"Don't panic right before the wedding and decide to get an overly aggressive cosmetic procedure," says Evans. For one, if you've been following your dermatologist's advice, your skin should already be in good shape. And two, your skin could react to new treatments (think red, blotchy, broken-out, not pretty). Schedule treatments for at least two weeks beforehand, though you can do a basic at-home facial mask one week before. She also recommends getting an extra exfoliating treatment a month to two weeks before the big day to make skin really glow. And if -- horror of horrors -- you wake up with a gigantic zit a day or two before your big day, swing by your dermatologist's office for a cortisone injection to deflate it in a hurry.
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Two Weeks Before Your Wedding: Get a Straightening or Relaxing Treatment
"Straightening treatments/relaxer should be [done] a week or two before the wedding," says Grmolyes. "That way the treatment can settle into your hair and appear more natural," she says. If you also need to have color done, have your hair straightened/relaxed first, wait a couple of weeks and then do color -- in order to prevent damage.
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A Week and a Half Before Your Wedding: Color Your Hair
If you're getting highlights, get them a week and a half before your big day, recommends Grmolyes. She says they tend to be a bit more difficult to get perfect. But if you're aiming for all-over color, a week is plenty of time, she says. You want your hair to be freshly colored, yet leave enough time to fix mistakes.
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One Week Before Your Wedding: Brow Shaping
Brows have more longevity than you may think (a perfect shape will typically last for at least a week), so you don't need to wax, thread or tweeze them right before your big day. Go to a salon or spa you trust to have your brows groomed five to seven days before the wedding, which will give you enough time to shake residual redness or irritation. And "try to steer clear of using warm waxes so you don't get any burns," says Evans. Burns can leave lasting scabs and marks.
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Five Days Before Your Wedding: Lash Extensions
If lash extensions are part of your overall makeup plan (something you figured out four months earlier with your makeup artist), get them about five days before the Big Day. You want them to look fresh, but you should give yourself a few days for potential irritation to calm down -- just in case. If you've never had them before, do a trial run a few months before.
It seems the second that princess-cut diamond (or funky sapphire) is slipped on your finger you're expected to launch into full-force bridal mode. Well-meaning friends and family ask you about the date, venue, and, of course, the dress. To say it's overwhelming would be a huge understatement.
While we can't help with Aunt Myrna's pestering, we can do something to lighten your load and make the planning process a bit easier. How? We can tell you exactly what beauty treatments you'll need (and when you should schedule them) so that you look amazing on your big day.
We covered all the bases by getting beauty tips from cosmetic dentist Jeff Golub-Evans, DDS, dermatologist Susan Evans, MD, celeb makeup artist Joanna Schlip and hairstylist Ange Grmolyes. These experts told us exactly when to do all your beauty prep, from facials to pedicures. Mark these dates on your calendar, show up to the appointments, and you'll be able to tell your well-meaning (if a little overbearing) future mother-in-law that you've got everything covered.
