Preparing your skin for your Wedding Day

You’ve picked your venue. Set the date. Picked out your perfect gown (no doubt). You’ve found your glam squad hair, makeup... the works! Have you given any thought to your skin care prior to the wedding? What about waxing? Do you see an esthetician? Can you do things at home? What’s your routine? Do you HAVE a routine?

In case I’ve just spun you into a panic...or you’re thinking what’s an esthetician? I’m here to help guide you through the treacherous waters of the drugstore and department store aisles, and get you on track to the best skin of your life - for the biggest day of your life!

Your wedding will likely be one of the biggest days of your life, and as such, you’ll want your skin to be as flawless as possible: your makeup will lay nicer on the skin, your photos will look better, and you’ll FEEL better about how you look. Feelings relate to confidence and radiance.

Your skin is your largest organ, however, it’s the last place to receive nutrients and hydration from internal sources (i.e.: what you eat and drink) Your skin is one of the first places you’ll notice changes if you aren’t taking care of your body.

Too many nights out in a row? You’ll probably notice dark circles under your eyes and dry or red patches of skin on your face. Not enough vitamins and minerals from fresh fruits and vegetables? You might see dull, lifeless skin, with more breakouts, and higher or lower oil production.

In order to combat some of these issues, we have to treat the skin from the outside in, and inside out in order to create the balance necessary for flawless skin. Working with a professional gives you the greatest opportunity for success in achieving the skin you dream of.

So where do I start?

Yes, this can be overwhelming….so where do you start? First, find a reputable esthetician. Ask your friends, your makeup artist, or do a Google search. You’re likely to find several people to choose from that are operate reputable businesses.

Next book a consultation. Any esthetician or spa worth it’s weight in luminous skin, will be willing to meet with your for 10-15 minutes for free. Bring your list of questions (don’t worry, I’ll help you with this below) and make sure you’re on the same page.

Interview your Esthetician

Now here's the fun part. Interview your potential esthetician….

1. Are they licensed?
2. What continuing education do they do, and how often?
3. What recommendations would they have for a series of treatments for you and why?
4. What are the expected results?
5. After the first facial, will they provide home-care product recommendations so you can help maintain and build results at home in between facials?
6. What do they do to be sure the treatment room is clean between guests?

You’ll likely want to set up a series of skincare treatments roughly once a month leading up to your wedding so you can see increasing results over time. Remember most people spend a large chunk of their wedding budgets on photos having flawless skin. Hair and makeup just makes those photos THAT MUCH better and is worth every penny of your budget to secure the best hair, makeup and skincare team you can.

Waxing...

If you’re planning to wax any body or facial area prior to the wedding, there are several things to keep in mind:

1. Do not have anything waxed within 5 - 7 days prior to your wedding. You’ll want to give your skin ample time to get over any residual irritation before the big day!
2. Go to a reputable waxer. If they are double dipping sticks….RUN, don’t walk. I mean it. Leave the room in the middle of a wax and go somewhere else.
3. Estheticians are specialists in body and facial waxing. That means they are trained to know the bone structure and muscle layout on the face to give you a custom  service to your unique facial features. Estheticians who specialize in bikini and Brazilian waxing can make your experience significantly less painful than you think it will be, given their training. It’s worth seeking out a pro.

Prior to your Wedding

As you get closer to the wedding, make sure you book your hair and makeup consultations. Consultations are an integral part of making sure your wedding day goes smoothly and efficiently. It eliminates any chance for mis-communication, and makes the day so much more relaxing. You just kick back and let the artists do their work!

WarPaint International recommends 4 - 6 weeks before your wedding to have your trial run. It’s really helpful to your artists if you have an idea of what you like or don’t like. Pinterest can be very helpful with this, as you can make a beauty board for your wedding, and your artists can help you narrow down what will and won’t work best for your skin tone, hair thickness and length, etc.

** Be warned that Pinterest is both a great tool and a detriment to your search. Many Artists are quite used to example photos that have more Adobe air-brushing happening than Artist air-brushing. Your Artists will likely help you weed out unrealistic expectations or images that resonate editorial touchups.  

You’re going to be stunning. You’re a bride, after all! Implement a plan, think ahead and enjoy your day!

Amber Budd

Licensed Esthetician & Makeup Artisan. Amber is an Esthiology graduate from the Aveda Institute and is a Twin Cities-based makeup artist for WarPaint International. 

Amber can be booked for skincare treatments online HERE.

For Beauty and Makeup bookings, or to see Amber's portfolio, check out her Artisan profile HERE.