If you’re recently engaged (or know someone who is), it’s likely that thoughts and questions about the eventual nuptials have already begun to flood your mind – and soon enough, your life. We’re kidding, of course, but we all know weddings can be a stressful event! That’s why we’re committed to giving you one less thing to worry about – your skin prep for your wedding day. So, we did our research, grilled our dermatologists, and asked all of our married friends to learn everything we could on how to make sure your skin is glowing on the big day. Here’s what we learned:
SEE A DERMATOLOGIST
Your best defense is a good offense, so as soon as you’re done calling relatives to share the news of your engagement, book an appointment with your dermatologist to come up with a plan of action and build your perfect skincare routine. Because learning if your skincare is actually working for you can be a bit of a waiting game, the sooner you see a dermatologist and get things moving, the better! Once your doctor has given your skin a full examination and recommended a full routine specific to your skin’s need – use those and stick with them. Nothing more, nothing less.
GET AN ORGANIC FACIAL PEEL
There’s no better time to treat yourself to skin treatment than before your wedding day. An organic facial peel may be just what your skin needs, so you can have that blushing bride glow before the big day. An organic facial peel is simply a peel made from organic and all-natural sourced ingredients derived from fruit acids and enzymes. There are two common acids found in organic facial peels: alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) and beta-hydroxy acid (BHA). Both acids can be naturally sourced from fruits like apple, lemon, papaya, grape, pineapple, grapefruit and willow bark. They should not contain any parabens, mineral oils, synthetics, or potentially cancer-causing ingredients in them. They can dissolve surface-level dead skin cells, unclog pores, stimulate collagen production and gently break down dead skin.
Organic facial peels are great for people who want a chemical exfoliation without downtimoe f a chemical peel. There are different organic facial peel strengths from light to strong. It is recommended to start with a light organic peel then slowly move to a stronger peel. You want to see a professional before using any of the stronger peels to avoid damaging the skin. You may want to start around 4 – 6 months before the big day, depending on the strength of the peel. It can be done every one to three months, depending on the skin type and concern. In general, dry and sensitive skin types benefit most from AHA peels (which are milder and will improve hydration levels) and oily skin types will experience better results with a BHA peel (which really get deep into the skin to exfoliate, clean the pores and help fight current and future breakouts). Both treatments will promote cell turnover, minimize the appearance of dark spots, and give you a smoother, brighter, more radiant complexion when all is said and done – giving your “just married” glow a head start. Our advice? Do it with a licensed professional who has the reviews and experience to back up their work.
EXFOLIATE YOUR ENTIRE BODY
Leading up to your wedding day, one can’t afford to neglect the skin on their body – strapless and backless dresses be damned. Make regular body exfoliation (especially your back) a priority twice weekly to keep skin smooth, get a back facial, reduce the appearance of any dark spots or scars, get rid of any pesky keratosis pilaris (those “chicken skin” bumps that appear on the backs of our arms), and keep body acne at bay. Exfoliating is also key for preventing annoying ingrown hairs, which no one wants to deal with – especially on their wedding day. Our favorite ways to exfoliate? We love dry brushing because of the intense manual exfoliation it provides, and the added wellness benefits.
Our last and arguably most important piece of skin prep wedding advice? Don’t get crazy. We know the mounting stress can feel all consuming, and the pressure to look absolutely perfect is very real – but doing too much to your skin can often do more harm than good, which will only make the stress situation worse. So, don’t go wild experimenting with different products and trying to give yourself bizarre skincare treatments at home – trust the professionals and stick to what works for you and your skin. Besides, you’re perfect as you are.
