When you’re planning your wedding you’ll no doubt have a million things to think about and the more organised you are, the better you will look and more relaxed you will feel, come the big day. Leaving your beauty regime until the last minute to have a one-off facial and a makeover, won’t give you that truly glowing skin that a ‘blushing bride’ longs for. Your skin goes through a lot and will be one of the main features your guests will notice and your wedding photos will highlight, as well as being a base for your wedding makeup.
Certain lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can make a huge difference in the appearance of your complexion and embarking on a healthy diet and exercise regime early on, can help to combat stress and prevent exacerbations of any existing inflammatory or responsive skin conditions that you may experience. At SO we recommend meticulous timing when it comes to organising your bridal regime and offer a wide-range of treatments and skincare to help you to look and feel beautiful and glowing for your wedding and beyond.
12 months before....Start Exercise & Nutrition Regimen
"To get the results you want, you don't have to be extreme, just consistent."
We all want to feel healthy and look our best on our big day. If you want to lose a few pounds before your wedding, don't leave it until the last minute and avoid crash diets, juice diets etc.
Start by prepping a healthy lunch so you avoid that trip to the coffee shop. Your purse and your waistline will thank you for it. Extra pennies to spend on those all important beauty treats!
It's a relatively simple equation of calories in v calories out. Start moving a bit more, preferably outside. Home workouts are also a good option for busy mums and those on a budget. There are lots of great videos online which require very little to no equipment. Stay consistent and you will start to notice the difference in no time. But be sure to always listen to your body, and give yourself the rest you need.
8-9 months before.....Skincare
Establishing a regular skincare routine will form the foundation of healthy skin. The absolute musts include twice daily cleansing, regular exfoliation (physical and chemical), sunscreen – practices that should continue beyond your wedding day. Here at SO, our trained aestheticians can offer you a skin assessment as well as advising which skincare products to use from our trusted medical-grade ranges.
Start to undergo treatments for pre-existing skin conditions which may need a course of sessions to be effective, such as treatments for acne and rosacea. We have a range of at-home and in-clinic treatment regimes to combat these issues. A tailored, bespoke plan will be created for you, after an initial consultation, health check and skin analysis.
If there is ever a time to ramp up your regime it's before your wedding. Incorporate stronger active products such as retinol and vitamin C to your skincare regime, as advised by your practitioner.
Retinol (vitamin A derivative) helps to speed up cell turnover and produce collagen. This powerful substance has the largest scientific evidence base backing it and can help with lines and wrinkles, congested skin and pigmentation. However, there can be some skin sensitivity, redness and flaking upon initial use and isn’t an overnight fix. You may need to use the product every two or so nights instead of every night, so that your skin can get used to retinol. All this will mean commencing the use of retinol a few months before your wedding, to truly see the benefits.
Vitamin C is an essential for the optimum health of the body and many experts say that is does the same for the skin. Collagen production is tied to skin elasticity, firmness and a healthy glow. When collagen levels deplete as we age, the skin can drop, sag and show lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C can boost collagen production, thus helping the skin retain a taught and smooth appearance. Vitamin C has photo-protective properties and staves off oxidative stress from free radicals that are all around us. It is also thought to increase the effectiveness of sunscreen creams. Using vitamin C every 8 hours can dramatically improve your skin’s resilience against free radicals and environmental damage.
6 months before.....Professional Skin Treatments
To reveal glowing skin, reduce the appearance of pigmentation and sun damage, close pores and help to regulate sebum production, a course of medical-grade chemical peels, 6 months prior to your wedding date can work in synergy with your at-home use products to achieve your skin goals. It’s recommended however, to stop chemical peels, 2 to 4 weeks before the wedding day, so that your skin can fully heal from any flaking or redness that peels can cause, initially.
It’s vital that during any course of treatment prior to an important event such as your wedding day, that you stay in touch with your practitioner and ensure regular follow-up checks, to ensure you are making the progress expected and that your skin is benefitting from the chosen peel.
