Make me the belle of my wedding!
February 23, 2015 10:58 AM Subscribe
Two months out, what beauty routines can I work on to prep for our big day?
Hello! So almost 2 months til the wedding and want to be prepared in the beauty front. I haven't book my hair and make-up gal yet so I can talk to her about it too but wanted to see what the Hive suggests? Currently taking some supplements and on a skincare routine that have really helped clear up my skin. Been working out (but always open to more suggestions on workout routines) I am growing out my eyebrows to have them shaped properly by a professional before the wedding. Trying to grow out my nails. Would love to get your thoughts on tanning? Anything else missing?
I do want to note that part of my desire for this is not the vanity as much but instead that these little improvements and rituals are helping keep my stress level in check! Thanks again!
Hello! So almost 2 months til the wedding and want to be prepared in the beauty front. I haven't book my hair and make-up gal yet so I can talk to her about it too but wanted to see what the Hive suggests? Currently taking some supplements and on a skincare routine that have really helped clear up my skin. Been working out (but always open to more suggestions on workout routines) I am growing out my eyebrows to have them shaped properly by a professional before the wedding. Trying to grow out my nails. Would love to get your thoughts on tanning? Anything else missing?
I do want to note that part of my desire for this is not the vanity as much but instead that these little improvements and rituals are helping keep my stress level in check! Thanks again!
Are you taking folic acid supplements? They are recommended for all women of child bearing age to take all the time in case of an "oops" baby and it will also make your hair shinier and your nails stronger & less brittle.
Are you waxing legs/bikini ahead of the big day? Be sure to grow out the hair enough to allow for waxing.
I didn't tan before my wedding - skin cancer isn't sexy (spray on tans never look natural IMHO). Not looking washed out has more to do with a great photographer than your actual skin color, so i wouldn't worry about it in the least.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 11:34 AM on February 23, 2015
Are you waxing legs/bikini ahead of the big day? Be sure to grow out the hair enough to allow for waxing.
I didn't tan before my wedding - skin cancer isn't sexy (spray on tans never look natural IMHO). Not looking washed out has more to do with a great photographer than your actual skin color, so i wouldn't worry about it in the least.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 11:34 AM on February 23, 2015
Don't tan!! Except maybe some short times outside in a strapless bikini with SPF 30 on -- depending on where you live.
Bleach your teeth (at home Crest White Strips are fine) and only drink coffee/tea/soda through straws.
Two weeks before, cut out all sugar, caffeine, and alcohol and drink a lot of water to reduce bloating.
Figure out your plan for a haircut - will you get one between now and then? When?
Grow out your legs/armpits/bikini line starting now so you can get waxed 1 week before (avoiding redness and regrowth), if that's your thing.
If you're happy with your skin, I wouldn't change up your routine.
posted by amaire at 11:48 AM on February 23, 2015
Bleach your teeth (at home Crest White Strips are fine) and only drink coffee/tea/soda through straws.
Two weeks before, cut out all sugar, caffeine, and alcohol and drink a lot of water to reduce bloating.
Figure out your plan for a haircut - will you get one between now and then? When?
Grow out your legs/armpits/bikini line starting now so you can get waxed 1 week before (avoiding redness and regrowth), if that's your thing.
If you're happy with your skin, I wouldn't change up your routine.
posted by amaire at 11:48 AM on February 23, 2015
If you think you might want to tan a bit, go now for a trial run at a spray tan place. I'm super pale but get spray tans before vacations, rather than try to get a 'natural' tan from the sun, and in my opinion it looks pretty natural, especially since they use a light hand and a formula much lighter than most spray tans. If you can, pay for the kind where someone uses a handheld wand to airbrush you, much better than the stand-up spray booths.
