Friday 4 April 2014

Wedding day beauty tips: how to look & feel stunning



One of the most special days in any woman’s life has to be her wedding day. We choose our bridesmaids, pick our color scheme and even fantasize about our Prince Charming from the time we can walk. For some of us, all roads lead to the most magical day of our lives; the day we say, ”I do”.


Betty has been planning her wedding for quite some time and it is now right around the corner. Her big day will take place in beautiful Thailand. While that sounds amazing, adding international travel on top of an already stressful situation can be challenging, especially when you want to be at your very best physically, mentally and emotionally.
For Betty, like all brides, the wedding day is the perfect occasion to shine. Of course she wants to look gorgeous but she also wants to be radiant, confident, sexy and demure for her groom. Remember, all eyes are on the bride on this very special day and it’s important to exude confidence without a worry in the world. This effortless beauty will be captured in memories and photographs that will last a lifetime.
To help ease a bit of stress and get Betty prepared for her big day here are some wedding day beauty tips.

1. How to prepare for your wedding with as little stress as possible.

Plan ahead! 
The morning of the wedding is not the best time to start experimenting with hair, makeup, nail polish – Anything! In other words, you need to plan ahead, well ahead for the best results. If you are a brunette, don’t go blonde right before the wedding. If you have never had long fingernails, it’s probably not the best time to get extra-long acrylic nails put on. And, if you’ve never worn big fluttery, fake eyelashes you may wish to rethink. Keep things simple and close to your personal comfort zone. Think classic not trendy! By planning your look well in advance of the wedding you will surely eliminate unnecessary stress and look fabulous as a result.

 

2. Practice makes perfect!

Betty, is smart. She is already practicing with different hair styles and techniques in anticipation of the big day. She and a friend are right now practicing with rollers to achieve her desired wedding day hair style. My wedding day beauty advice to Betty is to keep doing exactly what she is doing. Practice wearing different hair styles that compliment your dress and your veil. Think about the photos you wish to have and also think about looking back at your wedding album 20 years from now. Will you say, Awwww, look how cute we were? Or will you say, Oh my gosh what were we thinking?

3. A few wedding day beauty tips

Look for inspiration. Start tearing pictures out of magazines and searching on line for gorgeous wedding hairstyles. When you see something that you like be sure to save it so you can share with your hair stylist or start to practice the styles yourself. Be conscious of your dress and veil. It’s important that your hairstyle fits your wardrobe and not the other way around.
Get your hair trimmed to eliminate any split ends or frizzies which will keep hair from looking polished and smooth. Do any trimming or cutting about 2 -3 weeks before the wedding, so it looks completely fresh and natural.


For Betty, it’s about six weeks until her dream wedding so, now is the time to give her hair a nice moisture mask to help repair and replenish the hair’s tresses so they look as healthy as can be. You can achieve a nice deep conditioning treatment by slathering your hair with a good moisturizing conditioner, putting on a shower cap and relaxing in a hot steamy bath. Try a weekly treatment up until one week before the wedding. Since Betty has hair that is a bit on the longer side, by focusing just on the ends of her hair she can really make a difference.
If budget (and logistics) permit, hire a professional hair stylist for the day. Meet with the stylist a week or two prior to the wedding for a practice run and don’t forget to bring your veil with you and even a photo of your gown. This way you can see exactly how you will look pre and post wedding ceremony.
Wash your hair the day before – not on the morning of your wedding. The extra oils and product that are left lingering in your hair only help your style, especially your curls, stay put and last longer. When hair is freshly clean it won’t hold a style as long.


Betty’s Bonus Tip:  
If you’re going to rock a complicated hairstyle or you’re not confident that your crowning glory will last all day then plan for the worst. Have a friend or bridesmaid pack a bag of hair essentials to take the worry out of the day. Bring along a curling iron, flat iron, some hair spray, a few hair pins and even a can of dry shampoo in case you need any last minute touch-ups as the day progresses.

