Health & Beauty

Preparing for your wedding is not just a question of getting dressed and having your hair and make-up on the day. If you are going to look your best on your big day, you will have to start working on it for some time in advance.

1. Skin – Start preparing 8 weeks in advance. Cut down your alcohol intake and avoid altogether the day before. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and drink 2 litres of water daily. Apply a facemask weekly and use a soothing eye mask the night before the wedding. Allow your skin to breathe by going without make-up as much as possible before the wedding and don’t overdo the sun. Keep your skin moisturised at all times – use added vitamin C during the day, vitamin A night cream and pH-balanced products. Don’t be tempted to squeeze spots – dab them with tea tree oil instead. Treat yourself to a course of facials if you can afford it.
   
2. Make-up – When buying foundation, test it in daylight and on your face near the jaw line; the right shade is the one that disappears at the edge without leaving lines. Don’t be tempted to use a darker shade to appear tanned as it won’t look right. For a seamless finish, apply small amounts at a time using a damp sponge and blend carefully at the jaw line to avoid lines. Use a concealer to cover shadows e.g. inner corner of eyes. If your wedding is a daytime event, apply your make-up in daylight whilst for an evening, use artificial light.

For eyes, have an eyelash tint, then us clear, waterproof mascara to avoid smudging on the day. Wide-set eyes need darker shadow on the inner eye area whilst narrow eyes need darker shadow on the outer corners. Balance strong eyes with neutral lips and don’t overdo make-up. Apply a shimmery white colour to inner corner of the eyes and blend to brow bone to "open up eyes". Soothe puffy eyes with ice cubes wrapped in a hanky. Have a professional eyebrow shaping done – have a trial run to ensure that you’re happy with the results.

Apply only enough blusher to be visible from about 2 metres away and pick a shade that won’t compete with your natural skin tones – use a bronzer if you prefer.

Apply lip-liner so that you’re not left with bare lips if your lipstick comes off – it is a must to stop lipstick "feathering". Choose a hydrating lipstick – blot with a tissue after application, then re-apply and set with translucent powder. Glossy lipsticks are volumising but re-applying frequently whilst matt lipsticks are long-lasting but dehydrating. Keep lips well-hydrated in the weeks prior to the wedding and slough away dead skin with Vaseline on a toothbrush, using very gentle strokes. With lipsticks, remember that orange or red can make teeth appear yellow whilst pink-blue tones make eyes/teeth appear whiter. Visit your dental hygienist and use a whitening toothpaste in the weeks before your wedding.

3. Hands/feet – Have a professional manicure (and pedicure if wearing open-toed shoes) a month before the wedding. Take a swatch of your dress fabric with you to choose nail polish colours. Avoid filing nails to a point as it weakens them and use almond oil daily on your cuticles. Soften calluses on feet by soaking in a bowl of warm water containing 5 dissolved aspirin for 20 minutes. Slough away hard skin, cover feet in Vaseline and wear socks overnight.
   
4. Posture - Stand tall, holding head up to minimise facial shadows – imagine you’re being pulled up by a string running up your spine and out of the top of your head. Copy the models in bridal magazines – show off your dress by standing with shoulders back, hip bones tilted forward and tummy muscles tucked in!
   
5. Sleep - Relax in a lavender oil bath and avoid heavy meals/alcohol prior to retiring to bed.
   
6. Hair - Condition your hair each time you wash it but rinse out well to avoid dull hair caused by a conditioner build-up. Eat three balanced meals a day. Have an Indian head massage to boost scalp circulation, stimulate growth and relaxation. Wash your hair the day before the wedding so that it holds its style better. Try on your chosen hairstyle for a whole day to test its staying power – if it doesn’t last, you may have to rethink!