Whether they prefer a timeless gown or a chic tea dress, a larger than life celebration or an intimate affair, every bride wants to show up at their wedding with a radiant bridal glow. And while make-up artists have the capacity to work wonders, achieving that coveted ethereal glow you see on celebrity brides can still remain a challenge as meticulously selected and applied cosmetics are only one of its three ingredients. Besides the skills of a professional make-up artist, this desired glow is also owed to a combination of expert skincare and nutrition, which is why finding a pre-bridal beauty and wellness routine to attain the ‘blushing bride’ look is an instrumental part of the wedding planning process.
In addition to building mood boards of your favourite looks and consulting professional make-up artists, prospective brides should also consider planning out their journeys to healthy, radiant skin for your wedding day—for it is an equally important part of achieving the perfect bridal glow. Dermatologist and skin specialist Dr Stephanie Ho advises brides to avoid leaving the skincare aspect too late. As a lot of treatments require time for improvement to be seen, she believes that while 12 months will give you a comfortable head start, six months would be the minimum runway if there are major issues to address, and two to three months beforehand will be ample if you have minimal skin issues and just require advice regarding skin rejuvenation.
To ease your pre-wedding jitters, we have consulted Dr Ho, medical nutritionist Sheeba Majmudar, and professional make-up artist Kenneth Chia for a definitive guide to bridal beauty preparations that cover all of the bases—inside and out.
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Do: Address skin conditions and concerns
“Brides should prioritise healthy skin and treat or control any chronic skin conditions,” says Dr Ho, citing active acne, oily skin, eczema, rashes or allergies, rosacea, pigmentation such as freckles and sun spots, scars or unwanted moles or skin growths, as some conditions that prospective brides should plan on treating before the big day.
“Most of these concerns will require several months of treatment to see gradual improvement over a course of 6 months, so it would be ideal to begin the process 12 months ahead of the big day. Topical creams, oral medicines or lasers can be used to achieve the desired results over a period of time,” explains Dr Ho, “Avoid addressing chronic skin conditions too close to the big day as there may not be enough time to address your concerns adequately. Also some of the treatments may have downtime and require time for recovery and to restoration of normal skin.”
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Don't: Forget to hydrate, inside out
Dr Ho stresses the importance hydrating your body in addition to your skin, and Majmudar advises prospective brides to “stay hydrated by [drinking] at least ten glasses of water or herbal teas everyday and avoiding alcohol leading up to the wedding.”
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Do: Get your treatments and injectables in early
For brides seeking non-invasive options from an aesthetician, it is important to start planning for treatments and injectables to brighten and rejuvenate the skin at least six months before the wedding.
“Injectables are reliable tools for achieving a fresh and youthful appearance by softening fine lines and adding volume and glow,” says Dr Ho, “However they may have downtime and may require fine tuning and touch ups over time, so it is ideal to start these six months before to make sure you are happy with the results. These can then be repeated closer to the big day with confidence. Combinations of laser and injectable treatments can also be safely and effectively used for optimal results. Different types of treatments are available depending on concerns, budgets and comfort level.”
She adds, “It is best to aim for subtle improvements over six months and avoid any drastic changes before the wedding day. It is also important not to forget areas such as the neck, chest and back which may require treatment if the bride is wearing a dress that may expose those areas.”
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Don't: Overdo it too close to the date
In the month leading up the wedding, Dr Ho insists on only proceeding with procedures that have been performed before that have been highly satisfactory with little downtime. Dr Ho suggests “[scheduling] the final laser session, botox injection, and do a last round of Rejuran, Profhilo or skinboosters to elevate your pre wedding glow” a month before your big day.
She adds, “A week before the wedding, do a final facial which should concentrate on keeping skin hydrated and healthy. Avoid extraction or peels that may leave skin red or irritated. Continue using usual skincare and hydration masks, aiming to maintain skin hydration and to keep skin flawless.”
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Do: Plan your hair and make-up trials closer to the big day
While it may be tempting to get such a big step out of the way, Chia suggests that make-up trial runs should be done later rather than sooner.
“The best time to do it is when brides have decided on their dresses, or have a clear idea of their wedding aesthetic,” says Chia, and for hair: “When in doubt, always leave it longer and decide later. You can cut and colour hair, but you can’t add any length back.”
And while we have all heard the warnings against making any eleventh hour changes to your make-up on the big day, Chia disagrees: “It’s normal to have your make-up ideas change while everything is being put together—it is a creative process, and it’s great to feel inspired,”
He adds, “If your gut is telling you to go with another look that makes you feel like yourself, last minute changes are no problem.”
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Don't: Forget to check the ingredients in every beauty product
“Don’t use abrasive exfoliators like apricot scrubs for your face—use even rounded beads in your face wash that can gently exfoliate skin for that radiant glow. Don’t use chemical make up that may make you break out later—switch to organic brands that also help hydrate or work as antioxidants on the skin so on your special day, skin is at its best.” says Majmudar.
On the make-up front, Chia adds that “SPF-containing products, or heavy-handed use of powders can cause flashback. Sometimes, a wrong shade match could also be the culprit. I’ll use an SPF for a daytime, outdoor wedding—and skip it for the evening look.”
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Do: Maintain a healthy, balanced diet
“Eating the right types of fruits for daily bowels can help keep the gut and skin looking healthy—dragon fruits, prunes, papaya and green kiwi are great choices” says Majmudar, “Surprisingly, using any of these fruits or just a mashed banana on your face can give the face an amazing glow. The enzymes from the fruit create their own magic to clean up the skin. On the other hand, fasting or any low calorie diet to quickly lose weight could be disastrous. Stick to what you know as sensible eating, but eating dinner early by 7pm is a healthier way.”
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Don't: Forget to “occasion-proof” your bridal make-up
Rather waterproof make-up, Chia offers a better phrase for it: “Make-up should be “occasion-proof”, so that you’re able to experience all the emotions and look great even at the afterparty.” For lashes, he is a big fan of a lash perm, for “it gives you humidity-resistant lift and curl, and provides a great base for me to build individual lashes on. It’s more timeless and tends to suit asian eye shapes better. Lash extensions look great day-to-day, but may not match the dress/make-up look you hope to achieve.”
He adds, “Having a touch-up kit also helps. A tiny amount of lipstick for touchups is the most important. Followed by small cotton buds to clean up any smudging, and a translucent powder for touchups.”
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Do: Treat your body
At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you have a good time at your wedding and plenty of fun preparing for it. Majmudar suggests treating yourself to a full-body spa treatment before the big day, and adds that “doing a lymphatic massage or any kind of massage before the wedding helps reduce any water retention from late nights or travel (to reduce the extra puffiness)”. She also suggests having fun in the wellness process with little things like washing hair with yogurt or beer, for the acidic pH imparts a healthy shine to hair, even treated and coloured hair.
