Royal Wedding Beauty Countdown!

So I wonder how Kate Middleton will be spending her last day before the biggest moment of her life, quite a lot of rigorous last minute beauty regimes in place as we speak I assume to ensure absolute perfection!!
Anyway on that subject here's just a few tips from us on how to start planning your beauty routine in the lead up to your big day in a short but sweet list, a must for every blushing bride to be, even a soon to be royal!!!
6 Months
Start thinking about adopting a good skin care routine, make sure you cleanse, tone & moisturise everyday then exfoliate twice a week. Start making a habit of drinking plenty of water to cleanse your system & keep your skin clear.
3 Months
Think about what make-up look you would like to go for, visit your local cosmetic counters for free advice & ideas. If you would prefer to have your make-up applied professionally, decide on who you would like to book with.
1 Month
Arrange your Make-Up Trial with your Make-up Artist or if you are doing this yourself do a full trial run of how your make-up will look so you feel confident applying it on the day.
2 Weeks
Think about your dress & how much will be on show skin wise, for example your arms, back & shoulders. Make sure you exfoliate regularly & apply body cream for smooth skin. If opting for a spray tan, book in & have a trial session.
1 Week
Organise hair removal & book into your salon for leg & bikini waxing as well as any facial hair removal, plus an eyebrow shape as this point is a good idea. If opting for a spray tan this should be applied 2 days before the wedding date (allow a 48 hour period after waxing).
Day Before
Best thing to do is relax & most importantly get an early night so you have plenty of beauty sleep! Don't opt for any last minute beauty routines such as face masks as these can over stimulate the skin & cause the dreaded last minute break out!
The Wedding Morning.
If you are doing your own make-up, start about 1.5hrs before you want to get into your dress so you have plenty of time, moisturise well beforehand & apply a make-up primer so it will last well, also make sure you have a good light & a steady hand! If you have a make-up artist there on the morning they will advise on what to do & when. Then finally you are beautifully radiant & ready to step out for your big day!

Wedding Day Beauty - Perfect Skin!

Your wedding day is the biggest day of your life & you want to make sure your skin is glowing to perfection under your make-up, here are some tips I always pass on to clients -
The basis for good make-up begins with the skin, if you don't have a good skin care regime in place already make sure you do on the lead up to the wedding. Start a few months before, don't begin any new routines or start having facials the week before as this can over stimulate the skin causing an uneven complexion to your worst nightmare - spots/blemishes!
Plan well in advance, if you opt for a course of facials your beautician can recommend some products for your skin type that you can use regularly in your routine. If you have problem/oily skin & want to improve this before the wedding day, try do avoid harsh cleansers & toners with alcohol, these will only strip your skin of it's natural barrier & cause a further oil build up as well as blemishes, opt for a balancing product.
What ever your skin type whether it be dry, sensitive or combination there are many different products on the market to suit so there is plenty to choose from but if you feel a little lost with it all a good beauty salon can always recommend some great products.
Also drink plenty of water, eat well & make sure you get lots of beauty sleep - no late boozy nights just before the big day (with the exception of the hen party obviously)!

Bridal Beauty - Perfect Pout!

With wedding fever hitting an all time high what with the royal nuptials tomorrow, we're going to dedicate a few posts to our favourite subject - bridal beauty!!!
Your lip colour ideally needs to go the distance on your big day so you don't need to keep re-applying it all day long...
To begin with ensure that your lips are in great condition for the day, start wearing lip balm everyday to keep your lips soft & conditioned, especially if you're getting married in the winter (for immediate rescue, try Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream)!!
A lip primer under your lipstick is great for holding it in place, try Benefit's 'Lip Plump' (£14.50) which provides a good base for your lippy as well as their make-up sealer 'She laq' (£18.50), apply a little over your lipstick then once it's dry you can apply your lipgloss, it will keep it in place without drying out your lips, then all you should need to do is reapply a little gloss throughout the day if required.
If you want to go for a natural lip, then you could use a tinted lip balm, there many of these on the market just now & it acts as a balm but gives a light natural tint to the lips, I use Mac's Tinted Lip Conditioners (£10.50) which give a beautiful glossy colour finish. Start by lightly lining the bow of the lip with a light pink/beige lip liner or one that matches the general colour of your lips, just line the top bow as mentioned & then the central lower part of you lip, take a cotton bud & lightly blend to give a soft natural but defined lip line & lastly apply the lip tint with a brush. A light pink or beige colour works best for a natural effect, although you could just use a clear gloss with the lip line effect as above, as once the liner is softened & blended out it will give your lips defintion & colour.