Countdown to Bridal Beauty

Text by Mica Tuano-Fuentes and Celina Cheng

Who doesn’t envy those radiant brides who walk down the aisle and seem to cast, and even share, their glow everywhere they look? Some say that months, even years, of preparation and sacrifice go into that refreshed look; others point to the brilliance of makeup artists and the advanced technology that goes into today’s makeup.

Not every bride has the luxury of years to prepare for their wedding day. That’s why WE’ve compiled a simplified checklist of beauty routines for a six-month countdown to the big day for you!

5-6 Months To Go

Begin hydration now! If you haven’t already, start drinking 8-10 glasses of water. Makeup is only as good as its canvas, and dry skin is the worst kind to work with. While new research shows that increasing water intake alone will not make your skin perfect, it will contribute greatly to your skin’s hydration, thus increasing its elasticity and softness. Increasing your fluid intake also allows you to begin detoxifying; did you know that this will help you bring down your stress levels as well? If you can, you should limit your caffeine and carbonated drink intake starting now.
Start eating more fruits and vegetables. If your upcoming wedding isn’t enough of an incentive for you to begin eating healthy, then what about the prospect of a long and healthy life together with your husband-to-be? Now there are many brides-to-be who grew up avoiding or disliking vegetables. Making them part of a diet makes this worse, so why not take the opportunity to make a lifestyle change instead? And no, salads are not the only way to have veggies. You can start small; incorporate small amounts of the vegetables you like (not French fries!) into your favorite dishes, gradually increasing the ratio of meat to vegetables until you get used to having vegetables in your food.

You can also slowly substitute fruits for your desserts; instead of two slices of crema de fruta cake, why not try kiwi, pineapple, and mango chunks without the sugary sauce? Savor the flavors and textures of fruits; they are certainly a wonderful change from the usual textures of cakes and pies. If you can’t take vegetables or fruits whole, try blending everything into a juice smoothie or soup. There are so many great recipes on the Internet for this purpose. Certainly this approach is superior to going on a crash or fad diet—which usually results in more pounds gained after the diet is over! Think of it this way: you really are what you eat, and eating a healthy, balanced diet helps you achieve that natural glow both for your skin and hair. How much would have otherwise had to pay to fake that glow? Final tip: Don’t think of eating fruits and vegetables as a sacrifice! The more you think of it that way, the less you will like it. Think of them as investments in your beauty. Now isn’t that a more appetizing (pun intended) prospect?

Embark on an exercise program. Yes, it’s traditional for brides to try and lose weight for their weddings, but many top designers prefer that you don’t do this. Fad diets, diet supplements, and sudden bursts of activity have been proven over and over by reputable research institutions to be counterproductive, and to lead to more weight gain afterwards. The key is to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. If you think of exercise as an extra chore, you’re defeating yourself from the beginning. Did you know that exercise stimulates your body to release endorphins, those feel-good hormones that naturally suppress appetite and spur weight loss? The latest research shows that it’s not how long you exercise or how much you sweat that matters in the end; it’s the intensity of what you do. Expert trainers recommend that you add weights to your routine if you want to lose weight; they add the resistance that makes your muscles work harder, expending more energy and thus burning more calories.

And exercise isn’t confined to going to the gym! A little creativity goes a long way: for example, why not spend more time with your beloved dog by going on walks or runs with him or her? Not only do the two of you bond better, you also get the health benefits of exercise and of having a pet. Housework is another two-in-one activity; choose an area to clean or organize and set to it for 30 minutes, minimum. Not only will you have a cleaner house, you’ll also gain the unexpected cardio benefits housework can provide.

Start a skin improvement regimen. Your keywords are cleanse, tone, and moisturize. Never sleep with makeup on your face. Once a week, exfoliate both your facial and body skin with a scrub chosen to suit your body type to slough off dead skin cells. Exfoliation helps the natural process of skin cell renewal along, and doing this regularly encourages your body to renew your cells at a better rate. Remember though that facial skin is different from the skin on the rest of your body, so products that work for your face won’t necessarily work for your body, and vice versa. If you have skin problems, it’s time to consult a dermatologist now so that you can work together to put in place any long-term skin solutions you may need to start on in order to perfect your skin for the big day.

