Show Your Skin Some Love.

A pre-wedding guide to achieving flawless, glowing skin

By Lindsey Benoit

 

Photo of woman: stock.adobe.com/deniskomarov

The day you have dreamed of since you were a young girl is finally happening! The love of your life has proposed and you’re getting married! Of course, you want to look fabulous on the most important day of your life, but where do you begin?

A beauty routine to achieve glowing, flawless skin is a must and now is the perfect excuse for a makeover and pampering!

It’s never too early to get started taking care of your skin!

Great skin doesn’t have to be just for your wedding day, so why not start taking care of it as soon as possible? Having great skin every day is probably not something you’d say no to! Also, there isn’t much that can be done to fix major skin issues at the last minute, so it’s important to start sooner rather than later if you have specific concerns.

Plus, you never know if you will experience any complications or reactions to treatments and you definitely want to have time to figure those out if they happen.

 

Let’s get started!

One year out, have a skincare consultation with an esthetician. “The goal of these consultations is to assess your complexion, listen to concerns, and devise a treatment plan to achieve desired results,” explains Jaime Shultz, licensed esthetician at About Face of New Orleans. “An at home regime should begin to prep the skin for future professional treatments that may be needed. At this time, a retinol such as Glo Skin Beauty’s Renew Serum, which will increase cell turn over, unclog pores, boost collagen and diminish hyperpigmentation should be introduced into your daily routine.“

 

Professional Treatment.

After three months of regular at home maintenance, if needed, you should begin professional, customized treatments. Many brides worry about pore size. Since pores can’t actually change in size, this is the perfect time to start a series of 6 chemical peels. A chemical peel can deep clean pores, remove blackheads and fight acne, as well as even out skin tone by brightening and smoothing out rough skin, making pores less noticeable. Shultz recommends scheduling these peels every other week. Using this timeline, you will be finished by the 6 month mark before all of your special wedding events start and bridal pictures are taken.

 

Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate!

Six months before the wedding, it is important to start exfoliating your skin. Why? Exfoliation removes dead skin cells to improve radiance and enhance absorption of brightening products, such as Glo Skin Beauty’s Brightening or Lightening Serum. Start exfoliating once a week and increase to two to three times a week depending on how well your skin tolerates it. Following each exfoliation session, a calming, hydrating mask should be applied to your skin. You should also visit your esthetician to maintain results (Shultz recommends scheduling these visits every 4 weeks). At this time, you should discuss any treatments that should be done closer to the wedding date. Be sure to schedule a trial of the recommended treatment ahead of time to make sure there are no adverse reactions.

 

Hydrate.

It’s three months before the big day. If you haven’t started already, now is the time to hydrate! Your skin craves hydration. Nothing makes your skin look worse than when it is dehydrated. Dehydration causes the skin to look dull and sallow.  Jennifer LaGreco, licensed esthetician at About Face of New Orleans, recommends applying hydrating masks as often as your skin is thirsty for it. One of the most popular facial treatments leading up to the wedding day is the Repechage Four Layer Facial.  “Not only will this facial treatment hydrate your skin,” shares LaGreco, “it will also calm any redness and allow the skin to portray a natural glow. Having this treatment one week to 4 days prior to the wedding will create a smooth canvas for your bridal makeup.“

So there you have it! While it may be stressful to plan every aspect of your big day, you don’t have to let it show through your skin. Take the proper steps to ensure you have the perfect skin for your wedding and don’t wait til the last minute to start!

About Face of New Orleans offers a variety of services to meet your cosmetic and skincare needs. To schedule a complimentary consultation with a licensed esthetician at About Face of New Orleans, call 504-304-1556 or visit www.aboutfacenola.com.