For brides and grooms wishing to go ahead with their big day, they must now follow Government guidelines for Covid-secure weddings. This includes social distancing of 1-2m and a maximum of 15 guests, only their nearest and dearest can attend their intimate wedding. So, what is a bride to do without her glam team on her wedding day? Such restrictions may mean that a bride is left to her own devices when it comes to skin, hair and makeup. Fortunately, there are treatments and practical at-home steps to ensure you look and feel your best on your wedding day.

We spoke to skincare specialist, Chanele Rosa from Candela Medical, who outlines how to get your skin ready for your wedding day.

12 months to go

With approximately 73,600 weddings and same sex civil partnership ceremonies rescheduled during the first 3 months of lockdown, many brides and grooms are looking at a 2021 wedding. Whilst a year may seem like a long time to start thinking about your wedding skincare, it is great to get into a routine early and start treatments which may take longer to complete. Laser hair removal is a popular treatment for the face, underarms, legs and bikini. Not only will you notice smoother skin after up to 90% permanent hair reduction, but there will be no shaving or waxing during your honeymoon! For optimum results, up to 8 treatments are needed.

If you experience acne scarring or an uneven skin tone, now is the best time to try laser resurfacing. There can be some down time with laser resurfacing treatment, so it is best to start early to give the treated area a few months to heal. Once it does, you will notice a long-term difference in your skin quality and a smoother appearance. Remember for any laser treatment you should not have a tan. Use at least SPF 40 all the time, and stay out of the sun for 4 weeks before starting treatment and throughout the course of treatment . When the course is completed stay out of the sun for 4 weeks and use SPF regularly.

6 months to go

If there is a bad habit you want to change or a good habit you want to adopt, six months is a good time to settle into your new routine. If you don’t already, you should cleanse, tone and moisturise every morning and night. Make sure you are exfoliating two or three times a week to scrub away any dead skin cells and revive your look.

Now would be the perfect time to begin Glycolic Peel treatments too. Skin peels are great for encouraging cell regeneration and collagen production, and can treat sunspots, acne, fine lines and acne scars. To see a difference to your skin for your wedding day, you would ideally need to do a minimum of 3 skin peels. Consult your dermatologist to see how you can integrate Glycolic Peels into your weekly skincare regime, and what percentage glycolic you should go for.

3 months to go

As your wedding gets closer, you may feel more stressed organising the finishing touches to your big day. This is when it is the most important to eat healthy, drink more water and get enough sleep to ensure glowing, acne-free skin for your wedding. Skin breakouts occur when there is a lack of a vital source of fibre or it loses electrolytes. Therefore, replenishing with 8 glasses of water a day and integrating whole grains into your diet will ensure that your body can repair itself constantly.

1 month to go

Some brides wish to splurge on a one-off treatment to feel special on their big day. This includes the Frax Lip Treatment, where lasers are used to give the lips a temporary plumping effect without any fillers. The treatment is ten minutes long and works to produce a gentle desquamation of the lips, removing dry, dehydrated cells that can cause lips to appear chapped and feel tight. Patients may also notice their natural lip colour is enhanced post-treatment, thanks to an increase in blood circulation.

Alternatively, HydraFacial’s are popular for brides as a pre-wedding treat. In a six-step process, the skin is detoxed, cleansed, exfoliated, brightened, hydrated and rejuvenated to create wedding ready skin.

The Night Before

The night before your wedding is not the time to try anything new or experiment. If your skin isn’t already used to these products, it could aggravate and irritate your skin for your wedding day. Instead on the night before, use an extra gentle brush to cleanse with and moisturise. Apply a cold compress to the eyes and get an early night’s sleep to wake up looking refreshed and photo ready.