Your Wedding Skincare Roadmap: What To Use and Book In For From 6 Months Ahead

Let's talk pre-wedding skincare. Skincare experts suggest that the perfect time to start thinking about your bridal skincare regimen is six months prior to the big day. According to skin coach Ciara Darcy the earlier you start thinking about your pre-wedding skincare the better, 'don’t leave it too late,' says Ciara, 'if you have a skin condition that you'd like to get professional advice on I’d recommend you have a skin consultation with a minimum of six months to go before the wedding. For all brides, I’d suggest three months is the very latest you should leave it.'

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Your Wedding Skincare Plan

6 Months Before Your Wedding

Get your skin used to vitamin C and retinol: Ciara advises focusing on your daily skincare: 'Create a consistent AM and PM routine. Prioritise active, medical grade serums and wear a broad spectrum SPF, as it will protect you against burning and ageing rays all year round. My favourite ingredients for brides are vitamin C (AlumierMD’s EverActive C&E™ + Peptide is the best vitamin C product I’ve found) in the morning, and retinol in the evening.' Less is more if you're not used to retinol. Start using a low percentage formula at night twice a week then gradually build up the frequency to every day as your skin adjusts. 'You can’t start using this dream combo too soon!' Enthuses Ciara. 'It will strengthen and brighten your skin, improve texture, reduce the appearance of unwanted hyperpigmentation, smooth skin and make long lasting visible changes to your skin.'

**Start thinking about peels: '**Peels gently loosen connections between dead skin cells, encouraging exfoliation,' explains Ciara, 'if clinical peels aren’t possible due to restrictions, AlumierMD’s Enzymatic Peel is a good product to use at home.'

'The 0.4% salicylic acid will help clear blackheads and blocked pores, while the 10% lactic acid will hydrate and buff away dull dead skin. In my clinic, I always recommend 3-6 monthly peels before the wedding day, with your last one two weeks before the day.'

3 Months Before Your Wedding

**Time to concentrate on hydration: '**Make sure your skin is hydrated, which will give you that glow,' says Ciara. Make sure to drink plenty of water during the day to tick that 'glow from within' box and use a day serum that's packed with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid holds onto moisture like a magnet, keeping your skin moisturised throughout the day without any risk of congestion. 'You can start thinking about weekly at-home masks too,' says Ciara.

**Get used to double cleansing: '**Make sure you are cleansing correctly and thoroughly!' Advises Ciara, 'Always double cleanse in the evening, even if you don’t wear makeup. The first cleanse will dissolve oil and SPF and the second cleanse will really clean your skin, creating the perfect base for any serums.' Duly noted. Your first cleansing step should be in the form of an oil, balm or cream that you can massage into skin to remove makeup and wipe off with a warm damp flannel or muslin cloth, which affords a gentle level of exfoliation too. Your second step should be a gentle foaming wash that you rinse away with water.

Concentrate on a maintaining a healthy lifestyle: There's little use in a great skincare routine if you're not supporting all your efforts with a healthy lifestyle too. Great skin starts on the inside. 'Sleep, sun exposure, alcohol and sugar can all impact our skin,' says Ciara, 'try to maintain your overall health; you might find it helpful to track your skin with photos. Stress in particular increases oil production and inflammation, which can be helped with salicylic acid and retinol.'

6 Weeks Before Your Wedding

Up your face mask use: Hit on the perfect hydrating face mask for you? It's time to crank up your pamper time. 'Use it at least once a week in the run up to your wedding for extra hydration and a fab glow' says Ciara.

Stick to the skincare products you know: The time for skincare experimentation is officially over. 'Do not try a new product three to four weeks before the big day,' says Ciara, 'stick to exactly what you know works well for your skin. Run for the hills if someone offers you any new product. Over the years I've heard of many brides who add in a new product only for it to cause last minute irritation - it's not worth the stress.' You have been warned.

1 Week Before Your Wedding

Stop using retinol: 'Stop using your retinol products three days before the wedding and focus on your favourite hydrating products and ingredients instead,' says Ciara, 'this will reduce the risk of dry skin on the day, which could alter the way your makeup sits on your skin.'

The Night Before Your Wedding

Make a ritual of your favourite face mask: Crack out your favourite hydrating face mask one last time before the big day itself. Pick up extras for the rest of the bridal party and make a ritual of it. A pre-wedding pamper session with your favourite people and glowing skin, what's not to love?

The Morning Of Your Wedding

Eye masks: Make sure to have some under-eye masks to hand to brighten and hydrate that under-eye area in preparation for all those zoomed-in photos. 'This will brighten the under-eye area and create the perfect base for makeup application,' says Ciara.

Shop: Products To Make A Part Of Your Bridal Skin Prep Regimen

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