Face It
Experts share their secrets for getting your skin in wedding-day shape
You might be putting in long hours at the laptop while watching endless TiVo’d episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Cake Boss,” completely immersed in planning your wedding. But that stress can take shape on your face, and that’s not a good look for the bride-, broom- or groom-to-be. We asked a few seasoned skin care experts to give us their secrets—some obvious and some not so much—for keeping their skin glowing and healthy all the way up the aisle.
According to Camille Meyer of TriBeCa MedSpa in NYC, men and women’s skin are the same— as she says, “skin is skin.” Here are some precautions from Meyer that both males and females should take daily to achieve beautiful and glowing skin on their wedding day.
Exfoliate the skin once per week (use circular motions with the exfoliating scrub to wash away all dead skin cells that can cause the skin to appear dull). Your final exfoliation should be two weeks prior to the wedding.
Use moisturizer two times per day to keep the skin hydrated (but steer clear of products that contain silicone, wax or fragranced products as they tend to cause breakouts). Drinking plenty of water is also a key factor to get hydration.
| Alexandra of Alexandra Wagner Skincare in Venice, Calif. offers these suggestions for both men and women looking to improve their outlook.
• Never use anything new on your face the week of your wedding. Make sure you know what your skin likes prior to the big day. • Ideally, plan a skin care regimen up to 6 months before wedding. • Find an esthetician in your neighborhood with a great reputation—someone close by—and work together to get your skin glowing for the big day. • Before applying your wedding-day makeup, apply a quick 5-minute vitamin C mask, which is packed with with moisture, and your skin will be gorgeous! |
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Never forget to wash your face at nighttime! When you sleep, your skin has a chance to rest also. With the day’s dirt or makeup on the skin, the skin continues to work, which leads to early signs of aging skin. This tip is especially true for men who feel as though they have no makeup to wash off of their face. The day’s environmental elements are enough to cause irritation to the skin and cause your skin to work hard at night when it should be resting—like the rest of your body.
Facials (such as the ones offered at TriBeCa MedSpa) work wonders for the skin. However, never receive a facial less than a month away from your wedding day. Facials draw toxins to the surface of the skin and cause blemishes and breakouts.
Vincenzo Spinnato, a 35-year-old cosmetic chemist, of Laguna Beach, Calif., owner of VS Vincenzo Ltd. spends his time educating women and men about learning how to treat and correct their skin or skin conditions rather than cover these areas up with makeup. Here’s what he tells Equally Wed readers about proper skin care:
Prepping your skin for your wedding day can be a bit nerve-wracking, but not that hard after you know what you need to do and what you don’t. One of the most important things you can do in the lead up to your wedding day is to prepare your skin. Nothing beats having beautiful-looking skin for your wedding day. There are many ways to achieve this, but it’s important to start thinking about your skin at least three or four months in advance of your wedding.
Exfoliate
First, you need to use a good exfoliant. The grains in face scrubs will help minimize your pores because it will polish off the dry, dead skin that causes the pores. Make sure you don’t overuse the exfoliator, however, as it can damage the skin if you’re too rough or you use it too often.
Keep your skin thirst-free (don’t dehydrate!).
Drinking enough water plays a big part in any good skin care regime. Our body is made up of more water than anything else, and it needs water taken in every day. Because our skin is the largest organ, it needs plenty of water and doesn’t respond well to dehydration. Drink plenty of water every day. Make sure it’s filtered water; tap water is not the best for avoiding toxins.
Avoid sunburn, or even overexposure to the sun.
A suntan might look good, but as we all know, it’s one of the worst things you can do to your skin. Too much exposure to the sun causes immediate damage to the cells that make up the skin, or dermis. This results in a more leathering texture of the skin.
Moisturize.
Use a good moisturizer that isn’t too greasy under your wedding makeup. If it’s too oily, you will shine for the pictures and under any lights. If it’s too dry, your makeup may crack and bunch up during the day.
