Here is the second video in my series of quick tips -

Tips to Spotless Skin




1) Spend time to go outside! the outdoors can do wonder for your stress leaves and skin! Even if your working from home, make time for a quick 10 minute stroll. Even if its overcast the suns rays can still stimulate your body to create more vitamin D. If its too sunny, make sure to protect your exposed skin!

2) Assess your diet. This is a highly disputed and debated issue in the skincare world and not allot of things can be proven to be bad for your skin. Though things like more water, vegetables, nuts and seeds have been proven to be good for your skins condition. Consuming less fatty foods, fast foods, caffeine, dairy and red meat can’t be a bad thing to do anyway!

3) Visit a Dermatologist. If you have problem skin then visit a skin care expert ( a real qualified one!). Many women will think about what product or magic solution they need to solve their skins issues, leading them to visit a department store for advice. The problem with this approach is that the sales person at the department store is probably not a qualified dermatologist and their job will be to ‘sell you the products you need!’

4) Wash your face twice a day. Studies have shown that washing your face more than two times a day brings no added benefit and is more likely to cause more issues such as drying out your skin.

5) Start a good skin care regime. Your dermatologist will give you all the steps on creating a great skin care regime. Remember to give your recommended products time to work and stick by them. Also please make sure to remove your make-up before you go to sleep, letting your skin breath.

Kirsty Barden

Most brides will try to be in great shape and also take an effort to maintain a skin regimen in preparation for their wedding day. Unfortunately even with the best skincare plan in the world there are just some things beyond our own control; (don’t say it out loud but…) you might wake up with a zit on your big day.
There is no need to panic, let your makeup artist do the magic. Don’t panic! You can still be that glowing bride walking down the aisle.

Here is a quick list of solutions for the most common skin issues on your wedding day:



Problem Number 1: That Spot

To cover the unwanted spot, try blending the concealer on and around the blemish so it would not look obvious. Before applying makeup, make sure your skin is properly cleansed with a mild exfoliating cleanser.



You can then apply a tinted anti-blemish. The salicylic acid from this cream will eliminate your unwanted spot and the mild tint conceals and blends effortlessly under makeup. Always use a primer to smoothen the texture of the skin before you apply the concealer. Finish your base with a translucent powder.

Problem 2: Uneven or Patchy Skin



Stila One Step

This innovative serum instantly brightens and colour corrects your skin tone to help improve tone, completion, lines and wrinkles. The green colour helps minimise redness, peach brightens the skin and the lavender helps counteract sallow undertones.

Problem Number 3: Puffy Eyes



Phytomer Regard Merveilleux - Puffiness Decreasing Eye Cream is a great product if you suffer regular from puffy eyes. For a quick solution on the morning of your wedding, the main tip is to cool them down. There are many ways to do this from cooled tea bags to using a cooled slice of cucumber. Put it on for five to ten minutes as this is proven to reduce swelling.

Problem Number 4: Dark Circles



Try this great new innovative product Nip and fab CC Eye Fix Dark , its a refreshing eye cream and concealer in one., available in light or medium shade. Apply under the eyes along the lash line to conceal those dark circles, its a light weight cream which helps to brighten and colour correct. Apply your usual foundation over the top.

Problem Number 5: Cold Sore

Give your doctor a call to prescribe you Famvir or Valtrex. If you cannot contact your doctor then go get Abreva at a pharmacy. In case you do not have time to go a pharmacy, then stick with visine to get rid of the red while Preparation H will lessen swelling. You can also have a cold compress and Tylenol to make you feel and look better. Beauty experts also suggest exfoliating lightly the area then covering it with a little concealer. If its the case that the cold sore is on the lip, applying dark red lipstick often helps to hide the worst of it.



If you have sometime before you wedding day and you fear getting that cold sore try L Lysine, considered a long-term excellent treatment to help in the prevention of cold sores.

