Be A Bridal Goddess With Our Pre-Wedding Skincare Tips

We’ve all heard of the blushing bride – but what about the glowing bride? Wedding season is upon us, so if you’ve got a big day coming up, here are our tips on ditching the Bridezilla and making your big day as blemish-free as possible.

Your bridal skincare routine will largely depend on how much time you have. If you’re super organised and want to look your best, you can start up to 12 months in advance. But don’t worry if you haven’t got that much time – we’ve got you sorted until the night before!

12 months: start making plans

Now is the time for experimenting. Perhaps you’ve not long since got engaged, or you’re finally getting “serious” and have booked the venue. It’s time to start thinking about suppliers. Book yourself into a few makeup trials – you don’t have to commit to a makeup artist yet, but you’ll want to get an idea of what looks good on you. Then you can pass this on to your chosen professional on the day!

Not a big makeup wearer? For fairer skin tones, a natural look comes in the form of coppery eyelids and dusky pink lips. For darker tones, a light upper layer of liquid eyeliner will keep all the focus on those gorgeous peepers.

One to avoid: unnatural eyeshadow colours – the 80s are over!

9 months: dial down that stress

It might all seem real now. Perhaps you’ve got the wedding cars and the suits hired. This also invariably means the nerves might start to kick in. However, it’s not crunch time – you’ve still got time to practise good habits and incorporate them into your daily routine.

Stress is a major factor in inflammation, which can lead to rosacea, eczema, and of course, the dreaded lack of sleep. Take a break from reality by enrolling in a yoga class. Habits can take up to nine months to form, but you’ll notice the benefits of yoga in just three. Yoga helps to slow the heart rate and blood pressure by controlling our breathing – great for when stress gets the best of you. Not feeling so flexible? Try a meditation app such as Headspace.

One to avoid: excess caffeine – this will only make jitters worse.

6 months: freshen up your diet

Remember, crash diets do nothing for you. They drain your energy and rarely help you lose fat. Rather, the fast weight loss is usually down to water loss. You’ll never feel more beautiful than on your wedding day, so rather than obsessing over bingo wings, make a lifestyle change that affects your health – not the scale. 

For glowing, youthful skin, incorporate healthy fats into your diet, from avocado to oily fish. Nuts, in moderation, can help to reduce inflammation, while sweet potato can protect your skin from sun damage. Don’t forget to supplement all of this with plenty of water!

One to avoid: refined sugar, particularly alcohol. (We’ll let your off for your hen do, though!)

Three months: trial skincare products

There’s a whole lot of information out there on what to do with your skin, from exfoliating to face masks and moisturising. Now is the time to find a skincare product that works for you. Three months will tell you if your skin comes out in blotches or breakouts – perhaps you’ve picked a cleanser for dry skin when you should have picked one for oilier skin, for example. It’s all about trial and error here, but less is often more. A little light moisturiser with SPF that is free of parabens should do the trick. Treat yourself with eye cream before bed too.

One to avoid: wearing makeup in bed!

One month: plump up your skin

By the three-month mark, you should have done more than your fair share of experimenting with tans, teeth whitening, and hair styles. For a photo-ready finish, however, it’s time to focus on your skin. If you’re not already a daily taker of Collagen – the super protein that provides elasticity to skin and helps it appear youthful and healthy – then a daily supplement of collagen chews will help!

This helpful protein is ever-present in us when we are younger, but production can start to decline in as young as 25 years of age. JOY! Not only will a collagen supplement help your body revive its natural collagen production but the vitamin C in Collagen& chews will help to maintain energy levels too! So for suppler, more moisturised skin that is free from wrinkles, not to mention lustrous hair, collagen is the answer!

One to avoid:sugary sweets – choose sugar-free chews instead.

1-7 days before

Now is all about getting as much sleep as you can! If you’re really struggling with pre-wedding panic, try a little lavender. You can spray it on your pillow, rub it on your skin in cream form, or even add oils to the bath. You’ll drift off before you’ve even noticed it.

If you do break out in a dreaded zit or two, apply a small amount of toothpaste before bed. This will dry out the spot and minimise its appearance. A clever makeup artist will be able to cover over the remains.

One to avoid: blue lights at night and picking spots – this will only make them worse!

Above all, remember to relax on the big day. Elite runner Paula Radcliffe says to be prepared for three things to go wrong – then when one of them does, it won’t be a shock! Follow these tips however, and we guarantee it won’t be your skin.