4. Flawless skin for the big day!

Betty is not alone. She, like countless other brides, wants her skin to look radiant on her wedding day. With the stress of the event, not getting enough sleep, dealing with family and friends and traveling, etc. this can be a challenge and flare ups can be inevitable. There are some quick and easy tips that Betty can start doing immediately that will make a big difference on the day of her wedding.
Take it all off! No matter what your skin care practices were up until now, as the wedding approaches you cannot go to bed without thoroughly cleansing your skin. All traces of makeup, especially mascara, must be removed at bedtime. One night of sleep with makeup on your face can leave your skin looking dull, dry and well, just not healthy. So a good cleansing using warm water and a facial cleanser is your first step towards radiant skin.


5. Moisture, moisture and more moisture!

Our skin always looks best when it is hydrated. Never go to bed without applying a nice, rich Night Cream that will hydrate your skin while you sleep. In the morning after cleansing the skin again, be sure to apply a hydrating day lotion to keep your skin soft and supple. With Betty traveling to Thailand, her skin can easily become dehydrated just from sitting on an airplane for so many hours, so extra hydration is critical. Apply, apply and reapply. And remember, if you are going out into the sun, be sure to use a product containing SPF to keep your skin from burning and, dare I say it, aging.

6. The eyes have it!

If Betty is like me, she may shed a tear or two on her wedding day. Tears, coupled with a nervous nights sleep and a few glasses of champagne at the reception can really make our eyes look tired and droopy. So it’s important to get the skin around our eyes in tip top shape well before the big day. Invest in a nice Firming Eye Gel for daytime use that helps tighten the skin around the eyes and look for a Hydrating Eye Cream to wear at bedtime. And whatever you do, don’t forget the waterproof mascara.


7. Scrub a dub dub!

Preparing the skin for the big the day doesn’t just end at the face. For a bride, every inch of her skin needs to be smoothed and polished to perfection. A good exfoliating scrub can help remove dead and dull skin cells from the surface of the skin and, for the face, this is something that is imperative. Exfoliating once a week leading up to the wedding is great for the skin and will also allow Betty’s makeup to stay on longer and look smoother and fresher. But, we can’t stop there. All exposed areas need to be scrubbed. Arms, elbows, knees, feet, legs, you name it. You can even make your own body scrub using sugar and olive oil! A good exfoliation followed by a great moisturizer and your skin will be soft, smooth and kissable well into the honeymoon.

8. Choosing the right makeup

There are many things to consider when selecting the right makeup for the wedding day. Of course, Betty wants to look flawless and fresh, sophisticated yet sexy and her makeup needs to look wonderful in photographs. If a professional makeup artist isn’t in the budget then just do a bit of investigating. Flip through bridal and fashion magazines, look online for pictures. And, my favorite tip? Go to the makeup counter and get a free makeover! Look for softer more natural color pallets and try to avoid the dark, bolder colors. The cosmetic counter consultants are a valuable resource to anyone who is trying to find the appropriate products or shades to wear. They can also demonstrate for you exactly how to apply the products for the best look. Be sure to tell them you are preparing for your wedding day and they will know exactly what products to recommend. Bring along your bridesmaids or Mom and make a fun day out of it.


9. Some final quick beauty tips for Betty’s wedding day

Pack a “quick fix” bag for the reception. No worries is the name of the wedding game, so be sure to bring along some touch up makeup, nail polish in your shade of the day, deodorant, mints for quick breath freshening and even a pair of comfy shoes or an extra pair of nylons in case you get a run, anything that you can think of that can help reduce any last minute worry or stress and keep your perfect day on track.
Pay extra special attention to your teeth. Be sure to brush and floss regularly and if a professional whitening is out of the question before the big day, pick up a bottle of whitening mouth rinse at least two weeks before the wedding day. Your teeth will sparkle every time you smile.
Take a good long look at yourself. Are your eyebrows neat and tidy? Are your hands in tip top shape? Take a few minutes to look at yourself. Compliment yourself on all of the positives that you see and smile just thinking about the wedding dayl


10. Relax and enjoy!

Leading up to the big day Betty and her groom can also engage in some couples activities to prepare for their day. They can get a relaxing, couples massage or just simply spend some special, quality time giving each other foot massages while laughing about the planning process. They can enjoy a nice quiet dinner at home and take the time to watch an old movie together. Staying relaxed and calm during such a stressful time only increases the bond between a couple and can only make the entire experience, from start to finish, even more memorable.

“And they lived happily ever after…”



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