Problem Number 6: Dry Skin



For this problem, apply moisturiser first before any makeup. Wait for it to be absorbed then apply a silicone-based primer., after applying the primer, apply a light tinted moisturiser as a foundation. This will keep your skin hydrated and your makeup to last for hours. For bride-to-be with dry skin, it is advisable to lessen the amount of exfoliating and scrubbing of the skin in the weeks leading up-to he wedding.

Obviously flawless skin is a perfect canvass for your wedding makeup but it is not always achievable. If your suffering from skin problems on the morning of your wedding ask if its appropriate to use airbrush makeup. This ensures coverage of blemishes and will last long enough for you to be worried-free on your big day.



photo credit: johngarghan via photopin cc

Kirsty Barden

Women everywhere are always worrying about how their skin will look on their wedding day. It seems that a lot of the time, however, “flawless skin” means flawless makeup – the perfect foundation and makeup artist. The problem with that is there needs to be a good “foundation” for your foundation. We’ve come up with tips to help you get flawless skin for that beautiful “I’m getting married!” glow.

The first step is to plan ahead and evaluate your skin care regimen three months before your wedding. This will give you adequate time to figure one out if you need to. If you normally have skin that is free of acne, it is best that you do NOT change your skin care regimen. Harsh changes in what you do to your skin can cause breakouts. For those of us with less-than-perfect skin, however, we need to try out some products that are suited for our needs.

Tips for skincare products:

Expensive isn’t always the way to go; find products with good reputations and reviews instead. Some top trusted skincare brands include Clinique, Dermalogica and Estee Lauder. View our favourite products page for some specifics!

Find a product that addresses your needs. If you only have moderate or light acne, use a mild face wash. If you have serious acne, you may want to try a three-step system. If you have body acne, use a product in the form of a body wash.

If you are sensitive to benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, try this trick: get a moisturising bar soap (like the ones from Dove®) and rub it into wet hands to create lather. Use the lather on your face once a day, upping it to morning and night if you feel the need.

It is important that your start your regimen as soon as possible so you have time to figure out what works best before your wedding. Try not to judge your results overnight. Instead, stick with the same routine for a whole week. As stated earlier, changing up your skincare regimen can cause breakouts. Many people mistakenly blame the product as the cause. To be sure, evaluate the results over a week starting with once a day treatment, to twice a day.



Once you’ve found a skincare regimen that’s right for you and you notice results, keep it up! The important thing is to keep your routine going and make no harsh changes to it. Remember to protect your skin from the sun with body lotions that have an SPF. As soon as you’ve got your skincare down, consult your makeup artist for test runs. You need to figure out if the makeup is going to react to your facial products and cause breakouts.

For women that love to be out in the sun or go to the beach, always remember to use high SPF sunscreens and never underestimate the power of aloe gels. Use aloe on your body not just if you have burns, but if you’ve been in the sun, period. This can help to avoid peeling. We suggest the stopping of most sun-activities at least three weeks before your wedding. Avoid swimsuits that are going to give you visible tan-lines with your dress.

Lastly, for a flawless complexion with makeup, always make sure that your foundation goes onto a fresh and clean face. We always advise your wedding foundation should be as sheer and light as possible so as to avoid a caked-on look. This is why having clear skin before the makeup is important – so that you won’t have a need for thick foundations and concealers. Even if you can’t get rid of all of your acne, toning down your breakouts will make it easier for a makeup artist to give you a flawless face. As always, plan far ahead! No matter what, remember not to stress out over your complexion. Love the skin you’re in and your confidence will give you the most beautiful glow of all.

For more tips leading up to your big day view our wedding preparation guide.

Kirsty Barden

Recovering from Dry and Damaged Winter Skin

The winter plays havoc with your skin leaving it feeling tight and looking dull- just like the weather! to get it back up to scratch check out this skin regime to help give a boost and get your skin Spring ready!

Throughly cleanse skin with a hydrating cleanser, massage into the for a minute and then rinse with luke warm water. Hot water will dry out the skin too much. For an added glow rinse skin with cold water. I like Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution as its creamy so will not strip skin of all its moisture.

1) Using an exfoliator will help boost circulation in the skin and get rid of any dead skin and help your moisturiser absorb deeper. Try Clinique 7 day scrub. This is quite creamy so will not dry out your skin.

2) Use an alcohol free toner to tighten pores and cleanse any remaining cleanser. For added hydration I like to spritz my skin with Dermalogica Multi Active Toner.

3) Boost your skin and help add moisture by using a booster or Serum. This will double up with your mosituriser for hydration and there are lots to help target specific needs. For anti-ageing try Estee Lauder Advanced Repair Serum, for dry skin try Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Supplement and for sensitive skin and redness try Dermalogica Gentle soothing booster.

4) Moisturise This is key to perfect looking skin. Massage in a good cream in circular motions for a minute or so. I like Bobbi Brown Hydrating moistriser for this winter as it smells fab and the moisture really sinks and and makes skin feel plump and never dry.


View our wedding preparation guide on how to get your skin and hair in shape

Read More...

Some Wedding Beauty Preparation Tips

Have a browse around my new webpage, telling you how to prepare you hair, face and body to look at your best for your wedding day!

Here are 3 quick tips!

1) Leave yourself plenty of time to start preparing your body, skin and hair. It takes your skin approximately 4 weeks, to completely renew itself, so get in good skincare habits early, to achieve glowing skin.

2) Exfoliate your body and face 2 days before your wedding day. This will get rid off dull skin leaving you radiant on your wedding day.

3) Get your nails done! Make sure your nails are in tiptop condition for those detailed wedding photographs!

A Guide to Primers

There has been lots of talk this week about Primers, so I thought I would add a quick guide to (hopefully) make it a bit clearer!

WHAT ARE PRIMERS? Primers are designed to enhance and improve skins look, feel and texture.
They also help to provide a good base to ensure smooth, even foundation and can help make, make-up last longer.
 
Just like moisturisers you can get different Primers for different skin types/concerns.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRIMER

For a Matte look or to help oily skin try Givenchy Mister Matte.




 





For an illuminating glow try Dior Skinflash.












Try Mac Primer or Nars Primer for an extra long lasting base.








Laura Mercier also has a whole range of primers including one for oily skin, a hydrating primer, illuminating and one that all the pros use, Laura Mercier Primer. Which is one of the originals!
 
For my all round fav I love the Guerlain Meteorites Primer.



It's perfect for a fresh glowing skin. It makes a great improvement to the skins texture and smells amazing! The downside is it is quite expensive so make sure it's on your birthday list!

Make-up Tips for Your Skin

Tip: For flawless foundation insure you prep your skin first. Repeat after me! Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise....!

WHY? Everyone needs to make sure they have a smooth and even as possible canvas to work on before applying their make-up. This will help make-up last longer, help to improve skin tone / texture and help to make sure that your skin looks radiant.

MY FAVOURITE PRODUCTS

Cleanser:

1) Dermalogica: Special Cleansing Gel




2) Estee Lauder: Perfectly Clean Light Lotion Cleanser



Toner:

1) Dermalogica: Multi Active Toner




2) Lancome: Tonique Douceur




Moisturiser:

1) Laura Mercier: Perfecting Water Rich





2) Estee Lauder: Day Wear Plus

Products for Flawless Wedding Skin

For a squeaky clean face, start a great skin care regime with one of these......


1. Dermalogica- Special Cleansing Gel
Great for most skin types it throughly cleanses the skin whilst calming irritated areas. Brilliant.




2. Bobbi Brown- Lathering Tube Soap
A luxurious cleansing soap, that feels like a cream. Leaves skin soft and smooth and smells delicious.






3. Neutrogena- Visibly Clear Gentle Exfoliating Wash
Great for oilier skin types and good to help clear congestion. The exfoliator is mild enough to use everyday.

 




4. Dr Hauschka- Cleansing Cream
Can be used for all skin types and especially good for those with sensitive skin. Leaves skin soft and clean.




 

5. Estee Lauder- Perfectly Clean Foaming Cleanser
Very refreshing and leaves skin ultra clean. Great for those with a normal to combination skin type.