You don’t need salons for the bridal glow! Here’s how to prep your skin at home

Must we remind you that these are Covid-19 times and salons are best avoided! Well, even if you wanted to go and visit, most of them are shut due to Covid-19 restrictions! But if you’re counting the weeks to your D-day and worried about getting the fancied ‘bridal glow’ on your skin with a beauty package, we’ve got your back girl!

You can get glowing skin right in the comfort of your home, without burning a hole in your pocket.

Tarini Peshawaria, a skincare and beauty influencer, has shared a ‘wedding skin plan’ with HealthShots, and we think that you can totally take a cue from it!

“When I was a bride, I wish someone had told me to not go for pre-bridal facials to the salon right before my big day. Did you know that scrubbing with harsh scrubs can lead to micro tears and cause damage to the skin? It still makes me cringe that I let someone poke my nose with a needle that was not just used on multiple people but also one one that could potentially enlarge pores and make them appear larger than usual,” says Tarini.

This was her story a couple of years ago, when she was clueless where to begin her skin journey. Her major concerns were not to break out on the D-day, getting rid of blackheads and whiteheads, and just look healthy and glowing!

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“It’s a really busy, hectic time for most brides so I think in that case, building not just skincare but also a healthy sleeping and eating routine becomes extremely important,” she adds.

What should an ideal pre-wedding skin care routine be?

“Ideally, a pre-wedding skin care routine should begin at least three to four months prior to the big day. This is important so that your skin has the time to get accustomed to it and actually show results. The skin cell repair cycle is about forty days so we need to allow time to see results and for our skin to replenish itself. We also don’t want to try out anything new close to the wedding day that could potentially cause a reaction,” Tarini says.

A word of caution: “If your wedding day is coming close, stick to what you are sure has worked for your skin previously.”

You can visit a dermatologist for a customized skin care routine if you want. But there are some of the things Tarini would swear by.

Skin care tips for the bridal glow at home

1. Use a vitamin C serum

Personally I like to use it before my sunscreen in the day but vitamin C serum can be used both morning and evening. It has so many benefits like lightning acne scars, illuminating skin and preventing free radical damage. If you are completely new to skincare actives, remember to always start low and slow. That means you must start with low percentages and introduce it gradually into your routine.

2. Consistency

It’s important to be consistent with your skincare routine. I feel a lot of people expect overnight and instant results, whereas it takes time and patience. Like I said earlier, I am also not in favour of using harsh scrubs or removing blackheads with needles. This can lead to breakouts and pores at the last minute. So, secondly my advice to brides would be to speak to their dermatologists about chemical exfoliation. If your skin is dry, dull or pigmented, AHAs or alpha hydroxy acids are your best bet for the bridal glow. My personal favourite are lactic acid peels. They remove tan and add a beautiful glow to the skin. However, if blackheads and whiteheads are your concern, look for skincare products with BHA instead. They are oil soluble exfoliants and remove that excess oil from the pores and prevent breakouts too. These exfoliants are much safer, gentler and effective compared to salon facials.

3. Prevention

As you work on repairing your skin, don’t forget to also work on prevention. So, the third most important point would be to apply SPF religiously every two to three hours for maximum protection and avoiding sun exposure as much as possible, especially if you chemically exfoliate as this will help prevent the newer, softer baby skin from damage.

4. Hydrate

It’s imperative to hydrate the skin to help with elasticity and firmness. This includes internal hydration, which is drinking plenty of fluids, and also external hydration such as adding a hyaluronic acid serum for dry skin and a niacinamide for oily skin. If that sounds too confusing, it’s best to look for moisturizers with these ingredients as there are several nowadays in the market.

5. Moisturize right

This is one of most important skincare steps. Moisturize twice daily after cleansing well. Sleeping with a clean, moisturized face that is sans makeup. Our skin needs to rest and moisturizing thoroughly before bed also helps to avoid transepidermal water loss while we sleep. And yes, that also stands true for oily skin types as not moisturizing could lead to the skin producing more oil. So, look for gel-based, lightweight moisturizers for your skin type.

The last word

Amidst all of this, do remember to patch-test before introducing anything new and always take some ‘me time’ to relax and enjoy the journey to your big day as a bride. There is absolutely nothing like the glow that comes from a peaceful, relaxed mindset!