A Bride’s Guide: Skin and Hair Regimen
On your wedding day, you’ll be getting up close and personal with not only your guests, but a camera lens, as well. To look great all day – and for years to come – you’ll want to take up an effective hair and skin care routine.
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Skin Care
Even though you will have (hopefully) a professional hair stylist and make-up artist at your disposal on the morning of your wedding, you don’t want to be surprised by dried out hair or a big pimple on your chin. Luckily, your fairy bride-parents at Today’s Bride have supplied you with a great hair and skin regimen to make sure you are looking your best on your big day.
The first and most important step towards healthy skin is a good cleansing program. You should be using a multi-step system including:
- A good cleanser appropriate for your skin-type in the morning
- Daily moisturizer
- Make-up remover and cleanser at night
- An exfoliant and mask once a week each
Because you deal with many skin irritants on a daily basis, try keeping your hands away from your face, as dirt and oils can clog up your pores which leads to blemishes. Be sure to wipe down your phone screen at least once a day and wash your pillows often in the months leading up to your wedding day.
If you have extreme skin goals or have battled acne most of your life, this is a great time to consult a professional dermatologist. They may recommend treatments such as glycolic peels or regular facials that will help you have picture-perfect skin. Prescription medicine may also be helpful.
Drinking water is a MUST when it comes to clear skin. Ideally, you should drink your weight in ounces (130 pounds = 130 ounces of water) per day. Though you may want to indulge in a glass of wine or a cocktail occasionally, stay away from sodas. Because water is so bland, it can be hard to reach your goal, so consider adding slices of fruit to infuse some flavor while maintaining a healthy diet. Adding lemon slices to a glass of water works wonders for flushing toxins and making you crave even more water!
If you’ve ever woken up after a restless night of sleep to find dark circles under your eyes, you know firsthand that sleep is vital when it comes to skincare. Your body requires a minimum of eight hours of rest to rebuild and repair itself. In that time, it sheds dead skin cells, flushes toxins and excess water, and regulates its natural moisture levels (among other things).
Hair Care
Your hair is so important when it comes to completing your big day look. You’ve probably decided whether you want it up or down, pinned some ideas of what ‘dos you want to try out (see our favorites here), and maybe even booked an appointment for test trials. But have you thought about the actual care going into it? Dyeing, bleaching, highlighting, blow drying, curling, straightening, and pinning – your hair goes through a lot on just a daily basis! Make sure you’re keeping it healthy and hydrated with these tips.
- If you have thick hair, it’s only necessary to wash it about three times a week. Any more than that and you’ll dry out the essential oils that your scalp produces to create a shiny, silky texture. For fine hair, 4-5 times a week is recommended, as it tends to get greasier quickly.
- Use a mask once a week. While in the shower, use a product that will moisturize your scalp and hair follicles to produce healthy strands. Because it’s only a 3-5 minute process, it’s a great time to shave or exfoliate your skin!
- Make appointments with your hair stylist for conditioning treatments. While you’ll want to test out hair styles for the day of your wedding, you should also make appointments with your stylist simply to treat your hair. Using keratin conditioning treatments or getting a Brazilian blowout will add that extra moisture and shine that you’re looking for.
- Stay out of the sun or tanning beds if you’ve dyed your hair blonde. Because you used bleach to create your ideal color, your strands are more susceptible and vulnerable to environmental factors such as UV rays. They can dry out your strands or create a yellow-y tint, making the color look unnatural rather than that effortless blonde you’re going for.
- Avoid hair straighteners, curling irons, and up-dos as much as possible. We all know that heat can damage and dry-out your hair, but twisting your locks up into a top bun everyday can break your strands, creating split ends and a dry, rough patch in the middle of your head (where the pony tail sits).
We want your wedding day to be everything you’ve ever imagined. After all, it’s the day you’ve been dreaming about your entire life! Why not take advantage and pamper yourself? That’s right…we’re talking a spa day. Most spas today offer services suitable for all budgets, and many offer services for men just as much as women. From facials, to massages, to manis and pedis, a spa is sure to make you feel like a goddess on your wedding day.
You’ve put a lot of work into planning the perfect wedding! Months and months of negotiating prices, visiting venues, making DIY centerpieces, and picking out the perfect first dance song has put a lot of weight on your shoulders. De-stress with a full body massage the week before your wedding! A great bachelorette party alternative – or even just a girls night out – is to invite your bridal party to get facials, massages, mani-pedis, and a make-over. Or, invite your fiancé along for a couples massage! Just make sure you book three to six months in advance to take full advantage of bridal spa services. To maximize the impact, consider scheduling a massage the night before the ceremony.
Find local salons and spas to help you create your perfect wedding day look! Want to step your health up even further? Check out our blog on how to get the wedding day body you’ve always wanted!
