Hello LC readers! It’s Alex, Alex Taylor that is! I just I got married a few weeks ago and am excited to share this latest installment of the Wedding Bells series with you…
As the beauty-obsessed slash “Type A” gal that I am, plotting out my pre-wedding beauty bootcamp regimen was one of my first orders of business after getting engaged and setting the date for our wedding. After all, timing is everything: Get a spray tan before a wax and you might as well be living in zebra city. Have a major facial the day before your wedding and you’ll be phoning your dermo right before you say, “I do.” Plus, we all know that workouts and teeth whitening don’t result in miracles overnight. Need I say more? In light of this delicate planning process, I decided to put together a wedding beauty timeline for all of you brides (or bridesmaids) to follow as you prepare for the big day… Take a peek below!
Check out Lauren’s Greek Yogurt Mask!
If you have less than 8 months until you head down the aisle, simply follow the general order and tailor it to your needs. Each item highlighted in this timeline isn’t absolutely necessary, so it’s up to you to decide what is important and what isn’t. As for me, I pretty much followed the above schedule to a T. In addition, I thought it would be fun to include a little recap of what I did for my day-of beauty look along with some personal tidbits of advice:
Makeup: Lashes and primer—don’t skimp on either!
My dear friend (and bridesmaid) Afton, who is a professional makeup artist, did my makeup for the wedding as well as my engagement photos. She did a fresh-faced look with subtle contouring and a simple smoky eye. To keep my face makeup in place she used Laura Mercier primer and a MAC Paint Pot called Painterly to prime my eyelids. My makeup didn’t smudge or run one bit. As for my lashes, she applied Noir Lash Lounge strip lashes and used the most amazing eyelash glue called Callas (the lashes didn’t lift a bit…even though I shed a few tears and danced all night long).
Want to know what mascara Lauren uses? Here’s a hint: It’s just $7!
Hair: Wear the hair that got you there.
Here’s a little saying I decided to follow for my wedding hair: Wear the hair that got you there. Yes it’s cute and it rhymes, but I believe it holds a lot of truth. On your wedding day you want to be the best version of yourself. You want to look like yourself, too. That’s why I think day-of wedding hair should be reminiscent of your favorite go-to hairstyle—the one your guy fell in love with you wearing… For your actual wedding, give that everyday ‘do a special update or unique spin.
For me, I always wear my hair in long, wild, beachy waves parted right smack down the center. I look and feel most like myself when I wear it this way. For my wedding I took my own advice and wore my hair in waves but refined it a bit—the waves were smoother with a bit more curl, and I did a deep side part that revealed a special pair of earrings, heirlooms from my grandmother. It was different enough from my basic waves and, most importantly, I felt like my most confident self. So if you’re a ponytail kind of girl, amp it up and opt for a sleek side pony with a delicate twist or braid. Or, love messy topknots? Try a ballerina bun with a few wispy pieces pulled out around your face. The bottom line: Be you and don’t feel compelled to default to a tight updo that should have been left in the 1990s anyway (unless, of course, that’s your thing!).
Want heavenly hair? Add these 10 foods to your plate.
Nails: Gel ‘em.
Most brides attend a rehearsal dinner the evening before their wedding, which means manicured hands are a must. I don’t know about you, but within hours of a standard manicure my nails inevitably chip. Always. That said, the last thing I wanted to worry about throughout the rehearsal and wedding was my mani so I decided to get pale pink—almost nude—gels. I wanted something classic and complimentary to the flowers in my bouquet…and a color that didn’t distract from my new ring! (Although I was incredibly tempted to give one of these bridal nail art manicures a try.) Fun fact: Just as flesh-colored heels elongate legs, nail paint of the same shade works similar wonders for those of us with stumpy digits.
Hate going back to the salon to remove your gels? Then read this now.
And there you have it! The whole kit and caboodle. I hope you find this wedding beauty planning timeline helpful. If you have any questions for me be sure to leave them in the comments below!
Next time I’ll be providing a few personal pointers on finding the perfect wedding dress. If you have any questions on that topic that you would like to see answered in my post, tweet me @alexTHEandre or post them below. (I’ll give you a shout out in the post!)
What aspect of your beauty regimen do you find most stressful?
Skincare? Tanning? Hair? Sound off below!
Xx Alex
Team LC
SOURCE:/blog/2013/09/wedding-bells-the-bridal-beauty-timeline-tips-alex-gariano-september-2013/
