1. Assess Early
If you really want to get your skin in top form, you'll need to start a
smart skincare routine about a year in advance. It's okay if you don't
have that long before the wedding day -- just adopt these good skincare
habits as soon as possible.
2. Schedule Professional Facials
Your wedding is the perfect excuse for some extra pampering. You'll want
to book monthly facials to really refresh your skin. Experienced
aestheticians will massage your skin, scalp and decolletage to stimulate
blood circulation and keep your skin looking pink, not sallow. You can
also request extractions. This is when your facialist gets all the dirt
out of your pores. The process takes preparation and special techniques
that, if done at home, can lead to irritation, or worse, scarring.
3. Manage Oil With Blotting Sheets
If you're on the go, blotting papers will help keep your face
shine-free. If you need a more advanced grease solution, streamline your
routine. Use a mild face wash (we love Cetaphil), skip the toner and
add a lightweight oil-free moisturizer. Excessive face washing will kick
oil production into overdrive.
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4. Eat More Watermelon
No
matter what your skin type is -- oily, dry, normal or combo -- it
craves water. Sure, drinking water helps, but snacking on watermelon
works too. Other super foods for your face: grapefruit, broccoli and
lettuce.
5. "Shrink" Your Pores With Microdermabrasion
We
want to give it to you straight, so first, the bad news: You can't
actually change the size of your pores. "The deeper a pore is,
the
bigger it looks on the skin's surface," says Cornelia Zicu, global chief
creative officer and renowned facialist for Elizabeth Arden Red Door
Spas. The good news: You can minimize the depth of your pores to make
them seem smaller. Here's how: "Microdermabrasion, glycolic acid and
other chemical peels will exfoliate layers of bad skin and minimize pore
surface," Zicu explains.
6. Use Salt Scrubs to Soften Elbows
This
is the one thing most brides forget about. Add a bath to your weekly
routine and throw in bath salts with sodium bicarbonate. "The sodium
bicarbonate will break down dry patches and make your skin a sponge for
moisture," says Zicu. For really tough patches, ask an aesthetician to
put a glycolic peel on your elbows when you go in for a facial.
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Photo by Marcie Meredith Photography
7. Wear SPF 30...on Your Lips
It's easier to prevent your lips from getting chapped than it is to
repair them if they're already dry and cracked. If you spend lots of
time outdoors, especially in windy, sunny or cold weather, a thick balm
with SPF 30 will keep your lips hydrated
8. Use Skin-Specific Moisturizer
For oily skin: You don't want to add much more moisture, but you do want
to hydrate. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ferulic acid,
both of which help your skin maintain water. For dry skin: Stick with
the hyaluronic acid or ferulic acid, but don't worry about finding an
oil-free formula. Your skin craves moisture. For breakout-prone skin:
Choose a moisturizer that's noncomedogenic. It should say so on the
bottle. For sensitive skin: Your go-to is a fragrance-free product.
9. Reduce Sunspots With an Acid Peel
Peels are designed to slough off dead skin and bring new, fresh skin to
the surface. To make the most of these spa treatments, you'll want to
book a series of peels. Start with six different sessions, each two
weeks apart (so skin has time to recover). If you have a full year until
the wedding, Zicu recommends scheduling this treatment twice a year,
once in the spring and once in the fall.
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10. Deep Clean With a Mask
A mask isn't meant to replace your daily face-washing routine; it's only
mean to enhance it. "Since it stays on longer, a mask will help melt
the hard sebum (or oily substance) in your pores, something washing
alone won't do," says Zicu. If your skin is oily, use a mask every other
day. If you have dry skin, once or twice per month should keep oil and
dirt from building up.
11. Wash With Your Hands
Here's a secret most dermatologists will tell you:
Don't use a washcloth on your face. According to Amy Wechsler, MD, a
psychiatrist, dermatologist and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin and a Whole New You,
washcloths can harbor bacteria. Instead, use just your hands. But
first, use a separate makeup remover to tackle waterproof mascara and
long-wearing lipstick.
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Photo by Jackie Wonders Photography
12. Use Concealer (the Right Way)
Unlike with foundation, your final layer of concealer isn't meant to be
totally blended. Dab it right where you need it with a pointed brush.
Then, use your finger to pat the perimeter until it's smooth.
13. Blend Foundation With Your Fingers
Whether you apply your foundation with a brush, a stick or a sponge, you
should blend it in using your fingers. Put a dime-size dollop of
moisturizer on your fingers, rub them together and start blending. The
extra moisture will keep your foundation and skin from drying out and
will make your complexion look soft and dewy.
14. Eliminate Zits With Benzoyl Peroxide
If
you've got a problem pimple (you know, one of the big suckers that
really hurt), there are only two ways to take care of it. And no,
popping it isn't one of them. The first is to dab benzoyl peroxide gel
directly on the blemish. This will help dry it out (sometimes
overnight). The other option is a faster, but more expensive fix:
Consult your doctor and ask about an anti-inflammatory steroid
injection.
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15. Shampoo Your Makeup Brushes
Every time you swipe on your blush with a dirty brush, you add a layer
of acne-causing bacteria to your skin. Cleaning your brushes is easy:
Just suds them with shampoo, rinse them and hang them to air-dry with
the bristles facing down. It will make your makeup colors truer too.
16. Use an Eye Cream With Light Diffusers
In many cases, dark under-eye circles are hereditary. So the only way to
reduce their appearance is with makeup. Start with an eye cream that
has light diffusers, which reflect light to make the eye look brighter.
Then, use concealer only on the dark spots. Look for one that matches
your skin tone exactly, not one that's a shade lighter-- that can make
your attempt to conceal even more noticeable. Remember to dab lightly to
avoid tugging on delicate eye areas.
Source:
https://www.theknot.com/content/tips-to-glowing-wedding-skin
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