I say it to every bride: the secret is in the prep. Makeup can only sit as well as the skin underneath it, and the best wedding skin is calm, hydrated and familiar, not freshly experimented on. Here is a gentle plan for the months before.
Six months or more before
- Settle into a simple routine you can keep: cleanse, moisturise, sun cream every day.
- Wear sun cream even when it is cloudy. It is the single best thing for your skin.
- If something worries you, such as breakouts or patches, see your GP or a dermatologist now, while there is time for a treatment to settle.
- Book your trial. It is a good moment to see how your skin takes makeup and talk about anything you would like to work on.
Three months before
- Keep the routine steady. Your skin likes consistency more than novelty.
- Drink water and sleep as best you can, which is easy to write and harder to do while planning a wedding.
- Book any facials or treatments you want for the run-up now, and make sure you have tried them before.
The last two weeks
- No new products. Nothing you have not used before, however good the reviews are.
- No new treatments, peels or strong exfoliants close to the day.
- Fake tan should be tried well before the wedding and done a couple of days before, not the night before.
- Tell me about any changes, such as a new medication or a reaction, before the day.
The morning
You do not need to do anything clever. Wash your face, moisturise, and come to my chair with no makeup on. I start every face with a mini facial and Charlotte Tilbury skincare, so the skin is hydrated and calm before the base goes on.
Allergies and sensitive skin
Tell me about allergies or sensitive skin before your trial, so I can choose products to suit and we can see how your skin feels on the day.
For more on keeping makeup fresh from the ceremony to the evening, read Flawless All Day. For the morning itself, see the bridal page, or send me your date.