How to Get Wedding-Ready Skin and Plan a Timeline

You’re planning the most magical day of your life. There is so much to do and whether you will hire a wedding planner or do it yourselves, don’t forget about planning for your skin’s appearance for the big day – for both of you! Maybe even for the entire wedding party. Just like planning the dress or attire in advance, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of lead time to prepare your skin.Plus, its a great way to practice some self-care, giving you the opportunity to de-stress ahead of your nuptials.There are several factors to consider such as your current skin condition, current health condition or environmental elements to name a few.

But let’s back it up even more and simplify it in 1 step:

1. Find a professional skin therapist. That’s it – it all begins here.  If you already trust a skin therapist and see them on a regular basis then high-five to you because they will already have your skin’s best interest in hand. If you will need to find a professional then start by asking some friends or family members for a referral. Otherwise a legitimate practice will be visible online with raving 5 star reviews. We recommend scheduling a complimentary consultation when possible.

Dependant on your lead time to the wedding date your skin therapist should create a treatment plan that will leave your skin healthy and beautiful. Some conditions take time and depending on your goals they can take up to several months to achieve—and you certainly want a game plan. Spoiler alert: skin changes are slow and gradual, but 100% worth the effort. 

Now from here more steps take place but with the help of your new esti and your goals established, the rest is a walk down the aisle. (get it?)

Ideally, you have a minimum of 6 months and that is when you should begin treatments. 1 year is even better. Are you planning engagement photos, engagement parties, bridal shower, etc? The stress level can be high and stress plays a big role in triggering skin issues like inflammation or acne. So with longer skin prep time available the better for skin healing.

Here are several treatments to consider over a 8-10 month window:

8 – 10 months prior: have you first introductory facial,at least 60 minutes for your skin therapist to understand your skin; sensitivity levels, responsiveness or reactiveness, understanding your goals and getting familiar with your skin type or condition. Here they will make product recommendations and outline an at-home regimen; this is your homework. You will not see results without proper homecare. Consider a retinol regimen. Retinol is A-lister when it comes to visible changes on the skin. For increased cell function, brighter complexion, smoother lines and wrinkles, this ingredient is a must. 

However, beginning a retinol may be  harsh on the skin, leading to discomfort, irritation, redness, flaking, and extreme dryness. Different percentages and product formulations are available. Your skin therapist should understand which product to recommend to you and explain how to use it. Begin slowly and once you manage to overcome this acclamation period you will love retinol. 

Definitely begin using a topical vitamin C. Another A-lister and by the way essential for our body. Another topical that can sometimes be tricky to find the right form and formulation but with both of these the important thing to note is using a professional or clinical brand. Avoid choosing a random product online like Amazon – getting advice from someone that understands the different forms and how to read ingredient decks is  always best.

Schedule your next facial in 1 month and every month thereafter until 2 weeks prior. 

7-9 months out – your next facial may be a decongesting facial. Of course this will vary for everyone based on specific conditions but a decongesting treatment would be ideal at this time frame. About 9 months out is a good time to get some heavy cell turnover action started. This length of time will allow for any purging and healing before the wedding day. Microdermabrasion paired with LED would be a great combination. Microdermabrasion is a superficial skin polishing technique that helps to manually slough off dead skin, lightly smooth out skin texture and decongest blackheads. It then allows for topical ingredients to penetrate for their full potential. LEDs are an excellent source of healthy light energy. It feels wonderful and helps to enhance cellular metabolism.

6-8 months out:  Introducing enzymes as a pathway to exfoliation is an excellent way to encourage cell turnover and target specific skin concerns. I love enzymes for their many benefits including reducing breakouts, pigment and scarring and achieving overall healthy skin. Pairing LED is always worth the time and money. It’s completely relaxing and remember you don’t need any additional stress during this planning phase.

5-7 months out: Your skin therapist will assess the condition of your skin and adjust homecare if necessary. If you are considering any kind of enhanced lashes or brows for your wedding day look; this would be a good time to try it in advance. The last thing you want to do is get a service done like a lash lift or brow lamination or even lash extensions just a couple of weeks or days before your wedding day only to find out you hate them or worse have an adverse reaction. Lash lifts and brow laminations can last anywhere from 4-8 weeks or even longer. Both lash and brow hair growth will cycle out the treatment if you discover it’s not for you. 

This is also a good time to begin a chemical peel series. Like any treatment, it’s not 1 and done. Therefore a series of 3 is always a good rule of thumb and will reveal brighter, healthy skin. Afterall, I believe beautiful makeup begins with healthy skin. You will likely have a makeup artist on the day of your wedding and they shouldn’t have to struggle through covering up blemishes or dark spots that could have been corrected. Your makeup and photos will look so much more flawless with the extra investment on skincare services. I want to mention too that if your back, shoulders or chest area need attention to do exactly that – give those skin baring areas the same attention you would on your face. 

For the next 3 treatments a chemical peel at least 4 weeks apart is ideal. These chemical peels can be very superficial to superficial or even medium, again this all depends on your current condition, goals and homecare. You can pair LED with chemical peels prior to the peel itself.

2-4 months out: Your skin should be fast on its way to a brighter, healthier appearance. This is a good time to maintain your results thus far. A hydrating facial such as a hydrafacial or hydradermabrasion are excellent choices. You can probably guess what I’ll say to pair with…that’s right LED!

1 month out: home stretch

This is your final biggish treatment, the one that will set the tone for the next skin cycle or 4-8 weeks. So this will cover your wedding day and honeymoon! I recommend a very superficial peel or enzyme and extractions. If facial hair is a concern you can have dermaplaning done but no sooner to the wedding date than this because nicks can occur and we don’t want any cuts (while minor) close to the date.

2 weeks prior: This is your touch-up facial and should be very hydrating with a few passes of either microderm or even nan-needling to infuse some quality ingredients like hyaluronic acid or vitamin C. You can also get your final brow clean up, lash lift and tinting done at this time.

Wow! That sounds like hard work and effort. All eyes will be on the lucky couple so if this is a plan you can afford your money and time towards then I promise you won’t regret it. Everyone’s skin is different and each plan or timeline of treatments will vary. This is simply an example to extend the importance of lead time and advanced planning. Skincare takes time and results do not occur overnight. 

Congratulations on your engagement and if you are in the Phoenix, Arizona area in need of a professional skin therapist before your wedding date – we would love to share your journey. Call us at Amazing Face Spa.

article post written by Angela Miles. copyright Angela Miles – All Rights Reserved