Getting the Glow for Your Wedding Day

by Jacki Norrie & Jennifer Neumeister, Wedding Tresses

Your dress is altered, the band is booked and invitations are engraved. Looking ahead, the day of your wedding is the one day in your life when all eyes are on you. This is the day to look glowing and luminous, and this all begins with your skin.

Your wedding makeup is going to look only as good as the skin underneath. For this reason you must begin to prepare your complexion months before. Follow this schedule as a “Countdown to Glow”.

3-6 Months prior to your wedding
Begin a skin care regiment that is tailored to your specific skin type. One of your steps must be exfoliation of the skin; this is key to achieving the aforementioned “glow”! For a twice-weekly, gentle exfoliating facial scrub, see the recipe below. This does not have to be a major investment in either time or money, but you need to be consistent. Product lines we recommend are:

Neutrogena
Clinique - especially their new liquid face cleanser and the old standby Clarifying Lotion
Mario Badescu- this line has a solution for every skin type

1-3 Months Prior to your wedding
Schedule your trial run with your Wedding Day Makeup Artist to solidify the Beauty look you envision for your day!

Bring pictures of Bridal Makeup looks obtained from magazines - bring both looks you love and ones you don’t ever want to see on your face; this allows you and your Artist to really have conversation flushing out your idea of what your envision and putting it to words.
Bring your own personal makeup, brushes, false eyelashes that are “must use” item. Some people even feel more comfortable having their own makeup applied by a professional makeup artist.

3-4 weeks to go
Schedule any facial appointments now if you opt to. Allow at least 3 weeks prior as skin eruptions might occur after any facial treatment.

1 week left

Get any facial waxing done no sooner than 2 days before to allow for any redness to subside.
Also remember to HYDRATE! Drink plenty of water this week. Nothing you can put on your skin can make your complexion look fabulous like hydrating from the inside out.
If you have any blemishes during this time, please do not pick at them. Instead, apply a spot healing product containing salicylic acid directly to the blemish. This type of product hastens the healing process of the blemish by exfoliation, bringing it to the surface quicker without squeezing.

The Big Day!

Right before you sit down with your makeup artist, wash and exfoliate your face. Follow with moisturizer.
Remember WATER, WATER, WATER!
If you wake up with puffy eyes, place brewed, wet tea bags that have been chilled in the refrigerator on each eye for 10-15 minutes.
If you wake up with a pimple, please-please-please do not pick it! It is much easier to conceal a tiny bump than broken skin as makeup will not adhere to it.
Believe it or not, Preparation H is truly your friend on this day - it reduces swelling and redness that occurs with an eruption. For a redness only blemish, Visine eye drops will zap away redness in a flash. After that, leave it to your Artist to work her magic!

Sugar scrub recipe:
For a fantastic and organic way to begin to create that magical glow as you prepare for your wedding day, use this recipe to make an exfoliating facial scrub whose ingredients are right in your own kitchen!

In a plastic sealable container, mix 3 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon honey and enough grape seed oil (found at any health food store) to form a paste consistency. Apply about 1 teaspoon to damp skin in a gentle circular motion working from the center of your face outward. Rinse off and cleanse your skin using your regular cleanser. Repeat 1 or 2 times weekly.

Keeping your stress level down by not worrying over every little flake or bump that appears in the almighty mirror as you get closer to the Big Day will help you to maintain that wide awake youthful glow you desire. Remember, you hired the professionals to take care of the ups and downs, relax in the knowledge that what ever snafu is thrown your way - it will be alright.

Makeup and Hairstyling in all photographs by
Jacki Norrie and Jennifer Neumeister of Wedding Tresses

About the Authors
Jacki Norrie is a Newport, RI and Boston, MA Based professional hair designer and makeup artist, and founder of Wdding Tresses. Her business is focused on providing hair and makeup services with highly trained Artists for weddings on-location throughout New England and beyond. For more information, visit Jacki Norrie‘s web-site @ weddingtresses.com or call 781-585.0600 MA or 401.848.0060 RI

Find a list of Rhode Island wedding make-up artists and hair stylists.

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The Right Style Gown
Ordering your Gown
Selecting Undergarments
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Choosing the Perfect Tux
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Choosing a Hair Style
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Misc Articles:
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