Facials
Hydrafacials are a great way of exfoliating dead skin cells to reveal a smoother complexion, and they have the added benefit of infusing active serums into your skin for that added glow! We can even tailor your Hydrafacial to target your specific skin concerns, especially if you are prone to breakouts. These amazing facials are a great way to get a smooth, radiant complexion without any downtime. You can also supercharge your facial with an add-on Dermalux Tri-wave phototherapy session. LED Phototherapy is recognised as an essential skincare treatment due to its role in skin optimisation and good skin health. Dermalux offers unique regenerative and recovery benefits and enables more successful results with inflammatory conditions. Due to its non-invasive nature, it is safe for all skin types all year round.
If you are open to a more robust, results-driven skin treatment, you could have a course of micro-needling sessions. Micro-needling is a great treatment to boost collagen, reduce fine lines and large pores and improve the overall texture.
Again, one of our skin experts will create a bespoke program designed specifically to your needs.
4-5 months before....Dermal Filler Treatments
Dermal fillers can contour the facial dimensions, enhance features and help to lift the mid-lower regions of the face for a superb anti-ageing effect. At around 4-5 months prior to your wedding day, treatments such as cheek, chin, lip and jawline fillers can be administered by medically qualified practitioners, such as our team here at SO. It’s recommended to undergo dermal fillers as early as possible, as this will leave time for a repeat treatment or minor adjustments or ‘top-ups’ leading up to the big day, remembering that there can be some cosmetic downtime, such as bruising, swelling and tenderness for a few days after your dermal filler treatment. Therefore, giving enough time for any of these side effects to subside and reveal optimum results, is necessary.
3 months before....Profhilo®
Profhilo® is an injectable hyaluronic skin booster which can dramatically improve the skin’s architecture. Profhilo® is not a traditional cross-linked dermal filler, which acts to physically plump the skin from within, but a bio-remodelling substance that aids the reduction of wrinkles and intensely hydrates the skin for restored balance and vitality. Profhilo® helps to give the overall complexion a more youthful, hydrated and glowing appearance, whilst encouraging the production of collagen for results that last up to 6 months.
Profhilo® is administered in 2 treatment sessions, 4 weeks apart, therefore planning your treatment timings will ensure that your results are achieved in time for the big day. We recommend that you have your first Profhilo® treatment at around 3 months before your wedding day.
2 months before...Hair/Makeup Trials
Now’s the time to start experimenting with different hair and makeup styles for your wedding!
Remember to bring along a couple of reference pictures too – “loose, wavy curls” can sometimes mean different things to different people! This is where Pinterest comes in handy. Bring along a picture of your wedding dress if you can – this could help your hairstylist and makeup artist visualise your look better. Remember, great hairdressers and make-up artists get booked up 12 months in advance, SO get those appointments in the diary ASAP.
1 month before....Anti-Wrinkle Injections
Anti-wrinkle injections can reduce any unwanted crow’s feet or frown lines, helping you look picture-perfect on your big day. Such injections generally last for a couple of months and it takes a couple of days for the anti-wrinkle effects to kick in, so schedule your appointment 1 month before.
1 week before...
Brows Schedule your final brow session, and resist over-plucking with your tweezers!
Facials Schedule your final facial – make sure it’s a gentle one! A soothing, hydrating facial works best to preserve and enhance a radiant complexion.
Food Intake To prevent puffiness, especially on the face, cut down on salt as much as you can. Control your sugar intake too to prevent any potential skin problems or complications.
The Day Before....
Manicure/Pedicure Request for a gel polish to prevent unsightly chips on your big day.
Pack Emergency Kit
Have a kit of supplies ready for any last-minute emergencies! Some supplies include: stain remover wipes, nail polish, cotton buds, bobby pins, and a sewing kit.
Sleep! & Hydrate!
Amidst all the last-minute planning, try to get some rest. This will best ensure that you are fresh and radiant the next day.
And just like that… it’s your big day!
This is going to be a day of beautiful memories – so relax and enjoy yourself!
Our Bridal Glow Up Packages
Our 6 and 12-week Bridal Packages include a full skin analysis and set of treatments designed to give you that pre-wedding glow. For more information on the bridal packages we offer, give us a call on 01905 96 97 98 or email us at info@soaesthetics.co.uk.
