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Looking good is a top priority on your wedding day. You want shiny hair, flawless skin and great makeup. Getting this look takes lots of time and preparation. Beauty professionals tell you what you need to do to get started.
"It's your day to look your best," says Melanie Littlewood of Hair and Makeup Artistry by Melanie. Looking your best often starts months before the big day. Your hair, skin and nails need lots of TLC ahead of time for a great result on the wedding day.
Hair
Weeks or days before the wedding are not the times to experiment with your look. You need to work on your hair cut, color and style at least six months before the wedding, says Shelisa Burke of A Beautiful Bride, Ultra Lux Salon & Spa and the Platinum Wedding Extravaganza who also suggests refreshing your color and cut a week before the wedding. Clip photos of hair styles you like and discuss your options with your stylist. Try out hair colors and cuts now to see what styles work for you. Have fun and take a few risks, but you still need to be careful. Your hair is not resilient enough to deal with a cut that's short a cut or a color that's too drastic.
Skin
Your skin needs a lot of attention too. Whether you have dry, oily or sensitive skin, it's important to develop a skin regime months before your wedding. "You really need to take care of your skin," says Burke who recommends facials to ward off breakouts. "I really think they should do a facial," she says. "Some brides get really nervous and breakout facials can clear up blemishes." Make sure you cleanse and moisturize your skin daily as well. Avoid harsh cleansers and choose ones that gently remove makeup buildup and keep your pores clear.
Stick with a cleansing routine if you have one, but for persistent acne or extreme flakiness, "go to a dermatologist or licensed aesthetician," says Gale Alexander of Make-Up-Artistry by Gale. "Treatments are awesome if you're going to a licensed aesthetician because they know what they're doing," explains Alexander. Don't forget to wear SPF every day, even if you're not going to be in the sun a lot. SPF 15 is a minimum option, but SPF 30 or 45 offer even more protection. Daily sun exposure can ruin your complexion with spots, freckles or even burns. Remember to slather SPF on your chest, neck and hands each day too - these areas are sensitive and can burn easily. Reapply sunscreen often.
If you're looking for a last minute beauty pick-me-up, consider this beauty tip: "Microdermabrasion really needs to be done one week before the wedding," says Littlewood who notes if you do it too close to the wedding, your skin could be red and difficult to cover with makeup. Keep up your beauty regime and the result will be glowing skin. "Beauty should be a cumulative thing, not just something for one day," says Alexander.
Tanning
Just because you wear SPF to fight off dangerous sun rays, doesn't mean you don't want to have a glow on your wedding day. Instead of a tanning bed or a day at the beach, consider safer "fake" tans like Mystic tanning, a spray tanning that gives you bronzed skin with risk of sun damage. But before you get a spray tan, check it out. "It's definitely better to do it three weeks beforehand to test it out because sometimes you can come out orange," says Burke. If your spray tanning test session goes well, do it again about a week before the wedding.
Waxing
If you've ever waxed your lip, your brows or your bikini area, you know it's painful but has great results. To get rid of stray hairs on your face, be sure to wax a week before the wedding. "You don't want to take a chance [that something will go wrong]," says Alexander. "Don't do it two days before the wedding." Littlewood says it's a good idea to ask your aesthetician to test the wax to make sure it's not too hot because if it is too hot you're skin will burn and that takes weeks to heal. While you're waxing your lip and brows, consider waxing your arms too. Photographers say it's a great tip to help your arms look their best in photos, especially close up shots of you handling your bouquet or holding hands with your groom.
Makeup
Wedding day makeup is a bit different from everyday makeup. You want colors that pop on camera and in person, so work with a professional makeup artist to find a bridal makeup look that's right for your skin tone and personal style.
"Some people like a little makeup; some like a lot," says Littlewood. If you're one of the many brides who don't wear much makeup on a regular basis, you may not be sure what to do about your wedding makeup. "I think girls who don't wear makeup normally want it for the day," says Burke who advises brides who don't wear makeup: "Do it really natural and professional." Airbrush makeup is a great option for wedding makeup since it dries instantly and is long lasting.
Color wise Burke recommends: "Beige, cream and light gray for eyes," as well as bronze checks and glossy pink lips. "Accentuate your eyes more than you do in everyday life," she says noting most brides want a natural look that plays up their best features. To play up your eyes even more, prepare to bat your lashes.
"Lash extensions are great," says Littlewood. "People assume they're false lashes, but lash extensions are applied one at a time. "It's very intensive. They last about a month and you can go swimming or shower with them. They fall out naturally and they have them replaced. They're fabulous! It really adds emphasis to your eyes for the picture." One of the finishing touches is often body glitter, but be careful. The shiny stuff can be over the top and make you look too sparkly, especially in photos. A little glitter goes a long way.
Nails
Your fingernails and toenails are a few of the little details not to overlook on your wedding day. Keep nails short to medium length - nothing too long or your nails will be distracting, not pretty.
For the best shine and shape, get your nails done the day before the wedding. Choose a manicure color that's low-key, yet sophisticated. A French manicure or natural and neutral shade like nude or soft pink will have your nails looking elegant. For your toes, feel free to have a little more fun: "I've had brides who've had a lot of fun with their toes," says Burke. "Blue for something blue; and rhinestones and flowers painted on toes."
Body Beautiful
Chances are, you want a strong, sexy body for your big day. Your overall health and fitness goes beyond looking fabulous in a wedding gown. You need a plan to get you in shape and keep you that way. Lots of brides are hitting the gym or hiring trainers to get their bodies ready for the big day. Others are choosing to get fit with groups of other brides with bridal boot camps like Fit 2 Wed.
Fit 2 Wed bridal boot camp is 12 weeks long and is comprised of both cardio and strength-training. Participants meet three times a week for 75 minute sessions during the week and 90 minute sessions on the weekend. "I meet with all girls one-on-one initially to see what they want to get out of the class," says Jessica Thomas of Fit 2 Wed who follows up with participants again at six weeks and 12 weeks, respectively.
With a group, "You have accountability," says Thomas. "You know you're coming back and you have measurable goals." Develop a workout plan as soon as possible so you can get in shape without rushing your body to get quick results. Long term hard-work yields realistic and sustainable results. "Every workout is always different," says Thomas who has been a personal trainer for over eight years. "We're always changing it up."
Fit 2 Wed workouts are outdoors in Del Mar and Mission Bay and participants get a fitness assessment at the beginning and the end of the program. Participants in the women-only program keep a food and exercise journal to track their progress. Weight and inches melt away. "You feel stronger and see results," says Thomas. Eating right and exercising are part of a long term plan, not a fad. "It's all about making it a lifestyle," says Thomas who continues "Eating is a huge component of this program."
Thomas incorporates nutritional seminars in the program to help participants tackle issues like emotional eating and learning how to read food labels. She advises all brides to: "Drink a lot of water, eat fruits and vegetables and focus on doing what is healthy." When it comes to working out, "The biggest thing is to maximize your time and be efficient," says Thomas. She says effective circuit training and resistance training with high rep counts are the keys to results.
No matter how much weight you want to lose or how much you want to tone, Thomas recommends "starting slow" and building up your workload each week. "Make it manageable and add five or ten minutes a week to your workout." Once you develop a plan, stick with it. "Consistency is so important," says Thomas who suggests working out a minimum of three times a week for 30 minutes. To see even greater results, she recommends a 60 minute workout, six days a week. Don't forget to take a day off.
"That day of rest is important to come back stronger and let your body repair and re-energize," says Thomas.
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