I was fortunate enough to have my best friend Rosie (above) who is a qualified beauty therapist, one of the most beautiful ladies and expert in beauty tips and tricks help me get beauty ready for my wedding day. Rosie gave me some really helpful hacks to help me prepare for my treatments with her and ensure I was fully prepared for my wedding day. All the knowledge Rosie gave me has been passed on to many brides I’ve photographed since. I thought it would be helpful to share what I have learnt not just from a professional beauty therapist but also a best friend who really cared that I looked my best.
SKIN CARE
First things first is, a really good skin routine has always been important to me. I remember my Mum giving me my first moisturiser when I was about 10 years old. I didn't fully understand why it was important to moisturise back then, but she told me that I needed to use it every day, so I did and have done ever since. Over the years I have developed my skin care routine to suit my skin type (dry). I follow the 3 phase system care by Clinique and have done for years now, all their products are perfume free and really suit my skin, below is a short summary of this system from Clinique:
‘Radiantly beautiful skin in just 3 simple steps and with 3 products perfectly tailored to your skin type. CLINIQUE’s 3-step care system was developed by leading dermatologists to offer each skin type a care routine that is perfectly tailored to its individual needs. Want to know which of the 4 skin types you are? Skin type 1: dry - very dry skin, Skin type 2: dry to combination skin, Skin type 3: oily skin, Skin type 4: very oily skin’
Last year I introduced serum and oils to my skin care routine, which has helped my skin feel even more hydrated. I follow The Ordinary hydration system skipping a few steps but have found what works for my skin. At night between toning and moisturising I add a few drops of 100% squalene and use Hyaluronic Acid a couple of times a week, its quite a strong product so be careful to not overuse it. These two products are incredibly moisturising and haven’t left any oily residue on my face. Below is an example of the regimen for dehydration:
Rosie introduced two more incredible products to me which are now my top 2. Once or twice a week I use Waitrose Pure cleansing and exfoliating powder, its so gentle on my skin and leaves it feeling really soft. The other product Rosie recommended is Skin food by Weleda which I buy from Holland and Barrett, this cream leaves my skin feeling SO hydrated and nourished.
It's really important to find a skin routine that works for your skin type. What works for one may not necessarily work for another, myself and Rosie use some of the same products but also different products too as our skin types are totally different. I would really encourage you to develop a good skin care routine months before your wedding. Then you know you've done your best to care for your skin and get it photo and make up ready for the you big day.
*Top Tip – Please don’t start using a new product the week before your wedding just in case you have a reaction. This is why I’d really encourage you to have your skin care routine sorted months before your wedding.
BEAUTY & MAKE-UP TRIALS
In terms of trials many of Rosie’s clients, including myself booked a trail run with all my treatments. We tested the spray tan, eyelash lift, waxing and eye-brow tinting. I then had my make-up trial a few days later with Jessica Ava (who is an INCREDIBLE make-up artist). When myself and Rosie were discussing the contents of this blog she gave me an example of client and bride to be:
'I've got a client who's getting married in June and she’s having her makeup trial in March so she's booked in to have her eyelash extensions, eyebrow tint and tan ready for her makeup trial, this will help her get an idea of the full picture’ Rosie, Beauty Therapist
EYEBROW TINT
If you are thinking of having your eyebrows tinted, please, please, PLEASE have a trail at least a month before, especially if you’ve never had one. Then book to have them re-tinted at least 4 days prior to your wedding day just in case the inevitable happens. If their perfect you can work around them when washing your face.
HAIR REMOVAL
If your wax is going to be in conjunction to spray tan it must be done 48 hours prior.
SPRAY TAN
With a spray tan make a booking as late in the day 2 days before your wedding day, ensure you don’t wear any deodorant or moisturiser prior to your appointment. The next morning have a shower, air dry or gentle dab your skin and apply moisturiser straight away. Rosie used St Tropez spray tan which left my skin naturally sun-kissed.
NAILS
Make an appointment to have your nails done as late as possible, as close to the wedding day itself to ensure there’s no chipping or damage, especially if your decorating your reception venue. I've certainly noticed last wedding season brides were going for more nudie colours and less of the French polished nail (which in my opinion is quite dated now). For my wedding day Rosie did an iridescent colour which had a pearly overtone to it. Some other popular nail colours for brides are CND shellac romantique, CND moonlight and roses and CND nude knickers. Another great observation and tip from Rosie in regards to nail colour on toes:
'Last year I noticed brides with open toed shoes had a pop of colour poking out the bottom of their shoe. If you have closed toed shoes I would really encourage you to think about your honeymoon, as you can have any colour you like.' Rosie, Beauty Therapist
HAIR
Wash your hair two days before your wedding day, this will help with pinning it up, styling and the texture of your hair. I helped my Bride last month attach her veil by doing a tiny plait underneath her hair, a perfect way to attach a veil if you’re not pinning your hair up. Video here…
My hair is full of curls and has the tendency to frizz and split easily. I finally invested in an incredible product called Monat my hair grew very fast and is the strongest its ever been. I didn't take any hair and nail tablets I just invested in this revolutionary hair care that improved my hair type with non-harmful, natural ingredients. These products were quite expensive but worth the investment to have strong shiny long hair for my wedding day. Since my wedding day I have tried a few different vegan and chemical free products. I have now found an affordable product in my local zero waste shop, Viva Organic. I love supporting independent shops, especially in my community, its greats to have products in my home which are made locally.
ROSIE
One really important thing to mention is that Rosie was also one of my bridesmaids, is my oldest friend and beauty guru, so I really trusted her with all my beauty treatments. I'm always going to her for beauty tips and will continue to do so as I age gracefully and maybe one day start using anti-wrinkle cream! If your based in the Cotswold / Warwickshire area and would like to make a booking with Rosie please contact her via Facebook here:
