Essential Skin Prep Tips for Brides

You're probably here because you love that glowy, radiant, skin-like finish makeup look. You want to achieve a natural looking, me-just-better makeup look where people compliment you first, then your hair and makeup.

There are so many skin tips as you prep for your wedding day that go beyond facials and a good moisturizer.

Below, I'll be sharing a few of my underrated (and overrated) tips as you ramp up for your wedding day!

-Hi there! I'm Olivia and I help brides feel like their best self in the most comfortable way. My hair and makeup style is natural, authentic, and inspired by soft glam. I'm located in Baltimore and Connecticut, and serve the East Coast from Virginia to Massachusetts.

What Is Skin Prep?

You know when you apply makeup and it starts to crease under the eyes or breaks apart by your chin? Or maybe after several hours, you notice the foundation starts to settle in certain dry areas and your skin looks "cakey"? Well, with the right skin prep, your makeup should look as similar to how it did when it was first applied and should be able to last all night.

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Skin prep is essentially preparing the skin for a full face of makeup that can withstand heat (depending on the season), tears, dancing, and sweating all day and throughout the night. And yes, even if you are aiming for a "natural look" like the styles that I specialize in, a full face of makeup is still 99% necessary to last all day and look great in photos.

It takes multiple people to skin prep, and that includes your makeup artist, a skin professional, and you! However, it is also important to note that there is only so much that we can do to skin prep. Sometimes, the weather and other variables can affect our look. In this case, the best thing we can do is secure on-site touch ups so that you can stay looking fresh and photo ready until the ceremony.

When Does Skin Prep Start?

Skin prep starts as soon as you can. The longer you can incorporate a good skincare routine the better. The goal is to have a stable, predictable, and strong skin barrier that can handle a full face of makeup.

It is even more important to have a consistent routine the few months leading up to your bridal preview and wedding day. This means that anything you would do for your wedding day, you should also do for your bridal preview so that we can create a look that will most closely reflect your wedding day look.

For example, if you plan to get a facial before the wedding day, you must also do this before the preview so that you can test for any allergies and reactions. Remember, the key is stable, predictable, strong skin so we don't want any redness or hives popping up! The same trials go for spray tans and trying new products.

How to Skin Prep?

Some staples in my personal kit!

You'll want a gentle cleanser, chemical exfoliant, physical exfoliant, and a hydrating moisturizer in your skin care routine.

There are two types of exfoliants I like to use simultaneously. The first is a chemical exfoliant, so that includes products with salicylic acid and/or glycolic acid. I am a personal fan of glycolic acid because it does the job of loosening up dead skin but it's also gentle enough for sensitive skin brides.

Then, after your chemical exfoliant, you'll want to go in with a physical exfoliant. Think, St. Ives Scrub, but less abrasive. One that I really loved in the past was the Florence By Mills Get That Grime Face Scrub which has since been discontinued. The other other that my brides like is the Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub.

After, you'll want to hydrate with your moisturizer. If you have sensitive skin, you can exfoliate once a week or even biweekly. Add in any other products your skin needs!

Key Takeaways

In the end, everyone's skin is different and handles products variably. While many of my brides have followed my recommendations, they aren't always effective. It's important to go to a trusted specialist who will listen to you, recommend the right products/treatments, and help you achieve your goals.

I know there is a plethora of information about what you can do for your skin. Remember, the key is the build a strong, stable, predictable skin barrier so that makeup applies evenly and lasts all day.

If you told me what to skip, splurge, and save for, here's what I'd recommend:

• Skip: retinoids

• Splurge: laser

• Save: a consistent, thorough skincare routine

For my advice about what skin specialists to see for your skin concerns, read this blog :)

If you want to hear more about other important and underrated things you can eat for your skin, check this blog post out!

Did you like what you read and want to book hair and makeup with me? You can inquire using this link and we can get chatting about your skin, makeup, and hair vision!

<3 Olivia