5 Steps to a Beautiful Bridal Glow

When should I begin the prep?

A lot of brides want their skin to be luminous and have a natural but dewy complexion, which allows them to wear less makeup on the day. In order to achieve that smooth surface you need to invest into a better skincare regimen, which preps the skin. The later you leave the prep, the more stressed you will become as you will have less time to react to any skin issues on top of the many other responsibilities you hold. Please don’t try anything brand new and drastic before the wedding day as you may get red and flaky skin, stick to what you know suits your skin best.

Start your preparations eight weeks before your big day. Most of the work is simple and can be done by yourself at home, so you don’t to worry about spending a fortune on expensive treatments and products. By maintaining this five-step process for eight weeks you will see a big improvement in your skin’s health.

The Five-Step Process:

1. Weekly Intense Hydration Mask

Your skin needs to look and feel revitalized instead of dehydrated. Not to be confused with dry skin, which is due to a lack of oil, dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of water in the skin. Low levels of moisture can give you a dull complexion, increase fine lines and wrinkles, and even cause sensitivity and irritation. This affects every type, even oily skin – a weekly hydration mask also ensures your T-zone is oil-free and ready to be a clean base for your makeup. 

2. Salt Scrubs

Brides tend to forget about their arms, legs, and chest during their bridal skin prep. All eyes are on you during your big day, so you need to reduce any existing or potential dry patches. Add a bath to your weekly routine and throw in bath salts with sodium bicarbonate; this will break down the dry patches and make your skin supple and a sponge for moisture.

3. Consistent SPF

Sun damage will undo all your hard work, and it happens more easily than you think. Dull, lackluster skin and dark spots can all be a result of UV rays. Either apply sunscreen at the end of your skincare routine in the morning or incorporate makeup with a high SPF to protect your face. If you are wishing for a slightly sun-kissed and bronzed look for your big day, then gradually build in a bronzed moisturizer about 3 days before your wedding. This will give time for your color to adapt into a beautiful and subtle tan.

4. Exfoliate and Moisturize Your Body

Use a chemical exfoliation product, whether in a wash or lotion that has AHA or beta hydroxy acid (BHA), to break down dead cells on the top layer of the skin. Doing this daily allows further penetration of the moisturizer you apply. Do not exfoliate with physical scrubs or loofahs as these often remove living cells as well, which cause damage to the skin.

5. Achieving the Dewy Look

Use a natural oil for your face and work firmly in small circles upwards and outwards over your skin. By using the knuckles of your index and middle fingers, work along the jawline and use the heels of your hands to press and hold under the cheekbones. Do this daily before you go to sleep to allow the ingredients to settle into your skin, this will give the skin an incredible quality and glow whilst defining the face contours.

Learn how to achieve a minimalist wedding-day look and get tips on how to repair sun-damaged skin if you didn't follow step three in the above process.