Just got engaged? Wedding day coming up? I've put together my top tips for everything you can do leading up to the big day to ensure you look your absolute best.
Do the Cleanse
Even if you’re not getting married soon, everyone should be doing this step. Start regular cleansing both morning AND night. Cleanse at night to remove all the pollutants, oils and dirt from your pores that’s accumulated during the day, and cleanse in the morning to remove all the metabolic waste that your skin has expelled through your pores overnight. And cleansing and makeup removal are two separate steps - use an oil based cleanser to remove your makeup gently, and a regular cleanser to cleanse your skin.
Treat Yo-self
If you want your skin to look amazing on your wedding day, invest in a series of facials. Start about 4-6 months prior and book in once a month leading up. It’s important to start early as this gives your skin time to balance out and repair. Whatever you do don’t just get one facial the week before, as you’ll likely find that the sudden change in skin care routine will make your skin slightly worse before it makes it much better - so do multiples or do none at all.
Hair Hair
Get into good hair habits leading up to the big day to give your hairstylist a helping hand. Wash your hair less regularly but shampoo twice when you do wash it. Always condition the lengths and ends and leave in for a few minutes before rinsing out. Leave to air dry whenever possible, or make sure you apply a heat protectant before blowdrying. Try to give the irons a miss as often as you can. If you colour your hair blonde then invest in Olaplex home treatments too. The condition of your hair will improve so much which is crucial, especially if you’re considering wearing your hair out on the day.
Book it in
If you want specific hair and makeup artists on your wedding day, book them in asap. I book out on Saturdays during peak wedding season 8-12 months prior but I get so many enquiries coming in during the months leading up to those dates which I have to turn away. We can only logistically accept one booking per date and most people want Fridays and Saturdays so they're in hot demand. As soon as you have your date and venue, book in the vendors you want to avoid disappointment. To get in touch with me you can send me a message with your details and requirements here
Smooth Operator
If you're looking for a little something extra to really enhance your features or smooth out any fine lines, consider getting a little botox or filler done. It's a quick simple procedure that you can do in your lunch break and can take years off in photos. Cosmetic enhancement done well should just have you looking 'fresh' and 'rested' so don't harbour fears of looking overdone or 'botched'. I highly recommend the doctors at Clinic 42 in Auckland for natural looking cosmetic enhancements.
Limit your Fun in the Sun
Every year I get at least one person who gets sunburnt. Aside from it obviously being dangerous for you in the long run, it’s actually nowhere near as easy to cover up with makeup as you might think. Sunburnt skin is essentially dead and doesn’t have the same structure that normal skin has, and therefore doesn’t hold makeup well at all: creams just tend to slide off and powders catch. Be vigilant about sun protection but if you do get caught, the best thing you can do is immediately apply Voltaren gel to the area to reduce inflammation and redness and follow up with straight aloe vera gel for moisture to prevent peeling. If you’ve avoided burn but ended up with some lovely tan lines instead, again makeup will only do so much; the best way is to even the colours out with a spray tan in advance of the big day.
Work it Out
Exercise is amazing for not only toning and conditioning your body but making you feel amazing as well. Getting into a regular exercise programme early on will have you looking and feeling incredible come the big day. In the words of the iconic Elle Woods "Exercise releases endorphins; endorphins make you happy; happy people just don't shoot their husbands"
Food is Fuel
How your body looks on the outside is often a key indication of what you are put into it. Try to stick to filtered water instead of sodas or juice. Swap caffeinated tea for herbal tea and limit coffee to one a day. Cut out or cut back sugar significantly, and try to move more towards unprocessed ‘clean’ or ‘fresh’ food. Obviously limit alcohol as much as possible. If you start early enough you can do this process slowly, making one small change one week at a time, which is the best way to make permanent change.
Hold it
For the few weeks leading up to the wedding, wherever possible try to have some ‘no makeup’ days to give your skin a break and help limit breakouts. Or at least pair back your makeup if you normally wear a lot, just to give your skin a break.
Spray and Walk Away
If you’re thinking about getting a spray tan, try out a place a few months before to check you like their product and the level of colour. Then get the proper tan done again two days before the wedding. Moisturise your body every day afterwards but body oils and no hot showers, warm only. And always exfoliate the day before a spray tan for a super even cover.
Sleep it Off
The best thing you can do the day before the wedding? Get some sleep! Sometimes nerves get in the way the night before and prevent good shut-eye, which is why it’s important for the week leading up to the day to try and get great sleeps too. Put your phone away early at night and read a book instead. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself on the big day. If you find it’s smoothing you’re really struggling with, speak to your doctor about the possibility of some temporary relief.