Congratulations – after much heartache, frustration, and a lot of trial and error, you’ve found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with. The best part is, they want to spend the rest of their life with you too! But all joking aside, it’s an incredible feeling, and we’re happy for you.
Image Credits bogitw, CC0 1.0
The problem is, despite the excitement of engagement, planning a wedding can be stressful and takes a toll on your skin. If you’re looking to have incredible skin by your big day, we have a few makeup tips that can help you prepare to have that “bridal glow” you’ve seen on other brides and want for yourself. We recommend that you start as soon as possible – a year in advance is preferable, but if you don’t have time for that, it’s better late than never.
- Whip out that sunscreen. The single best thing you can do for your skin is applying sunscreen. Aside from the risk of skin cancer, overexposure to the sun can cause wrinkles, age spots, as well as other skin problems. It’s nice to have a little tan, but that’s what tanning lotion and spray-on tan is for. Even sunscreen isn’t a certified shield, though. Your skin will be most protected if you stay out of the sun in between the hours from 10-2 p.m., which is when the sun’s UV rays are strongest. Luckily, you don’t always have to use sunscreen, which can be oily. Some moisturizers now come with sun protection in them, so try to get one with at least 15 SPF in it.
- Moisturize your skin. There are some good skin care products that can be targeted specifically for your skin type. If you have oily skin, you should get products that contain hyaluronic acid or ferulic acid, which helps your skin stay moisturized without adding extra oiliness that you don’t need. If you have dry skin, you have more options and don’t have to worry about oil as much. If you moisturize daily, this will make your skin look that much better.
- Exfoliate your skin. All those dead skin cells can clog up your pores and lead to breakouts. However, this doesn’t mean you should exfoliate every day, as that can lead to worse skin problems. If you have oily skin or live in a warm climate, it’s best to exfoliate at least twice a week, if not more. If you have sensitive skin that is prone to breakouts, try to do it at most once a week, or at least once a month. The best way to tell if your exfoliation is doing the job is if it leaves your skin feeling soft and touchable. If your skin is red and more sensitive than usual, ease off from the exfoliation.
- If you have the time, try out an acid peel. If you’ve never heard of an acid peel, it probably sounds scary. However, it’s just a more thorough experience of exfoliation that can help get rid of sunspots and other things. It takes off all the dead skin on your face and leaves a new layer of fresh skin. You’ll have to do it a few times, with a few weeks in between so your skin can recover. The after-effect, however, is worth it.
- Do a test-run on your wedding makeup at the very least a week before the wedding. Of course, you should also do this for your hair. However, testing your makeup a week in advance will help alert you to any potential skin problems you might encounter with your makeup regimen. Once you know what does and doesn’t work, you can make whatever changes are necessary in order to have the best makeup and skin on your wedding day.
If, in the event of your wedding you should end up breaking out or get hives, remember this: your future spouse will – hopefully – have seen you throughout all of your good and bad days. They will think you are beautiful, and will most likely be excited that they finally get to marry you.
