First things first, you are beautiful, right now and forever. However, in the lead up to your Big Day, when you know all eyes will be on you and people are guaranteed to be snap happy, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look your very best. It’s perfectly valid to want to feel as confident as possible on your wedding day.
Indeed, if there was ever a time to take up a good beauty routine, it’s in the lead up to your wedding. With that in mind, here’s our IDEAL guide to a great wedding beauty regime.
TEETH: SMILE FOR THE CAMERA
TEETH WHITENING
According to research, the state of our teeth has a huge impact on our confidence. If we’re not happy with the appearance of our teeth, it can have a negative effect on our self-assurance, and on our wedding day, we all want to feel as confident as possible. As such, teeth whitening has made it to the top of many wedding prep lists.
If getting your teeth whitened professionally is out of the question, then a trip to the dentist for a clean and a polish, followed by a good oral hygiene routine, can give you a brighter smile. And if you’re looking for a great whitening toothpaste, we’re fans of Colgate’s Optic White Renewal Teeth Whitening Toothpaste.
There are home whitening kits available. However, as the Independent explains “at-home kits can’t use any concentration stronger than 0.1 per cent of hydrogen peroxide, while dentists can use six per cent, the effects won’t be as dazzling as dental treatment.”
That said, at-home treatments can still give you a much-needed confidence boost without the hefty price tag of getting your teeth whitened by a professional. When it comes to home teeth whitening kits, Spotlight’s Oral Care teeth whitening system set, priced at £39.85 from Lookfantastic.com, has been touted as one of the best money can buy.
If you’re going to get your teeth whitened by a professional, a word of warning; do not leave it until the last minute. It’s important to give yourself enough time to complete and recover from the treatment, since just-whitened teeth are prone to sensitivity – imagine not being able to sip that chilled, fizzy glass of champagne on your wedding day!
To make an informed decision on the best procedure for you, check out our article on the main factors to consider when choosing the right teeth whitening product or treatment here.
CONSULT WITH A COSMETIC DENTIST
Consult with a cosmetic dentist with as much lead time as possible if you have any chips or crooked teeth that you’d like to fix before your big day. They can advise you on the best cosmetic dentistry procedure suitable for you, from full mouth dental veneers to dental bonding.
Dental veneers can also be used for improving the appearance of damaged teeth; from cracks, chips and scrapes to misshapen teeth, veneers can cover unsightly areas and closely resemble a natural looking tooth. There are various porcelain veneer options available, including traditional veneers, minimal-prep veneers like Lumineers, ultra-thin veneers, and CAD/CAM computer-engineered veneers, each varying in thickness, preparation required, and customisation. A cosmetic dentist will be able to advise you on which option is best suited to your unique needs.
As Elleven Dental, who some consider to be the best dentist in London, tell us, dental bonding, on the other hand, is considerably cheaper and is one of the most straightforward ways of treating damaged, decayed or discoloured teeth. The procedure uses tooth-coloured resins in order to make them stronger and fill in any tiny cracks present in the teeth.
SKINCARE GOALS: FOR THAT GLOWING BRIDAL LOOK
PRIORITISE SLEEP
We all know that weddings can be stressful and sleeping can be hard when you’re trying to juggle so many plans. To make things worse, wacky wedding nightmares are a real thing, and one that can make sleeping even harder. Moreover, a lack of sleep, particularly when happening regularly, causes the stress hormone cortisol to be released, which in turn encourages inflammation in the skin, leading to flare-ups in conditions like acne and eczema.
Lack of quality sleep can wreak havoc on our looks, making skin look tired, complexion pale, and our faces prone to wrinkles and bags, equally. When the fix is so simple, to sleep more, it’s surprising we’re not all doing our best to catch those all-important 8 hours each and every night.
When you skimp on sleep, the blood vessels under the thin skin of the eye can expand and cause fluid to linger, causing your eyes to have that well known, much-feared darkened or puffy appearance.
Since your skin replenishes and repairs itself overnight whilst you are in a deep slumber, the more sleep you get at night, the better you will look and feel. So get enough sleep to ward off eye bags, keep well hydrated (more on that later) and if possible, sleep with your head slightly elevated to reduce extra fluid pooling under the eyes.
EAT WELL
The path to radiant, glowing beauty begins within. If you’re not getting enough nutrients from your diet and drinking sufficient fluids, you’re going to show it, make no mistake.
