Image by Peter LaMastro via Martha Stewart Weddings

Just because you are on a budget, want to do things yourself, or don’t have a beauty salon which you can get to easily, doesn’t mean you need to avoid facials. Are you currently happy with the condition of your skin? If not, it may be time to consider what you think is working for you, and what is not, and perhaps consider cleaning out your cosmetic/skin care drawer, and starting fresh. First stop is to work out your skin type.

How do I know what skin type I am?

Most of us will have a fair idea whether we have oily or dry skin, or whether we have combination skin. For example, if you get oily down the middle of your face (T-zone), and are shiny by the end of the day, then you have oily skin. If you feel tight and find your skin gets a bit flaky, then you have dry skin, or you may be somewhere in between. Remember, the makeup you use on a regular basis can also affect your skin condition. For example, some heavier foundations may leave you feeling oily by the end of the day when really, you may not have oily skin at all.

If you’re still uncertain, book in for a consultation with a beauty therapist.  A lot of therapists will offer complimentary consultations when a client wants to choose new skin care, so take advantage of this, and get a custom skin care routine set up.

Now I know what type of skin I have, what do I need to do?

Every bride needs a good skin care routine to get their skin in top condition. In actual fact, what you do every day will actually have more effect on your skin than whether you have facials every few weeks for 6 months leading up to your wedding, so in actual fact, that’s the first thing you need to consider.

A good daily routine should not be complicated. You can start with and cleanser and toner, or something as easy as a cleanser/toner in one, which you pop on your face in the shower, while your conditioner is moisturising your hair! Essential for any bride is an eye cream. The most common thing makeup artists get asked to conceal is dark under-eye circles. Pop on an eye cream, and follow with a day cream in the morning, or a night cream in the evening. Unfortunately, a normal day cream or night cream will not do the same job around the eye area, as they have different ingredients. On a daily basis, your skin care routine can be as simple as that.

A custom skin care routine needs to take into account your lifestyle as well.  For instance, if you know that you are going to lose motivation, and forget to use a toner, it’s no use including a separate toner in your routine.

How can I perform my own “facials”?

An at home facial performed once a week, will really leave you with radiant glowing skin for your wedding, without the exorbitant salon price tag. Once a week, when you have 15 minutes, exfoliate (scrub) using a good quality, fine exfoliating scrub, and then follow with a masque, either hydrating or deep cleansing, for up to 10 minutes. Follow with a toner, and your usual moisturiser. A toner is needed in this instance, as it removes any residual cleansing product and readies the skin for moisturiser. If you find that your toner dries your skin out too much, make sure it doesn’t include any alcohols as this is what dehydrates the skin. As a special treat, to enhance radiance, and get a good glow prior to the wedding, you can’t go past Arbonne’s RE9 Advanced Cellular Renewal Masque. This is a salon quality treatment which exfoliates, cleanses deeply and helps speed up your skin’s natural renewal process. You simply cleanse with your normal cleanser, and then pop a layer of this masque on for about 7 minutes.  It is expensive, but one tub will do about 20 treatments, and each tub is about the same price as one salon facial.

Ms Gingham says: Simple and practical advice to get you started. Thanks to Sarah for the article.

About SGD Beauty: SGD Body & Beauty is your one-stop shop for all beauty treatments, skin-care, and cosmetics products in Sydney, the Day Spa that comes to you, allowing everyone to experience amazing glowing skin without the travel hassles.