WEDDING DAY HAIR & SKIN — Beauty by Sarah E

It's my wedding day! Time to kick things off with a good breakfast to keep blood sugar balanced and hunger at bay. A lot of brides don’t think about it but trust me it’s a long day and you don’t want champagne to be the first and only source of ‘energy’.

Before we jump into hair and skin prep, remember, now is your time. There is so much commotion but try to take a moment and see yourself in the dress, see yourself walking down the aisle, with everything in the right place. Take a moment to be mindful - definitely easier said than done.

Perfect Hair:

Ok, now that we are fed and feeling zen let’s talk hair. I hope you booked a trial before the actual date, so your team should know exactly how you want your hair done and there are no surprises. Then again, I had a trial, and still had lots of “aah!” moments… I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this but essentially I had planned an up-do and ended up with beach waves…

Thankfully, it all worked out in the end and looking at my pictures now, I love that I wore my hair down.

Pro tip: If you opt for an up-do wash your hair the night before for better texture; however, if you want to wash your hair in the morning because it makes you feel clean, then do it. Just use your usual shampoo and conditioner, this is not the day to experiment with new products.

After washing my hair, I prepped with IGK Rich Kid, a coconut oil-infused gel that hydrates and gives a good foundation for lived-in hair. I also added Next Level Volume Spray to my roots, to make sure hair doesn’t fall flat right away.

To get the perfect beach waves, my stylist used a 1/2 inch curling iron, and did really tight curls, kind of 80s inspired, which relaxed into natural waves with the humidity. Finished with IGK Beach Club, my favorite volume texture spray without heaviness or stickiness and of course hair spray. To be honest, I don’t remember which one they used the day of my wedding but my go-tos are from Living Proof and Aveda's strong hold, it leaves your hair flexible while offering a long-lasting hold and humidity defense.

Glowing skin:

As for skin, this is where your prep pays off. When it comes down to it, the way your skin takes to makeup (and vice versa) all depends on what you do to your complexion before going in with foundation, concealer and the rest of your beauty arsenal.

A great way to boost your skin is with a mask to boost glow and hydration, while a facial massage is a nice way to relax, as well as tackling any puffiness along the jawline and under the eyes. I did a Gua Sha lymphatic drainage facial with de la hearts’s rose quartz stone and used my favorite eye cream from La Mer. It’s $$$ but worth it, when they say miracle broth they are not exaggerating, it really helps to reduce puffiness and dark circles. I also used my Nu Face trinity. It’s a small microcurrent device that re-energizes your skin and helps you tone, lift, and contour in as little as 5 minutes a day. Consistency is key, I see the best results when I use it in conjunction with Little Fox's Vitamin C serum.

The last step in my skin prep regimen is Sisley’s Masque Crema a la Rose Noire - it’s an instant plumping booster and works magic as a moisturizer before a big day to keep looking hydrated all night long. Now all you need is a primer, I truly love Dior’s Dream Skin. Now your face is perfectly prepped and ready for your all-day makeup look.

If your dress shows of your décolletage, then consider adding Rio Sunset from Glow Emotions to highlight shoulders and the clavicle bones by your neck. It gives a dewey glow and my husband loves the smell.

Before you leave the room, give one final spritz of perfume so it will be fresh as you walk down the aisle. And finally, enjoy your day. You planned this for months and this is your day. So don’t agonize over the small hiccups and take a moment to take it all in. These moments are fleeting and you want to make sure you enjoy every second so let your hair loose and dance until your husband tells you it’s time to go.