Planning 101 3rd February 2017

4 Pre-wedding Skincare Tips For the Colder Months

winter skincare, winter wedding skincare, Camilla J Collins

Image Source: Rejuvinate Skin Clinic 

 Camilla J Collins, the lovely Hair and Make up artist is here again this week to give us all her expert advice on looking absolutely stunning for your wedding day. With previous clients including Louis Vuitton, Wahl, Claridge’s, Fortnum and Mason and Warner Brother’s studio to name but a few  - she truly knows her stuff! So stay tuned as she shares all her knowledge on the ultimate in bridal beauty. Camilla, over to you!

 

“Well I don’t know about you but my skin isn’t the happiest at the moment and it's certainly showing signs of these cold winter months, not to mention the over indulgence at Christmas!  Acne breakouts and dry, flaking skin is not welcome at anytime but certainly not if you have a wedding coming up! So, what can you do to nurse it back to health and get your glow back?  Read on and I’ll tell you…

1. Be Mindful of Your Environment

Acne. The bane of my life!  Personally, mine rears it’s ugly head around the chin area which is mainly hormonal but winter weather conditions don’t help the situation at all.  Central heating sucks all the moisture out of the air which will dry your skin out over time and those dead skin cells sit and clog pores which the causes the breakouts.  

You could invest in a humidifier at home to rebalance the air but the best thing to do is to be mindful of your environment.  If you're spending time in a heated office, carry a Thermal Water Spray with you to squirt on every so often to keep you skin hydrated and soothe any irritation. La Roche Possay Thermal is great as well as Avene Thermale Spring Water Spray - these guys do a handbag size so it's perfect for carrying around with you! 

2. Get Scrubbing and Hydrate that Skin! 

With regards to that dry skin build up I mentioned earlier, you want to make sure that you are exfoliating regularly.  Don’t use anything too abrasive, a mild scrub used regularly or a chemical exfoliator such as a peel will help get rid of any dead skin cells lurking on the surface and give you a nice, healthy glow. Always be sure to moisturise afterwards as exfoliating can be very drying. Dermalogica do a great microfoliant otherwise sugar scrubs are great for using on the face instead of salt for the body. 

Keep up with your skincare routine also.  If you’ve been a bit relaxed about falling into bed with a face full of makeup, get back into that routine of cleansing it all off and toning and moisturising - your skin will thank you for it! 

3. aaand Breathe...

Stress is a big contributing factor. Now of course there will be some periods of stress when planning a wedding so it’s important to minimise stress everywhere else!  

As much as we were having a good time over the festive period we were putting a lot of stress on our bodies with all the partying and lack of exercise.  Unless you are a saint, it’s very hard to avoid the alcohol or all the delicious sugar and salt ladened foods tempting us over the Christmas and New Year period. 

Your body will be dehydrated for a while so it’s important to rehydrate with lots of water and herbal teas. If you find water boring then spice it up with slices of lemon, ginger or even cucumber, all providing extra vitamins that your skin will love you for!  And you’ll definitely want to keep alcohol consumption down to a minimum.  Get lots of fresh veggies and fruit into your diet - you’ll really notice a difference in you skin.

4. Switch Up Your Products According to Season

Quite frankly I find it hard to keep up with my own skin most of the time!  As the seasons change so does our skin and it’s needs.  Your routine skincare products that you used in the summer may not be suitable for you in the winter.  But hold on!  Be careful when changing products, especially right before your wedding day!  Make sure you choose the right products and make sure that it is formulated to your type of skin and is non-comedogenic.  You could always do a patch test and monitor your skin with new products and if possible, ask for tester samples at counters or speak to friends who have a similar skin type to you and find out what has worked for them.

In terms of skincare brands, a big fave of mine at the moment is Liz Earle - it feels luxurious, smells lovely and is also cruelty free too! They've always got great offers on with either free postage and/or freebies! Their Hot Cloth Cleanser is perfect for melting away make up and looking after your skin at the same time. Their toner and moisturiser is great too. 

So, those are just a few changes there that should have a big impact and will soon have you back to your glowing self in time for you big day!  Lots of veggies, lots of water, the right products… and thermal water spray at the ready!

If you would like Camilla and her glam team for your big day, you can get in contact with them here.