6 Months to Beautiful Skin for Your Big Day

- by guest blogger Desiree Phillips-Morisset
Preparing for your big day can feel a bit daunting, if not overwhelming. The good news is figuring out some of your beauty regime has been made simple for you. By using just a few tips at different stages of your beauty preparation, looking your best on your wedding day is achievable. Here are some tips to get you off to a good start 6 months before your big day:


1) Drink plenty of water. WATER helps to remove toxins from your body, hydrates, improves alertness/minimizes fatigue and helps with memory. To figure out the number of glasses of water you should drink daily, divide your body weight in half and divide by 8, which equals the number of 8 ounce glasses you should drink. You may find that you need more or less than the typical eight, 8 oz. glasses daily.

2) Treat back acne, scars and dark spots. You can visit a spa to have your back treated or (while not as aggressive) purchase a body wash that has salicylic acid in it. The trick is to ensure you wash your back first and rinse after 5 minutes. Also, be sure to keep your hair off your back and use a back brush daily.

3) Book your make-up artist early. Be sure to nail down your make-up artist. Good artists are often booked months in advanced and may not be available on your day. So act quickly! When selecting a make-up artist choose one who scrapes and does not “double dip.” Make-up is a breeding ground for bacteria and you need to ensure your make-up artist does not cause you acne. At www.ElegantFacesbyDes.com we take pride in scraping the make-up out of our palettes, cleaning our brushes thoroughly and keeping a clean and organized make-up kit.



4) Schedule facials for every 4 to 6 weeks if you have good skin and 3 to 4 weeks if you have problem skin. Facials are a good way to keep skin free from acne, hyper-pigmentation, dryness and dehydration. It’s also the best way to ensure your make-up looks natural as you’ll need less make-up to cover imperfections.

5) See a dermatologist if you need more advanced work such as chemical peels, lightening agents or wrinkle reducers.

6) Use at-home skin care products that are safe and fused with antioxidants and no toxins. The basic system should include a creamy cleanser, toner with salicylic acid, moisturizer and SPF (broad spectrum). In addition, be sure to wear SPF so that your make-up artist doesn’t have too much variation in the colors previously selected during your make-up trial.

7) Take care of dark circles under the eye by wearing SPF around the eye and stop rubbing your eyes. Rubbing helps to cause the delicate area to become black and blue.

8) Get your brows done by a highly recommended specialist. Be sure brows are kept full and nicely arched. A beautiful face always starts with great brows.

Remember: The earlier you start your skin care regime, the better your skin will look on your big day.

Desiree Phillips-Morisset is a member of the Ladies' Lounge on African-AmericanBrides.com, as well as a licensed skin care specialist and make-up artist based in New York. Find more of her tips at www.ElegantFacesbyDes.com.