And I respectfully disagree with the advice on swimming; it totally wrecks my hair, changing the texture and drying it out terribly, and if you have dyed hair, the chlorine can strip the dye faster and also bring out weird tones/highlights. It might not be as easily apparent on short hair, but here's a reason this stuff is so popular among swimmers!
posted by stellaluna at 12:22 PM on February 23, 2015 [3 favorites]
And I respectfully disagree with the advice on swimming; it totally wrecks my hair, changing the texture and drying it out terribly, and if you have dyed hair, the chlorine can strip the dye faster and also bring out weird tones/highlights. It might not be as easily apparent on short hair, but here's a reason this stuff is so popular among swimmers!
posted by stellaluna at 12:22 PM on February 23, 2015 [3 favorites]
If you have an ideal nail length, and it's longer or more nicely shaped than you've been able to consistently grow without damage in the past, consider instead getting good, modern press-on/glue-on nails and learning how to use them, starting now. KISS makes kits that have 100 counts of every concievable size in a bunch of different shapes (oval, square, squoval, etc) and lengths, they're like $8 at Walgreens or Target. I use them all the time when one of my nails breaks and I don't feel like filing all the others down to match. You can polish them and even remove the polish and change it as long as you use non-acetone remover, and if you're careful when it comes time to remove them, use pure acetone, and you're very patient, they will not fuck up your nail bed the way hard gels or acryllics will.
If you're really keen on long, perfectly shaped death talons, you could get hard gels or acryllics, but they're a terrible mistake if you don't want to keep doing them forever, because that fucking up of the nail bed will last a long time after you stop if you want to go back to natural.
If you're definitely going with natural nails, start taking biotin if you're not already. Keep your hands and nail beds moisturized. Use cuticle oil liberall. At a minimum always wear at least some kind of base coat and wrap your tips, and you might want to consider wearing gloves when you do dishes or other work that's going to get your hands wet. If you have bad shape, start filing them now with a glass file, and always file them with some kind of treatment, base coat, or polish on. LoodieLoodieLoodie is the queen of nail care blogs, everything she writes about is golden. She has detailed guides for every single step of nail care, and great reviews for products, too.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 12:23 PM on February 23, 2015 [10 favorites]
If you're really keen on long, perfectly shaped death talons, you could get hard gels or acryllics, but they're a terrible mistake if you don't want to keep doing them forever, because that fucking up of the nail bed will last a long time after you stop if you want to go back to natural.
If you're definitely going with natural nails, start taking biotin if you're not already. Keep your hands and nail beds moisturized. Use cuticle oil liberall. At a minimum always wear at least some kind of base coat and wrap your tips, and you might want to consider wearing gloves when you do dishes or other work that's going to get your hands wet. If you have bad shape, start filing them now with a glass file, and always file them with some kind of treatment, base coat, or polish on. LoodieLoodieLoodie is the queen of nail care blogs, everything she writes about is golden. She has detailed guides for every single step of nail care, and great reviews for products, too.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 12:23 PM on February 23, 2015 [10 favorites]
Be careful with biotin - it made me break out (and it took me months to figure out why!). I've heard that it's fairly common for biotin to cause breakouts, though it doesn't for everyone.
I think the most important thing at this point is what you don't do; don't try any new skincare products or anything else that might cause irritation, a rash, breakouts, etc. If you want to get a spray tan before the wedding, definitely get one now as a trial run.
posted by insectosaurus at 12:47 PM on February 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think the most important thing at this point is what you don't do; don't try any new skincare products or anything else that might cause irritation, a rash, breakouts, etc. If you want to get a spray tan before the wedding, definitely get one now as a trial run.
posted by insectosaurus at 12:47 PM on February 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Sleep a lot. Good for the complexion, shiny hair, cheerfulness.
posted by lakeroon at 1:32 PM on February 23, 2015
posted by lakeroon at 1:32 PM on February 23, 2015
I actually wouldn't make any changes to your routine because of the time it can take to reverse course if something goes poorly. It sounds like you have everything under control, so just relax and stay the course. Talking about your expectations re: hair and makeup will probably reduce your anxiety, but if you just have to do something (no shade, I was a nervous bride!), concentrate on upping your water/reducing caffeine as suggested above. It really does help. I had planned to forego caffeine completely during the weeks leading up to my wedding, but I was a caffeinated mess. Don't be me.
