Wedding countdown: The perfect wedding skincare routine…

The pressure to look perfect on your wedding day can be overwhelming but with the help of a good makeup artist and a good wedding skincare routine, you’ll have nothing fear. It’s hard to know when to go for a facial, when to cut out certain irritants and what to do in the final week. Lucky for you, we’ve got the answers.

We picked the brains of skincare specialists and beauty brands to find out what the perfect wedding skincare routine is and what products you should be using.

The perfect six-week wedding skincare routine

Six weeks to go

We all know a good complexion comes from within, so be conscious about six weeks before your wedding not to overdo the sugar, or carbs or booze (all the things we love most!). Now is a good time to start thinking about your gut health. A healthy gut will go a long way in improving your complexion. Think of it as improving your skin from the inside out. Try eating more live cultures in the form of yoghurt, kefir or kombucha.

Alternatively, you can take these live culture supplements to help aid a healthy gut.

If you haven’t already, the six-week mark is also a great time to consider hair and nail supplements to ensure you have the bounciest, shiniest and healthiest looking hair on your special day. Viviscal is a brand that’s true to their claims, backed by a number of clinical studies and comes recommended by doctors and dermatologists alike.

Now is also the time to try a variety of skincare products from face masks and toners to cleansers and moisturisers. This will allow you to pinpoint your favourites. If you have sensitive skin, don’t leave trialling new products too late.

Five weeks to go

Five weeks before your wedding is a great time to consider some facial treatments and start trialling new skincare products. By giving yourself this lead time, you have enough time for your skin to recover should if be irritated by any new products or treatments.

The team over at Skinbase suggest a microdermabrasion session to buff away all dead skin cells and rejuvenate your skin ahead of your big day.

“We recommend booking a course several weeks before your wedding. That way, you’ll guarantee your skin is still glowing from all the benefits of the exfoliation and gentle stimulation.”

Microdermabrasion isn’t for everyone, so would also recommend Origins GinZing facial scrub. Use it weekly to achieve a refined and brighter complexion.

Four weeks to go

One month to go! You’ll be asking yourself where all the time has gone and frantically tying up loose ends. This is the time Jessica Constanti, makeup artist for Vonza.co.uk advises brides to have their makeup trial, however, for skincare she says:

“It would be advisable to not introduce any new product or procedure as your skin may react badly.”

Find yourself a good SPF daytime moisturiser such as this Neutrogena City Shield SPF 25 and a good cleanser like this Elemis Gentle Foaming Facial Wash. Now is the time to find your hero products and stick with them.

Three weeks to go

Use a face mask every four or five days, use both a between skin-refining and super hydrating overnight mask simultaneously. Use these three weeks to really care for your skin, using an overnight mask to hydrate such as the Korres Wild Rose Sleeping Facial.

If you are planning to wear open toe shoes or sandals at your wedding, now is a good time to use a foot masque to exfoliate away all the dead skin. Leave this too late and you’ll have flaky feet days before your wedding. Do it now and you can keep your feet soft and supple with an intense foot cream ahead of your big day.

Two weeks to go

Often at this point, you’ll start to feel the pressure and it’s worthwhile taking time out to find something that relaxes you. Whether it’s a massage or a yoga class, it’s worthwhile as stress leads to stress spots which will only exacerbate the pressure.

Charlotte Connoley, facialist and skin expert, shared her insight with Wedding Ideas on what brides should be doing two weeks before the big day.

“Cleansing twice at night to take off any makeup, once with an oil such as Burt’s Bees Cleansing Oil with Coconut and Argan and then with either a cream or gel or foaming cleanser like Burt’s Bees Gentle Foam Cleanser with Royal Jelly to treat the actual surface of the skin is so important. You want your skin to be at its cleanest and freshest before the next step. 

“Exfoliating with a harsh scrub should be kept to a minimum. You don’t want to aggravate the skin at this stage. An AHA toner such as REN’s Ready Steady Glow to sweep over to exfoliate is enough.”

The final week

Finally, your wedding is just days away and hopefully, you have everything planned and organised. This is the most crucial week for your skin so for a few days, stay away from sugary snacks and booze. Avoid carb-heavy and salty meals which may leave your skin looking a little lacklustre and be sure to exfoliate with a gentle AHA. Drink plenty of water and stick to the same products you’ve been using for the past few weeks.

Joyce Connor, a makeup artist, tells us the final skincare steps the night before the big day should be to:

“Complete your normal skincare routine and do a full body moisturise, including your hands and feet. Drink a glass of water before you go to bed so you don’t get dehydrated in the night.”

Then, all that’s left is to enjoy every minute of your big day. If you feel good, you’ll look good.

Read More:

Want more wedding information and inspiration? Just hit ‘Like’ on our Wedding Ideas Facebook page, and ‘Follow’ on our @wimagazine Twitter account to join in the conversation.