In fact, your body is able to retain water much better via the inclusion of certain ‘watery’ food in your diet; tomatoes, courgette, cucumber and watermelon are all perfect for giving you a dose of the good stuff.
The potential anti-inflammatory effects of olive oil, oily fish (salmon, mackerel…you’re well versed in the roll call by now) and walnuts also make them an excellent addition to a diet which so covets supple skin. And any food which helps boost collagen (eggs, pulses and beans, in particular) is ideal, too.
Reducing sugary, high glycaemic index foods, such as white bread, potatoes, white rice or pasta, in the weeks leading up to your big day is advisable, too.
DRINK WATER
Helping to keep your skin looking healthy and hydrated isn’t only about moisturising externally; it also includes drinking plenty of water and maintaining a healthy diet. Being dehydrated due to a lack of water can cause the skin to look flaky and dry, and can also harm skin health.
As such, ensure that you drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Similarly, try avoiding consuming too many sugary and alcoholic beverages in the weeks leading up to your wedding. These types of drinks can dehydrate and aggravate the skin, and can cause breakouts to occur.
Instead, add a few cups of green tea to the mix. Blessed with loads of anti-oxidant properties, you’ll be wedding-face ready in no time.
MANAGE STRESS
We’ve already touched on stress and the effect it has on our skin. It’s clear, then, that one of the key components necessary for a glowing bridal complexion is to manage stress. So, let us direct you to our article on 4 IDEAL tips for stress-free wedding planning!
SKINCARE PRODUCTS TO USE
Everyone’s skin is different. It can take weeks – even months – for a new skincare regime to work. As such, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to try out new routines and products. The best thing you can do is to consult a dermatologist for a personalised skincare plan that will help you achieve that glowing bridal complexion you’re seeking.
Read: 7 simple steps, IDEAL for a glowing complexion
HAIR GOALS
PLAY IT SAFE
First things first, don’t try a new hairstyle before your wedding day – if you hate it, well, there’s always a wig, we suppose.
When it comes to dying your hair, now is probably not the time to experiment or do anything drastic. Even if you regularly dye your hair blue, play it safe and stick to a similar shade of blue to your usual hue.
It’s probably wise not to try anything too trendy with your haircut in the run-up to your wedding day – we wonder how many brides regret those 70s perms?
WHEN TO CUT & DYE
It’s recommended that a bride should cut her hair about a month and a half before the Big Day. This will give you a fresh and clean looking cut, ensuring dead, split ends are gone. When it comes to dying your hair, it’s recommended to book in for your final colour 1–2 weeks pre-wedding so the colour has time to settle and so your colourist can make any adjustments if necessary.
BROW TO THE BRIDE
If you’re looking for a fast and easy way to get great brows, consider microblading. This non-intrusive beauty technique is where your eyebrows are tattooed on with a fine blade to create hair-like strokes. To ensure your brows are fully healed and looking perfect formed for your big day, you should have your first appointment at least three months before your wedding.
EXERCISE GOALS
A DAILY WORKOUT GOES A LONG WAY
We’re not even going to insult your intelligence with a long bit about the importance of exercise for both mental and physical health, and the impact it can have on your ‘beauty’, both inside and out.
But we will, however, reassure you that even if you’re seriously pressed for time with wedding planning and life in general, it’s eminently possible to fit in a daily workout. You just have to reframe how you think about exercise; it needn’t be an hour-long slog on the treadmill. Instead, try a session of high-intensity interval training, a hugely effective way of burning fat, and all doable in less than 20 minutes.
By making changes to your daily routine, you can also fit in an extra workout while barely registering it; take the stairs not the lift, jump off the bus a stop early and walk the remainder of the way, embrace cleaning the house as a way of being on your feet and in motion…all simple ways of burning a few extra calories.
What’s more, hitting the gym in the lead-up to the big day is a great way to beat stress – that oh-so inevitable part of wedding planning.
FINAL FLOURISHES
SCHEDULE HAIR & MAKEUP TRIALS
You want to make sure that you look beautiful and the way you envision yourself looking on your wedding day. In this case, you can best prepare for your big day by scheduling hair and makeup trials. It’s important that you and your stylist and makeup artist are on the same page and that you see eye-to-eye about your final look.
During these trials, you can work through any kinks or misunderstandings and together come up with the way you want your hair and makeup to look on your wedding day. It’s also a chance to get to know these people and start to build a relationship and rapport with them.
And with that, we wish you all the best for your Big Day (we assume our invitation got lost in the post?).