Relax and enjoy this stage!
posted by heathergirl at 1:40 PM on February 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Relax and enjoy this stage!
posted by heathergirl at 1:40 PM on February 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Moisturize your hands. A lot. Winter has my hands in rough shape, and if nothing else, you're gonna be staring at that ring a lot. Don't drink too much the night before, not just to avoid a hangover, but so your hands and feet don't swell.
posted by Ruki at 3:12 PM on February 23, 2015
posted by Ruki at 3:12 PM on February 23, 2015
Drink more water. It really helps with a lot of body issues, mainly better digestion and your skin looks better. I can't stand carrying a water bottle around, so I just drink a big glass of water whenever I'm in front of a water source, for example, just as I wake up, while preparing breakfast, before sitting down to work on my computer, while taking a break, etc. I really do feel better overall and my skin looks better too. Much less need for moisturizer than last winter.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 4:09 PM on February 23, 2015
posted by CrazyLemonade at 4:09 PM on February 23, 2015
If you are prone to cold sores like me, lysine is your new best friend. I took one 500mg capsule twice a day for six weeks before my wedding and it worked like a charm.
posted by Beti at 4:42 PM on February 23, 2015
posted by Beti at 4:42 PM on February 23, 2015
I stopped wearing makeup for about 4 months before my wedding and my skin was glowing!
posted by echo0720 at 5:55 PM on February 23, 2015
posted by echo0720 at 5:55 PM on February 23, 2015
Do you have a feisty kitty cat? In the run up to our wedding, I was extra careful while playing with our young cat, as she was very bitey and wasn't afraid to use her claws. If you want closeup pics of your rings, cat scratches aren't so photogenic. :-) Congratulations and remember to have fun!
posted by killy willy at 9:11 PM on February 23, 2015
posted by killy willy at 9:11 PM on February 23, 2015
Find a great facialist (not one of those stock standard spas, but an actual facialist who specialises in skin) and have a facial every 2 weeks leading up to your wedding. I did this for the 2 months before my wedding, including an oxygen facial the day before - and my pretty good skin was seriously amazing for the wedding.
Whiten your teeth - Crest white strips do wonders!
Start using a hair masque or a deep conditioning treatment on your hair at least once a week from now.
Exfoliate your skin once a week so that exposed parts of your body will be glowing! Moisturise your body every single night, especially your neck and chest.
Stay very hydrated.
If you have eye puffiness or eye bags at all, try some cooling eye gel packs (you put them in the fridge before using) every few evenings from now till the wedding.
Congratulations - the day will be such a wonderful experience that your happy smile will make you just about as beautiful as you could possibly be, whether or not you do anything special in the lead-up!
posted by shazzam! at 12:37 AM on February 24, 2015
Whiten your teeth - Crest white strips do wonders!
Start using a hair masque or a deep conditioning treatment on your hair at least once a week from now.
Exfoliate your skin once a week so that exposed parts of your body will be glowing! Moisturise your body every single night, especially your neck and chest.
Stay very hydrated.
If you have eye puffiness or eye bags at all, try some cooling eye gel packs (you put them in the fridge before using) every few evenings from now till the wedding.
Congratulations - the day will be such a wonderful experience that your happy smile will make you just about as beautiful as you could possibly be, whether or not you do anything special in the lead-up!
posted by shazzam! at 12:37 AM on February 24, 2015
When my friend got married, her make-up artist encouraged her to use a lip scrub regularly, so that her lips would be smooth for lipstick application. You can make a natural one with brown sugar.
posted by Dorothea_in_Rome at 6:04 AM on February 24, 2015
posted by Dorothea_in_Rome at 6:04 AM on February 24, 2015
Get plenty of sleep. Do some stretching / yoga/ pilates excercises to make sure your posture is on point. Get a weekly massage.
posted by WeekendJen at 8:14 AM on February 24, 2015
posted by WeekendJen at 8:14 AM on February 24, 2015
Cut out sugar and eat super healthy (fruits veggies and lean protein) to "get the glow."
Try a simple AHA peel, it removes dead skin and brightens things up and you can get it for like $25 (Olay Regenerist night resurfacing elixir) but you MUST use sunscreen for days afterward because it is a peel. Use 1-2x per week.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 9:37 AM on February 24, 2015
Try a simple AHA peel, it removes dead skin and brightens things up and you can get it for like $25 (Olay Regenerist night resurfacing elixir) but you MUST use sunscreen for days afterward because it is a peel. Use 1-2x per week.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 9:37 AM on February 24, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you swim, that's even better - your skin stays a little thicker (more youthful looking) and a little chlorine makes your hair encompass a wider palette as only some strands lighten up.
Just keep up with the moisturizer.
posted by notsnot at 11:33 AM on February 23, 2015 [2 favorites]