BRIDAL HEALTH AND BEAUTY – A GUIDE BY SAPPHIRE PINK

So your fiancée has popped the question, you are sporting a shiny rock on your finger and you’re probably looking at between 12-18 months before your big day (maybe less if you are super organised).  Now is the time to think about and plan your bridal health and beauty routine.   We know it is the one day when all eyes truly are on you – so where do you start with your beauty regime?

Thankfully help is at hand as we have the lovely Bridget-Clare O’Keeffe, founder of bridal beauty concierge Sapphire Pink to share her expert knowledge and advice.   I’m a fan of their company concept as a team of professionals offering bespoke services to prepare brides, grooms and the entire bridal party for the wedding day.  They do it all from personal training to make up, nutritional coaching to fragrance consultations.  Plus Bridget-Clare has promised to answer any of your burning beauty questions, just drop her a tweet at @sapphirepinkuk

1.  First things first, it’s important to determine what your wellness goals are from now until your wedding; planning and setting yourself goals in advance will pay dividends in the long run.  My first tip to set you on your way would be to ditch any bad habits. We all know what they are; smoking, not taking your make up off at night, not protecting your face from the sun.  These are all things that you can get away with as a student with young skin but these bad habits start to show their damage as our skin ages.  Try to keep the mantra of living clean and you are on your way!

2.  One tip to take onboard from the get-go is to drink water and a lot of it.  Pure, fresh clean water is what our bodies are mostly made up of so if you are going to be detoxing you need to replenish your body’s water supply with fresh and clean H2O.  Carbonated water (and drinks) starve your body’s cells of oxygen which is counter productive for a detox – so steer clear.

3.  Make sure you are exercising regularly.  The endorphins released during active exercise will also double up and help you through a pretty exciting but stressful time in your life.  Core >strength helps with your posture and general fitness does wonders for the mind and body.

4.  Starting from the inside, get yourself eating clean.  Your body truly does reflect what you fuel it with and the cleaner and less processed the food that you eat the better your body looks and feels.  Now is a great time to educate yourself on nutrition.  Visiting a nutritionist will help you on your way. Having regular appointments with them will also allow you to stay focused.

5.  If you are worried about problematic skin seeking skincare advice early on is a wise move.  Getting yourself onto a strict skincare regime that is suited to you as an individual is the first move to achieving radiance. The second step is to get yourself booked in for regular facials.  Microdermabrasion, skin peels, hydrating or detoxing facials all help to get your cells rejuvenating themselves rapidly and a flawless glow will result.

6.  Start to gather images for hair and make up inspiration.  Remember that classic is timeless.   Make sure you don’t deviate too far from your comfort zone but also don’t be afraid to try different ideas. I always encourage my brides to try different things on their own before having their trials and have as many trials as you need to in order to feel 100% confident in the look you are going for.  Remember to wear white for your makeup trial and if you are going to trial a spray tan, tie it into your makeup trial timings.  The best time to have your hair and makeup trials is about two months before the big day.  This leaves you enough time to schedule another trial if needs be but not too far away for you to have changed your mind as a result of lack of inspiration. If you are styling your own hair and make-up, practice the look as often as you can and seek advice on long lasting products.

Finally, make sure you book your beauty treatments well in advance. Remember to have your waxing done before your spray tan and finish off with your manicure and pedicure. Don’t carry out any eyebrow shaping within the last 48 hours before the day and remember to ask your stylist if they want clean hair or to not wash it on the day of the wedding. Most hairstyles hold much better when you wash your hair the day before.

I hope that’s got you ready for change *reaches for big bottle of water*.  Most of Bridget-Clare’s advice is simple to implement but sometimes you just need to hear it again, I know I could do with kicking a few of my unhealthy habits to the curb.  

Find out more about the Sapphire Pink bridal beauty concierge and their bespoke services at – www.sapphirepink.co.uk

And don’t forget you can ask the Sapphire Pink team any questions via Twitter, just tweet them to @sapphirepinkuk