Monday 1 July 2013

Beauty Wedding Countdown part 1 - 1 year to 1 month

One Year Till The Big Day

Now is the time to start thinking about long term changes you may want to make for your wedding day!

Your Diet
Most people have a few inches here and there they would like to get rid of so now is the time to think about what you are putting into your body, not only for weight loss but to improve your hair, nails, skin and wellbeing!! Change fizzy drinks for water to flush toxins out of your system and hydrate your hair nails and skin, and change snacks of sweets and crisps to snacks of dried fruit and nuts for a whole bunch of health benefits.

Why not try slicing some fruit to make some infused waters like this, super tasty and super healthy!











You can also think about using that gym membership that is only really making your purse look good! I'm so guilty of going to the gym for a gossip instead of a work out, but a few gym sessions a week can make you look and feel better!!

By no means should you turn into a diet and gym obsessed lady in order to fit into a dress 6 sizes smaller than you are as number 1 your groom or bride to be is marrying you because they love you the way you are and number 2 bridget jones sucky in pants work WONDERS!!!


Your teeth
Personally I'm not really fussed about teeth but some people are so now is the time to visit the dentist if you are thinking of any cosmetic procedures for your big day


6 Months Till The Big Day

Hair
Now is time to start thinking about how you want your hair on the day of the wedding in terms of cut and colour, if you want to try anything new start doing it now so you have time to get it perfect and try out different colour placements well before you need it to be perfect!!

Skin care
Its time to really start looking after your skin, continue drinking plenty of water and start looking into the skin care you use. I always advise clients to start coming in for facials where I can analyse their skin and recommend a skin care routine for them!! At this point I would advice once or twice a month facials.


I LOVE Dermalogica skin care!!! It caters to all skin types and is so easy to use!!! Smells fab too!!

Thinking about Hair and Make-up Trials
For some people this can be a bit early to have your hair and make up trials so why not start thinking about what you might like. Have a look on pinterest and in bridal magazines to see if there is anything you like. Why not make up a little mood board for yourself and your brides maids with looks that you like.

Also I cannot stress enough how important it is to research hair and make-up stylists in you area!! You must ensure your make up artist and hair stylist has the qualifications, experience, insurance and portfolio to back them up. Please do not be fooled by cheap deals from newly qualified people, as even though we all need to start somewhere, your wedding may not be the right place for it!! Looking back at the make-up I did 5 years ago and the make-up I can do today I can see such a drastic difference and improvement that has only been learned through experience. 




3 Months Till The Big Day

Hair and Make-up trials
Ill let you in on a little secret!!!
Why not book your hair and make-up trials in the same day, and also book them both on the day of your hen night!!! Two birds... One Stone!!!
Take along the mood board you have been working on to give your hair stylist and make-up artist ideas and just have fun with it. Take your brides maids for trials as well so everyone can have fun and have a bit of pampering!!

I always advise my bridal clients to bring along a brides maid or friend for advice even if they aren't getting their make-up applied as sometimes you just need a second opinion.

I also take pictures of each make up look we try so that we can flick through them and decide what the bride likes best!



Here is a few snaps of one of my gorgeous brides on the day of her trial! This lovely lady wanted to go for a super natural look, and lets face it, she is so beautiful that thin natural look suits her to a tee!!

Skin Care
By this point you should be a pro with your skin care routine so I would advise continuing with your once or twice monthly facials and you can even start using a face mask opposite weeks from your booked facials. 

Nails
Why not start getting manicures and pedicures every 2-3 weeks to start getting your fingers and toes in tip top condition for your big day!! You can also try shellac, rockstar or gel nail treatments. I offer luxury manicures and pedicures including deep exfoliation to remove all dry rough skin, nourishing mask to moisturise and a luxurious massage to relax and ease any aches and pains, finished with a colour of your choice.



1 Month Till The Big Day

Fake Tan
If you are new to tanning or just aren't a pro why not think about getting a spray or manual tan application. If you are tanning yourself then start trying out a few different products to see which is the best. Try your tan out a few times to make sure you get the best and most even colour and try wearing clothes in a similar colour to your wedding dress to see if any of the colour transfers. You don't want that on your beautiful wedding dress!!

Keep up with your beauty treatments
Keep up your regular facial, manicure and pedicure treatments and continue to look after your skin at home. Why not start using a daily hand cream, leave one next to the sink so that you can apply it every day after washing your hands. You can also try massaging cuticle oil in to your cuticles at night nite and slathering on a hand lotion then wear some cotton gloves while you snooze to get super silky hands!!

Body Brushing
Buy a nice big and soft (if its too hard you will end up covered in scratches) body brush and start body brushing daily. Start at the soles of your feet and use long sweeping strokes brushing upwards over your whole body, always brushing toward the heart. This is fab to improve circulation and promote lymphatic drainage and remove dry skin cells. Do this before showering and once you are out towel dry and apply a hydrating moisturiser like Aveeno Cream.


For part 2 of the beauty bridal count down click here