BEAUTIFYING THE BRIDEBEAUTIFYING THE BRIDE
I’VE NEVER MET A BRIDE-TO-BE FOR WHOM looking and feeling her most beautiful on her wedding day wasn’t the ultimate goal from the moment the ring hit her finger. Yet far too many women focus so much on their diet and fitness and completely ignore their skincare, makeup, and hair until mere days before the wedding when they’re suddenly relying on a last-minute glam squad to take their skin from dull to dynamite and their hair from flat to fab. And, sadly, there’s only so much even the most incredible makeup artists, facialists, colorists, and hairstylists can do in such limited time. The ball’s in your court, lady, and I’m going to show you how to play the game.
The Beauty Cleanse: Out with the OldThe Beauty Cleanse: Out with the Old
Most women have a medicine cabinet, drawers, or closets stocked with products . . . but oftentimes, none of the right ones. Now is the time to toss the old and restock your beauty arsenal with the products you need to be your most radiant self on the big day. Here is my guide to the insider secrets and DIY tips to keep you glowing from engagement to happily ever after.
This may be tough—especially if you’re the beauty-obsessed type—but trust me here: old makeup and skincare products, like medicines, have expiration dates—not merely because active ingredients expire, products dry out, and colors go out of style, but because products (especially those kept in your steamy bathroom) are the prime place for bacteria to set up shop. Plus, you need to get rid of the old (to make room for the new, of course). So get out a trash bag (and some tissues, if you sense tears brewing) and let’s get started.
MASCARA + LIQUID EYELINER
Once it’s been opened, toss it after three months. Once air gets into the formula, the consistency starts to change and preservatives start to break down, leaving you susceptible to eye infections.
FOUNDATION + CONCEALER
While they can last up to a year if you consistently apply them with a clean applicator, if you use your fingers, a brush, or sponge that’s anything but spanking clean, they should be tossed every six months. If you notice the layers separating in your liquid foundation or the color changing, it’s definitely time for it to go. Plus, your skin tone changes seasonally, so every six months it’s a good idea to reevaluate your shade, too.
FACIAL CLEANSERS, LOTIONS, + CREAMS
If they have SPF or are in a tub or pot in which you place your fingers to apply, they should be tossed after six months. SPF’s efficacy begins to diminish after six months, and fingers in cream are like a bacteria swingers’ party. If they’re SPF-free and have a pump dispenser, they can last up to one year.
CREAM MAKEUP
Once opened, toss them after six months. If unopened, it will depend on the brand (or, more accurately, how many preservatives the brand uses), so look for changes in color or consistency to determine whether to toss.
POWDER MAKEUP
Every twelve to eighteen months, go through all your powdered cosmetics and chuck them to prevent your skin from looking dull or breaking out, and your makeup from flaking off. Makes you reconsider buying sixteen eye shadows at once, huh?
LIPSTICK
If you regularly dip it in alcohol to sanitize it, it can last up to two years, but if it looks dried out, it’s time to let go.
LIP GLOSS
Every year they have to go. Toss sooner if you notice it’s stickier than usual—or if you regularly leave them in your hot car.
LIP LINERS + EYELINER PENCILS
If they can be sharpened (in a clean makeup sharpener!) and dipped in alcohol each month, they can last eighteen to twenty-four months, although if you have an eye infection at any time, toss eyeliners immediately.
MAKEUP BRUSHES
High-quality, well taken care of makeup brushes can last practically forever (it’s one of the things most worth investing in when it comes to your makeup). It’s essential, though, that you keep them clean! You wouldn’t use the same washcloth to wash your face for months on end, so don’t do the same with your brushes. Shampoo them weekly in baby shampoo and warm water and lay them on a clean towel, with the handle slightly elevated (so gravity helps pull moisture to the ends of the bristles), to air-dry overnight.
ALSO!
Toss anything if you notice a change in smell, color, or consistency. Keep products fresh longer by ensuring that all packaging is closed tight and stored in a cool, dry place (like a refrigerator or linen closet). And never share makeup—even with family members!
In with the New: Restocking Your StashIn with the New: Restocking Your Stash
Now for the fun part: restocking your now likely bare beauty bag! Regardless of your skin type and budget, these are the products you should stock to keep your skin clean, clear, and protected; the essential information you need to make informed decisions when shopping; and the details on how to best use all these goodies.
