Love Your Skin

Ladies, here’s the harsh reality about your skin: you can only neglect and abuse it for so long, then all your sins will catch up with you. Big time. There’s only so much foundation, concealer and bronzer you can wear, and if you’re not good to your skin, it won’t be good to you.

Your wedding day is certainly a day you want to put your best face forward (as we’re a little skin obsessed, we think you should feel this way about your skin everyday) and getting on a proper regime to cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin to perfection is key. To get the bridal skin care scoop, we went straight to the top: the skin pros at Dermalogica (dermalogica.com). Holly Sherrard, education manager for The International Dermal Institute in Toronto, shared her bridal skin solutions with us.

Weddingbells: What are the most common skin concerns of brides-to-be?
Holly Sherrard: “I would say achieving an even skin tone is the number one concern, because everyone wants to have a beautiful glow and the way to achieve that is with a balanced skin tone. When we talk about skin tone, we’re talking about controlling breakouts, treating any hyperpigmentation and alleviating any type of irritation on the skin. In addition to this, brides also want their skin to have a nice plump, youthful appearance.”

WB: Most frequently committed skin sins?
HS: “The first one is over-exfoliation. Do it too much and your skin will become severely dehydrated, which can also lead to breakouts. Not wearing SPF is another huge one. You need it 365 days of the year and should never go without it on your face. Wear a minimum of SPF 15 and carry it with you in the summer, as you may have to reapply. Rounding out my sins are picking at blackheads and blemishes and tanning—both major sins!”

WB:

How soon before your wedding date should you get serious about your skin?
HS: “I believe your skin is something you should be serious about all the time! If you are not already on a skin program, start as soon as you pick your wedding date—getting your skin in peak shape takes time. Ideally, it’s best to visit a skin professional at least six months before your day who will design a skin program for you focused on facial treatments and proper home-care products. Your last facial should be one or two weeks before your wedding, never a day or two before. You need to allow a calming period for your skin in the event it may break out post-treatment.”

WB: What if you don’t have the time or money to invest in facial treatments?
HS: “We realize time and money are of the essence these days, which is why Dermalogica has launched a treatment series called MicroZone. Treatments are 20 minutes, cost $25, and are targeted directly to your problem areas. Many times you can leave your eye makeup on and even your lipstick—we treat a specific area for a concentrated amount of time and get clients in, out and back at their desks looking fabulous.”