We are privileged today to feature a guest post by Karen Greco. Enjoy!
(Photo by Osuleo/istockphoto.com)
Like booking the venue, the band and the caterer, bridal beauty treatments should be considered in well in advance to ensure that you will have spectacular skin for your walk down the aisle.
Skin care is a tricky business, and as an esthetician meeting a new client, I have no idea how the skin is going to react until the client is on the table. From the consultation, I will have a general idea of what the skin should do, but what it actually does during the treatment is a whole other matter!
Your skin could react poorly to the product line the spa uses. You could receive overzealous extractions, leaving you red and blotchy. Or worse, the products or extractions could cause a breakout.
Of course, the lure of the pre-wedding facial is also for relaxation. And after months of running around, planning and worrying, a treatment or two just prior is a fantastic way to take a deep breath and relax before your walk down the aisle.
Here are a few tips to help you achieve glowing skin (and a little calm and relaxation) before your wedding day!
Pick Your Spa
If you aren’t a regular spa-goer, pick the spa that appeals to you (recommendations from friends is a great way to start the process). Book a pre-appointment consultation about four to six weeks prior to your wedding. You want this to be a separate appointment, where you have ample time to discuss your skin, your concerns and your treatment options.
You need a full skin care consultation before the first appointment (and these are often complimentary). Too many spas do the consult when the client is in the treatment room ready to receive the facial.
Sometimes a client picks a treatment that is just not right for their skin type and condition, so it’s best to work all this out ahead of time, not while you are cozy in your spa robe under the covers! This is supposed to be rejuvenating. Haggling over prices and treatments isn’t terribly conducive to relaxation.
The First Facial is About Results
This first facial will be your full on treatment! Peels, extractions, whatever you want and whatever your esthetician feels would be best for your skin. You want to book this appointment several weeks in advance of your wedding just in case your skin freaks out from the product or treatment. This gives you ample time to bring it back down to earth!
The Second Facial is About Relaxation
A day or two prior to your event, I recommend going for a second facial that is not about results but all about relaxation. Again, this is where that initial consult helps. You can ask them to tailor this second facial specifically for relaxation.
Essentially, this second facial is all about the massage. The massage will not only help you relax, but it will help give your skin a plump, rosy look because of the manipulation of the skin and the increased circulation. You want a very light, easy exfoliation done, but absolutely no extractions. It’s way too risky to attempt so close to the wedding! I love doing a light aloe-based hydrating gel mask at the end of the treatment. It’s light and refreshing, with just enough moisture for a beautiful, dewy complexion.
If Massage and Body Treatments Beckon
I know many brides also like to schedule a pre-wedding massage or body treatment when they are booking their facial. It is easy to be tempted by an aromatherapy massage!
But just like the facial, proceed with caution! The essential oils used in an aromatherapy massage can be skin irritants and cause redness or breakouts on the body, which can spell disaster in a skin-revealing bridal gown. You must rule out the more aggressive massage techniques (like Rolfing). Deeper massage can often leave the skin bruised.
A light spa massage for relaxation should be enough to bathe you in mental and physical tranquility.
Pre-Wedding Pimple? No problem!
Regardless of how careful you may have been, it’s not unusual for the stress leading up the wedding to cause an unexpected breakout—your cortisol levels have gone haywire, which can trigger acne. I am happy to see clients for an emergency pimple extraction or a quick zap with a high frequency device (a magic machine that helps kill acne bacteria).
With the right spa or skin care provider willing to work with you towards your skin care goals, you can have a glowing complexion and a relaxed body and mind for your wedding day.
By the way, I have yet to see a bride without a spectacular glow. It’s not from a magic lotion or potion. You are excited and over-the-moon happy! And that is the best beauty elixir on the planet.
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Karen Greco is a New York State licensed esthetician and operates an exclusive mobile spa service for clients in the New York City area. Visit her online home BeautyOlogy where she blogs about skin care and wellness related topics (and occasionally her husband).
I definitely recommend hitting the spa before your wedding day. I got married 2 months ago and my bridesmaids surprised me with a day at Body Restorations in Philly. The next morning I was refreshed and ready to walk down the aisle. It easily could have been a bridezilla moment for me but the stress just melted away! www.bodyrest.com
Posted by: Nicole | June 14, 2010 at 09:12 AM
If only I knew then what I know now, I could have avoided the Clinique counter and the giant pimple on my honeymoon. At least it happened after the wedding!
Posted by: Lydia | June 15, 2010 at 11:48 PM
@Lydia My heart always breaks when brides learn object lessons on their wedding days or during their honeymoons. Hopefully the brides reading this will learn from Karen's great advice and your experience too! Thanks for your comment!
Posted by: Shayna Walker | June 15, 2010 at 11:51 PM
@Nicole Every bride should be so lucky! Sounds heavenly. :) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Posted by: Shayna Walker | June 15, 2010 at 11:52 PM
*smiles*
What great tips - and things I would never have thought of on my own, especially the skin reaction thing - last thing I'd want is to have a red, peeling face from a spa day gone wrong!
Thanks, Karen for not only the warning, but the how-to-avoid tips!
Posted by: Heather Claus | June 16, 2010 at 04:08 AM
My pleasure, Heather! I don't take bridal clients unless they are following the above advice (so no last minute bookings!). I would be devastated if they had a reaction and their skin was fried on their wedding day!
Ah, Lydia, the Clinique counter strikes again! Sorry you had the honeymoon pimple (but, as you said, at least it was *after* the wedding!
Nicole, a spa treatment is always amazing, esp since you have been running around for months dealing with wedding stuff (not to mention your own life!). I do recommend being cautious about it, but done well, it can be a fantastic way to take a time out before the wedding (or any huge event for that matter).
Posted by: NYCEsthy | June 16, 2010 at 10:04 AM