Let's talk Skin Prep

Makeup is of course a very important step toward your wedding day or an event that you are looking forward to. Finding the artist that fits with you and your vision for your day is paramount. If you are wanting that perfect glowing skin just know makeup only does half the job. Preparing your skin is just as important as the makeup you wear on your day.

So, how do I get that dewy, glowing skin?

Just a few simple steps can sometimes make the biggest of differences.

1. CLEANSE: Find the cleanser that suits your skin type. Acne prone skin is best dealt with using a cleanser which contains fruit enzymes or Alpha and Beta hydroxy acids. These help to slough away dead skin to help clean clogged pores. If you have a dryer skin type cleansing balms/oils are a great way to remove the days dirt, makeup and sunscreen without drying the skin. For the perfectionist, use an oil cleanser first to remove sunscreen and makeup and double cleanse with a more gentle cleanser to remove any leftover residue. This step is most important at night. 
2. EXFOLIATE: Use an exfoliator that contains Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids or Lactic Acids (more gentle if you have sensitive skin). These products will remove the dead skin layers you shed each day. Without this step you may find your skin feels dry, dehydrated, thick or the opposite, congested. Once you regularly exfoliate you will find this step will make the most difference to your skin in your regime and help all your other products penetrate deeper. Your skin will literally start to glow, be smoother and plump. Don’t confuse exfoliators with scrubs. Exfoliators contain active ingredients whereas scrubs contain microbeads to remove topical build up. You can use a scrub in conjunction with an exfoliator by using the scrub in the morning. Personally I would recommend exfoliating  3 x weekly although they will recommend daily on their packaging. Scrubs are best twice weekly. On the nights you don’t use an exfoliator you could use a toner to refresh the skin if you feel you need it. 
3. SERUM: This step is catered to give your skin a punch of whatever you feel it is lacking or target a specific skin concern . You can choose a serum for hydration, congestion, brightening etc. I highly recommend a vitamin C serum for daytime. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and fabulous for brightening the skin tone, increasing collagen and elastin and also helps to protect the skin against environmental aggressors that attack your skin during the day, like pollution and blue light. For night if you are looking  for an anti-aging ingredient then vitamin A/ Retinol is your baby. This is renowned for being the #1 solution to anti-aging. Retinol increases your cellular turnover to behave more like when it was younger, so your new skin shines through quicker.
4. MOISTURISER: Here comes the fun. Your moisturiser again can be to target a skin concern or simply to add juice to your skin. Moisturisers also lock in all your goodies that you use beforehand. This is where you can play with fragrance (if your not sensitive) and texture. Basically what feels luxe but still has all the goodies you are looking for.
5. OILS: There is nothing more satisfying than warming up a few drops of face oil in your palms and pressing it into the skin. Oils usually contain great antioxidants which is an ingredient you want to find in as many products as possible in your regime. Usually the fragrance of a botanical is so relaxing and leaves the skin glowing and plump.
6. SUNSCREEN: Now this is probably the most important product of all as without it your skin can become sun damaged and create skin cancers. I would recommend an SPF 50 which protects you for longer during the day. Also look for active ingredients that are up to date with the cancer foundation website. Do your homework here. Zinc oxide and Titanium dioxide are 2 of the better actives when used in the right percentages. Beware of purchasing sunscreens online from overseas. Their percentages of active ingredients is incredibly lower than Australian standards and don’t cut it for our harsh climate. 

We hope this helps to break down all the information that swirls around and can sometimes become confusing. Please feel free to email us with any questions or product recommendations, we are happy to help.

So, bring that inner glow to the outside now!

Selfishly, thank you for the beautiful skin you will present to us on your special day that makes our job just more fun!

One last mention that if you might be the bride that stresses on the inside and finds breakouts around your jawline and cheeks we highly recommend getting onto a strong Vit B like Blackmores Executive Stress Vit B to calm the stress glands down under the chin area. I promise every bride I have recommended this to has had great results…..along with a good skincare regime. 
GOOD LUCK!