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I am so very excited to have Viviane of Vskin+Makeup doing a guest post today. I first met Viviane when I was looking for a makeup artist for my own wedding 3 years ago. After a disastrous make up trial with another make up artist I was a little weary. But Viviane won me over with her warm demeanor and her passion of making every one feel and look beautiful. Viviane believes that looking great on your wedding day is not just about great make up application but starts with a great foundation which is healthy skin. Over the past 3 years I have continued to be a client of Viviane and I have had the pleasure of working with her on a couple of weddings last year as well (you can see her wonderful work here and here). Having worked with her as a bride and a wedding vendor I can’t recommend her highly enough, but I will let you find out for yourself how knowledgable she is about skin with some bridal tips on skin prep and care for your big day.

One of the first things that you need to undertake, as a part of your bridal skin care, is a proper cleansing routine. To get started, you want to get on a program about 6 months prior to the wedding. The reason is that sometimes when a new facial routine is started, the skin can actually experience breakouts, as dirt and grime make their way to the surface. This way, your skin can be cleaned and then settle down, resulting in beautiful and smooth skin. If you have major skin issues to deal with such as cystic acne, rosacea, or deep wrinkles, makes an appointment with a dermatologist at least 6 months prior to the wedding. If you have other minor skin problems like blackheads, clogged pores, dullness, or dry patches, then it’s best to start seeing a good facialist at least 3 months prior to the wedding for a monthly facial.

CLEANSING

• Choose a cleanser that is suitable for your skin type to avoid stripping away the water and oil (cleanse in the morning and night)
• Always wash your face before going to bed. I like to keep facial wipes or baby wipes beside my bed for a quick clean before I go to sleep if I’m being lazy.
• With a damp cloth (or your hands), massage the cleanser into your face in a circular motion, then rinse. (This increases the circulation in your skin as well as getting the cleanser deep into your pores)
• Along with cleansing the face, make sure to wash your neck and chest as well.

TONING

• Use an alcohol free and balanced toner to help to balance the acidity of the skin
• If you want to avoid expensive toners sold at stores, you can use Witch Hazel
• Cucumber water, applied with a clean cotton pad, is another good option

EXFOLIATE

This will help unclog pores and get rid of dead skin cells, revealing the fresher, newer skin underneath. All skin types can benefit from exfoliation.

• Exfoliate 1-2 times a week.
• Don’t forget to exfoliate your body as well! To increase the effectiveness of your exfoliating treatments, use a body brush or sponge to keep dead skin cells and body pimples at bay while improving circulation over your entire skin’s surface. Begin with your feet, and working upwards in gentle, circular motions.
• The Body Shop has a Facial Buffer that works great
• Alloette has a Restorative Enzyme Peel that works wonders
• It is better to scrub dry areas such as your elbows, knees and heels often. After apply Vaseline.

MOISTURIZE

While moisturizing might seem counter intuitive with oily skin, it will actually prevent extra oil and pimples (because if skin is too dry its natural oil production goes into overdrive). Look for an oil-free moisturizer

• Apply moisturizer after cleansing your face
• Apply moisturizer as soon as you get out of the shower or bath (within 3 minutes) to face and body.
• A freshly washed and moisturized face is the best primer for makeup application
• Eye cream is essential; it prevents lines, puffiness and helps the makeup go on smoother. Try to find a eye cream that has avocado oil in it

FACIAL

Even if you have perfect looking skin, the few days before your wedding are not a good time for a facial. Even good complexions may flare up under the pressures of wedding planning. Deep facial massage and manipulation can cause redness and bumps that may not go away in time for your wedding day. I usually like to recommend getting facials 3 months prior to the day with the last facial one week prior to the big day. These will keep you hydrated, radiant and flawless. It is advisable to go for facials that contain honey, mint, apple, peaches, strawberries, cucumber, or any other product that provide essential nutrients to your skin

SKIN AND BODY

Wedding dresses often show off a brides back and shoulders. Keep those areas free of acne and bumps with three simple steps

• Switch out your typical body wash for an anti-bacterial one to keep acne stimulating bacteria away
• Use a body brush or long handled loofah brush to exfoliate your backside
• For problematic skin, use a clarifying mask on your back once a week to remove any lingering impurities in the skin

As the day approaches, begin exfoliating treatments once or twice a week that will keep your skin fresh and radiant from the top of your forehead to the soles of your feet. To increase the effectiveness of your exfoliating treatments, use a body brush or sponge to keep dead skin cells and body pimples at bay while improving circulation over your entire skin’s surface. Begin with your feet, and work upwards in gentle, circular motions.

Cellulite is a nasty little problem that can affect any bride. Whether you are 110 pounds or 210 pounds, cellulite can find its way onto your hips, butt and thighs. Cellulite is a buildup of fat and toxins that are trapped under your skin. They are built up under the skin in that area because of poor circulation. To make the appearance of cellulite better in time for your honeymoon, try these tips:

• Use an exfoliating glove in the shower to boost your circulation in cellulite ridden areas
• Use a body scrub that has caffeine in it. Caffeine also boosts your circulation
• Cellulite serums and creams massaged in problem areas regularly can have wonderful benefits
• Exercise and drink lots of water!

BROWS

Brow grooming should be done 1-2 weeks before the wedding. This will allow time for the redness to dissipate and if needed, only a few hairs will need to be plucked. Other than that, the shaping and clean look will make the most of your features and makeup so don’t forget this step. The same applies for lip waxing.

TANNING

Another good step in getting ready for your wedding day is getting a nice sun kissed glow. You want to look naturally sun kissed, not sun abused.

• Best to start 6 – 8 weeks before the wedding (or earlier). Tanning well in advance to your event, to ensure that the colour you achieve is the right one for you.
• Try using a skin moisturizer that offers a gradual increase in colour
• Make sure that you do an exfoliating treatment prior to application
• Avoid tanning in the sun or a tanning bed 2-3 weeks prior to your wedding. This will only dry your skin, undoing all the work you have completed.
• Clarins is a excellent sunless tanner!

WAXING

If you are regularly waxing the hair will be finer and less noticeable. As well it is less painful every time you go back. Waxing or sugaring are both great alternatives because they last for several weeks (which means you will be hair free through the honeymoon).

• Make sure to get the waxing done from an experienced person.
• Wax often. The more you wax the less painful it is. Your hair will grow in thinner and finer
• I highly recommend getting a Brazilian wax. If you are afraid of the pain you can purchase a numbing cream called Elma at your drug store behind the counter (ask the pharmacist).
• For Brazilian make sure it is not hard wax. Sugaring is the best for this sensitive area