FACE WASH
Whether you wear makeup daily or prefer to go au natural, washing your face every evening before bed is a must to remove pore-clogging and aging environmental pollutants. If you have dry or sensitive skin, look for a cleansing oil that will break down and wash away dirt and grime, while maintaining your skin’s delicate moisture barrier. If you have very oily or acne-prone skin, look for a foaming cleanser with salicylic acid to help break down the sebum that’s clogging your pores. And if you ever even think about going to sleep without washing your face, pick up a pack of makeup removing wipes to keep by your bed. They won’t replace the need for facial cleanser, but they’re better than nothing once in a while. Unless you have very oily skin, you can skip washing your face in the morning (or just splash some water on it if you like).
EYE MAKEUP REMOVER
If you’re wearing eye makeup, it’s essential to have an eye makeup remover—and not just to prevent looking like a raccoon come morning. The skin around your eyes is especially thin and prone to damage (that’s why it is often the first place to show signs of aging), so it’s essential to treat the area with a bit more TLC. Plus, you need to keep your eyelash follicles clean and clear in order to promote eye lash growth—and we all want longer, thicker eyelashes! I like to use pure extra-virgin cold pressed coconut oil to gently remove my eye makeup (I dip a cotton swab in the coconut oil, gently rub it on my eyes, and repeat until the swab is clean), but there are a lot of drugstore brands that will do the trick. The key is to find something that’s easy to use and to use it very gently.
DAY CREAM
No matter your skin type, you need a day cream. It’s the type of day cream you need that varies. If you have oily skin, the goal is to add water-based hydration to your skin so your body recognizes it’s adequately hydrated and stops overproducing pore-clogging sebum. If you have dry skin, you need to add both water and oil back into your skin for balance. To add water to your skin, look for a product with hyaluronic acid. This superstar skincare ingredient can retain up to 1,000 times its weight in water, bringing serious hydration deep within your skin. If you have very oily and acne-prone skin, a gel-based moisturizer with hyaluronic acid is best, since it will add moisture back into your skin without increasing the amount of oil. If you have combination or dry skin, use an argan, olive, or coconut pure oil, or oil-based lotion on top.
SPF
If your day cream doesn’t have SPF, find one you love and apply it regularly. It can be a cream, powder, or in your makeup but nothing keeps your skin looking its best better than avoiding sun damage, so make sure to apply it thoroughly and to reapply often. Yes, even if it’s rainy or overcast—and don’t forget your neck and décolleté. If you have skin prone to breakouts, try a BB cream, which will help keep skin clear while also providing sun protection—and even light coverage!
NIGHT CREAM
Just as your brain rejuvenates as you sleep, so, too, does your skin, which is why products applied before bed are so effective. Regardless of your skin type, if you’re over the age of thirty or prone to breakouts or age spots, look for a moisturizer with retinol to help encourage cell turnover. Under thirty and generally have great skin? A few drops of coconut or argan oil warmed between your hands and gently pressed on your face will do the trick!
EYE CREAM
It’s the first place to show the effects of sleepless nights and the earliest signs of aging. If your primary concern is under-eye puffiness or circles, look for one with caffeine as an active ingredient. More worried about fine lines and wrinkles? Look for peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and E, and retinol (if your skin can tolerate it).
EXFOLIATING SCRUB
Feel free to just add a tablespoon of white sugar to your facial cleanser and scrub that way, or to buy an exfoliating scrub. If you’re buying one, just make sure that it uses nuts, seeds, or sugars as the exfoliants, not salt (which dehydrates skin), apricot kernels (which are very popular, but are too harsh for your facial cells), or microbeads (which are bad for the oceans). Use it two to three times per week at the end of a warm shower, when your skin cells are loosened.
ANTIOXIDANT SERUM
The best way to prevent changes in skin texture and tone over time is to arm your skin cells with an army of troops trained to fight all the environmental elements aging your skin. An antioxidant serum is just that. Look for one with vitamin C as its primary ingredient and apply it every morning on a clean face.
SPOT TREATMENTS
If you have acne or dark spots, you should have a targeted product designed to treat just that issue. Sure, an acne-targeted face wash is great and a CC cream designed to even skin tone is lovely, but when you really need some targeted attention, look for a product designed just for that. For hyperpigmentation, look for something packed with vitamins A and C.
For acne, look for something with tea tree oil to naturally kill bacteria and dry out blemishes—or pull out the big guns with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, although the Sahara-like conditions they typically create can lead to more breakouts down the road.