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Every bride wants to radiate on her big day. Although the happiness you’ll be overcome with will give your skin a boost, it’s the right skin regimen that will ensure a wedding day glow. It’s not always easy to find a regimen that works for the South Asian skin tone. CitySaheli spoke with Lily Rivera, from BridalGal, who specializes in working with darker skin tones, to get some tips on achieving the perfect skin for your perfect day.
Check out Rivera’s tips for your bridal beauty countdown and find out which treatments, diet and more is right for you.
1. How early do you think a bride should start her skin care regimen?
Ideally, a bride should begin three to four months before the big day, but it’s never too late to start. If you have serious skin conditions you want to improve such as hyperpigmentation (uneven skin tone, dark spots) or acne, you should start as soon as at least 6 months ahead of time.
As a professional in the wedding industry, I’ve seen brides try to do too much too soon before the wedding and not enough in the two to three weeks prior. Your last facial should be about two weeks before the big day. If you do too much right before the wedding, the end result can include a litany of problems which can increase stress and lead to more skin issues erupting (no pun intended). Allow your skin to heal before your wedding day. Planning ahead is the best advice I can give, and remember that taking care of your skin should be part of your daily routine!
2. What can brides do to ensure a glow for their wedding day?
Rest, rest, and more rest, and water, are essentials in any brides tool kit if she wants make sure she is glowing. As I mentioned earlier, it’s important to have a consistent routine with your skin, which includes a daily beauty regimen. These are the essential steps to beautiful skin:
1. Cleanse
2. Exfoliate
3. Moisturize
4. Protect with SPF (preferably those that contain Zinc and titanium dioxide).
It’s also important that brides have the appropriate products for their specific skin needs. Pairing that with consistency will produce amazing results. Consult with a skin professional and get a customized skin evaluation. A professional will guide you to set goals for your desired results for the allotted time frame.
3. What foods do you recommend to help plump the skin and make it look vibrant? Many South Asians are vegetarian, what foods would help their skin?
Foods high in antioxidants: Deep green dark vegetables (spinach and kale) and fruits high in antioxidants including blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and plums . Antioxidants protect your skin cells from free radical damage. Free radicals can be formed from sun exposure and can damage the membrane of skin cells, resulting in premature aging and wrinkles. Other foods that are high in antioxidants include artichokes, beans (black, red, and pinto beans), prunes, and pecans.
Vitamin A is another vital component in your diet for skin health and beauty. Eat low fat yogurt to help skin growth.
Salmon (for the non vegetarian) and walnuts, canola oil, flax seed and olive oil. These seemingly unrelated foods all deliver essential fatty acids omega 3 and 6 which help plump the skin.
Whole grains provide vitamins minerals that are especially great for the skin as well in addition to fiber which cleanses the system. Keep away from too much fat, sugar salt.
4. Many brides turn to peels or microdermabrasion to make sure they are bright and dewy for the big day. Can you describe the differences between the two and what they are used for?
Here is the breakdown as I see it.
Microdermabrasion consists of a jet of micro crystals which are propelled through a small pencil like hollow across the skin surface. It removes damaged and dead cells with vacuum pressure. The results are great and very effective for reducing scars, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. It stimulates collagen production and cell turnover and the often results in smoother, healthier and younger looking skin.
Chemial peels have a wide spectrum of skin conditions they can treat. They are applied directly to the skin and change the composition of the skin. Peels deliver a very controlled type of superficial tissue destruction removing the outer layer of the skin. The skin then repairs itself allowing new skin to emerge. There are various levels of peels: superficial, mid depth and deep. These peels in the right professional hands can deliver amazing improvements to the condition of the skin. It takes approximate 7 to 10 days for the skin to go through the peeling and healing process (which depends on the intensity of the peel). Smoother more healthier skin is the result. Your skin consultant will know the method of treatments that will best suit the condition you would like to treat.
5. How many times should a bride be exfoliating her skin?
It depends on how sensitive your skin is but approximately once or twice a week is appropriate. Be careful not to over exfoliate, since it can strip your skin of the natural oils it needs to protect the skin.
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