner
Step 4: Treatment Products
Step 5: Hydrating Serum
Step 6: Sunscreen (Day Only)
Step 7: Moisturizer/Eye Cream
Step 8: Face Oil (Night Only)
Don’t worry if your routine differs slightly from steps above. Work with your skincare provider to determine your needs and stick to those products. Remember, more products does not necessarily equal better results!
4 | Book Treatments with a Licensed Esthetician
Continuing with the theme of love and self care, one of the best things you can do to get your skin ready for the wedding is to book all treatments with a professional esthetician.
Some dermatologists will prescribe in-office chemical peels or regular facials as part of your treatment, but I encourage you to resist taking matters into your own hands by popping pimples or layering tons of makeup to fill in large pores or wrinkles. Estheticians are trained professionals who specialize in the beautification of the skin. They offer skin treatments including facials, chemical peels, body treatments, and waxing. Medical estheticians even offer Botox and fillers.
Be sure to work with your esthetician/dermatologist to create a treatment timeline that works for you. In general, follow the below timeline to avoid any adverse treatment reactions or major breakouts before the Big Day! Remember, sometimes skin looks worse before it looks better, but adequate healing time is an absolute must for achieving that wedding day glow.
WEDDING DAY SKIN PREP TIMELINE
Botox/Filler: 2-3 weeks before
Chemical Peels: 1 month before
Extractions: 2 weeks before
Gentle Facial: 1 week before
Brow wax: 5 days before (tweeze in between)
Body wax: 3 days before
5 | Love the Skin You’re in
No matter how many times you fell asleep with your makeup on, forgot to apply your products, missed the opportunity for a specific skin treatment, or even if you wake up on your wedding day with a zit the size of a small country, it’s important to remember to love the skin you’re in!
We all know that stress is major factor that plays into the health of our skin, but I think it’s so important for us as women to take a step back and remember that we are human and our flaws do NOT define us. You are so many more wonderful, beautiful things than the wrinkles on your forehead or the blackheads on your nose. Your partner is marrying you for who you are, for better or worse, with breakouts or dry skin, on good skin days and bad, ‘til death do you part.
Breathe, relax, and remember that no matter what happens on your wedding day, everything went perfectly as long as you’re married at the end of the day.