3-4 Months To Go

Focus on your smile. Give your dentist a visit. If you need your teeth to be whitened, now is the time to begin. You can also ask for a safe at-home maintenance program using an over-the-counter whitening system. This is also the time for more intricate procedures like veneers or teeth re-shaping. You should also ensure that the rest of your teeth are healthy; procedures like root canals or wisdom tooth extractions should take place now so that you will not be suffering on your wedding day.
Schedule a trial for your hair and makeup. Now is the time to decide on the look you want, and remember, relying merely on recommendations is not enough. There is such a thing as chemistry between a makeup artist and his or her client. A good relationship is often the indicator of future success. Speak up if you do not like anything; work with your hairstylist and makeup artist (it’s rare these days to find both in one person as hair and makeup techniques are separate sciences in themselves) by giving them pegs of what you want. Listen to their suggestions as well; for example, you might want an updo but you might look better in a half-up, half-down hairstyle.

You also need to test-run your hair and makeup by wearing them to an event: will they hold up under heat? How hard do you sweat under stress? Do they look good in photos? Now is the time to find out about any problems with your hairstyle and makeup, not after the wedding, in the wedding photos!

1-2 Months To Go

Start treating yourself to facials, massages, and foot scrubs. Pamper yourself and make that treat even better by bringing along your groom and pampering him too. Make it a weekly thing, if your budget permits. Did you know that cortisol, the hormone which makes us look stressed and spurs stress eating, can be lowered even with just a manicure? Any kind of pampering or “me-time” can instantly lower stress levels, and who deserves it more at this point than you?
Have your brows professionally groomed. Never ever underestimate what perfectly shaped brows can do to frame your face right. If they are too thin, you look old—and worse, overly thin brows are the province of cheap streetwalkers and porn stars. On the other hand, if your eyebrows are too thick, you look like a gorilla. Invest in the services of a good eyebrow grooming specialist who can shape your brows to your best advantage. Be sure that he or she talks you through the procedure and shows you how to maintain the brows afterwards so that you will keep looking good.
Go for a trim. Now is not the time to experiment with new hairstyles; you don’t want to have to invest in a wig to hide the damage should something go wrong. If you want a change, ask a good stylist to shape your current hairstyle instead or to refine its current layers. Otherwise, just get a trim to get rid of split ends. This also gives you enough time so you don’t have that awkward ‘fresh haircut’ look on your wedding day.

2 Weeks To Go

Since hair color looks its best in the first two weeks after coloring, if you want to have your hair colored, now is the best time to do it. This is also the ideal time for root touch ups or for adding highlights and lowlights. You shouldn’t be making drastic color changes now, though. You can also have special treatments like keratin masques done at this time. Always choose a reputable stylist and salon for this purpose; succumbing to the temptations of a cheap salon often costs more when you have to repair the damage substandard salon supplies and untrained personnel do.
If you had your teeth whitened, you can do touch-ups now. Continue to follow any regimens your dentist prescribed; avoid drinks like wine, coffee, and tea, which can stain your teeth.
You should be well into your ‘eat right’ and exercise regimen by now. You can up the ante by reducing overly sugary and salty items now. Too much sugar can sap your energy levels and make you dopey, while too much salt can make you retain water—and this can bloat you!

1 Week To Go

Go to a good waxing salon to remove all unwanted hair. You can also go for a final eyebrow grooming.
Get a final facial. You do not want to do this a day before the wedding since your skin needs to recuperate from the facial. If a spa facial is not possible, you can do it at home using face masks made from natural ingredients like oatmeal; recipes are available on the internet for this. Alternatively, you can pick up a nice prepackaged mask at a good beauty store.

1 Day Before

Do not experiment with beauty products that you have never used before just because a friend or relative swears by it. Stick to what you’ve tried and tested and deemed to be best for you. Remember, allergic reactions are almost impossible to conceal, and the medication for allergies can keep you from looking your best!
Use a hair treatment that has deep-conditioning properties.
Exfoliate your skin so that it glows on your wedding day.
Have a professional pedicure and manicure; waiting until the morning of your wedding is a recipe for chipped polish and other disasters.
Have a final pampering session at the spa or avail yourself of those dial-a-massage services.
Get a good night’s sleep to avoid looking like a corpse bride the next day! If you have trouble sleeping, scent your sheets with light touches of lavender, ask all guests to leave, turn out all the lights, make sure the room is dark, and ask for complete silence. You’ll drift off sooner in a conducive environment.

On Your Wedding Day

Take a luxurious bath then shave any leg or armpit hair growth, especially if your gown bares these areas. Avoid waxing as this may cause your skin to redden.
Do not condition your hair as it will be harder to style.
Bask in the glory that is your wedding day. The positive thought itself will surely evoke a radiant glow from within that no beauty product or makeup can easily replicate.