Anastasia Landtwing, Diyala Kayiran, Merit
Every bride longs to feel their most beautiful, glowing, confident self come their wedding day, a vision of elegance and refinement. As your wedding day draws near, it's hard to not get roped into the latest fads, exploring new treatments and products to achieve a flawless appeal, or even opt for quick DIY fixes to save on budget, both often leading to avoidable mishaps with bigger consequences. Approaching your bridal skin, hair and body prep with a bespoke approach rooted in care and consideration is imperative, yet there are a handful of things that can first set you up for success. Here, we get insight and guidance from European-based bridal beauty expert Anastasia Landtwing on the bridal beauty routines to avoid and leave you feeling irrestibly "you" when saying "I do".
Anastasia Landtwing, Jessie Cundiff
Acid Peeling Before the Wedding
I really admire the work of cosmetologists, because the skin of my brides just glows after a good treatment. But unfortunately, in the pursuit of the best results they sometimes can go too far. Acid peels, while effective, can be very hard to predict. You may end up with skin burns, severe allergic reactions, flaky skin and dermatitis. So make sure to avoid experimenting before the wedding. Instead, I recommend professional facial massage and moisturizing masks.
Self-Tanning
Although self-tanning is a convenient way to achieve a sun-kissed glow, I recommend doing it with extreme caution, especially before your wedding. One small misstep could lead to unexpected results, including unwanted red spots on the body. They are definitely not the accessory any bride hopes for! To minimize the risks, I suggest to avoid using self-tanning. I use beautiful glow oils for open areas of the body, which create the effect of even and rested skin.
Drinking Alcohol and Eating Salty Food the Day Before
It's pretty much self-explanatory! Alcohol and salty foods tend to cause noticeable swelling, which can be very tricky to reduce, even with careful lymphatic drainage facial massage. Given that, I do not recommend drinking alcohol the day before. However, on the wedding day itself, I will be more than happy to pour you a glass of wine.
Using the Hotel's Shampoo & Hair Conditioner
This one might not be as obvious but it's such a common mistake! I'm sure, in your five-star hotel everything is perfect and of the highest quality, but unfortunately, the same can't always be said for the shampoo and conditioner provided. This is especially important if your hair is colored and if you plan an open hair style. Being a beauty professional, I always have great smoothing products on hand, but sometimes even they can't handle the damage that hotel shampoo and conditioner do to your hair.
Starting Anti-Acne Therapy Right Before the Wedding
Every bride dreams of having perfect acne-free skin at their wedding. Therefore, getting treatment in advance is a great idea. But the major mistake is starting too late. From my experience, even if you start six months before the wedding, there's no guarantee that on the big day that acne won't be accompanied by potential treatment side effects such as dryness and flakiness. That's why I recommend an optimal timeframe of a year or more.
Not Using SPF
Protecting your skin from the sun is very important, especially during summer weddings. Even half an hour in the sun without sunscreen can be harmful for delicate skin. Along with painful redness after the burn, you might experience swelling and peeling, which is definitely not fun. Therefore, be sure to use SPF sunscreen at least two weeks before your big day. And remember to protect not only your face, but other exposed parts of your body as well!
Tinting Your Eyebrows
I strongly recommend not doing it! If there is a mistake in color, color intensity or shape, your wedding stylist will have to spend extra time fixing it, which means double the work. Remember, you can achieve a great eyebrow shape and color with the help of makeup.
Coloring Your Hair the Day Before
I really love freshly colored hair. It's so shiny and very easy to work with. However, coloring your hair just a day before your wedding could be a huge mistake. It's much better to do it at least 4-5 days beforehand. This way, if you want to make any adjustments or fixes, you'll have enough time to do so without any regrets or stress.
Treating Your Teeth the Day Before
A mistake that is often overlooked. After significant dental procedures, it's common to experience asymmetrical swelling in the face. Sometimes it might disappear in a day, but in some other cases it can take several weeks. Make sure to visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and preventive care so you don't have to deal with any issues on your wedding day.
Eating Lots of Sweets
Over the years of practice, I've noticed that the bride's body tends to become more sensitive to sugar during the busy wedding preparation period. Overeating sweets can lead to acne on the face and even dermatitis. It might be a challenge, but I'd suggest cutting back on sugary treats in your diet. Your skin and your bridal stylist will thank you for it!
