Bridal beauty regime - what's yours?

I'm on the 30 day squat challenge too! My stomach killed for the first 3-4 days, I'm now on 140!

I'm only on 70 but feeling the burn!!

This is me. I'm a chef, so will mostly be trying not to burn or cut myself! I have a big burn on my arm now, and I am dreading getting any close to the day as they take AGES to go.

Share your pain here. MUA pencilled mine in, I was rather pleased with how they looked, its odd going from nothing to a bit of something though. They're not the HD ones - would def not recognise myself if I went the full scouse brow! good luck, hope it works out

xxx

Cripes, I feel like a slacker! I'm growing my hair out a bit to make it easier to put up. I've been hemming and hawing on going on an anti-acne medication for a few months prior as the bloody teenage acne is still kicking around in my mid twenties, but I'll see.

As a doctor, the thought of sunbeds/teeth whitening etc just sends shivers of horror down my spine. They're just not good for you. Honestly, neither are peels/dermabraison etc. My dermatologist best friend goes on wonderfully funny rants about how ludicrous the whole beauty industry is. I'd seriously recommend against it, as they can do very real, very permanent damage.

Eat lots of vegetables, drink lots of water, get 30 minutes of exercise a day. Use a good moisturiser with SPF, and cut down on blow drying/heat styling your hair. You'll be gorgeous.

I'm interested in what very real and permanent damage microdermabrasion and peels can do when performed by an accredited cosmetic surgeon? Genuine question?

Incidentally I only learned the other day that using a moisturiser with an SPF at night is really bad for your skin, daytime only.

Healthy eating since Jan. I am not going crazy with it and eating lettuce and cucumber sald every lunch as that's when i get bored and fall off the wagon. i am eating healthy as much as i can but allowing myself a treat night once a week. Will start exercising soon to tone up wobbly bits. I don't really have a skincare regime, I just wash off and go as I am lucky to have good skin. I will make sure I take more care nearer the time and drink loads of water to make sure I don't get any spots. I saw a natural teeth whitening tip on Pinterest so will try that nearer the time.

One big thing I did already is to go back to my natural hair colour. I was various shades of red for almost 5 years, I got fed up of home colouring it when we moved to london cos it's so blimmin expensive to get it done in a salon (actually I can't take credit for the home hair dying OH did it). So 2 weeks ago the hairdresser dyed my hair back to it's natural colour. I miss my red but don't miss the hassle that goes with it and I wanted to be natural on the wedding day.

When an accredited plastic surgeon is doing it, the risks are lower, naturally. But, with chemical peels in particular, I just can't recommend them prior to a wedding. There's still the risks of hyper/hypo-pigmentation, infection, scarring. You're literally burning your skin off. And you can buy chemical peels online that shouldn't be touched by anyone without a medical degree and do really significant damage to yourself. Wonderful treatment for facial scarring after tumour removal- your average woman just does not need it.

Microdermabrasion is significantly safer, but can still lead to hyperpigmentation, skin injury and infection. It's not common, but it happens enough that I'd be extremely wary.

For gorgeous skin, the best thing you can do is not smoke, drink minimal alcohol, eat your fruit and veggies and drink lots of water.

I doubt anyone who's posted on this thread is going to do so much to themselves that they won't look like the same person! No-one looks like their usual selves on their wedding day. It's one of the few days you can go all out to look your most amazing. I'm not doing things like skin treatments & teeth whitening (partly cuz I don't have the time, money or energy lol) but if that's what others feel they want to do, I say go for it!

Of course your man knows what he's getting but there's nought wrong with wanting to make him go 'wow' on the day you get married ? ?

I forgot to mention scared regarding having skin treatments & tooth whitening. It would be just my luck for something to go hideously wrong!!

Even though our wedding is still ages away I'm trying to get myself in to good routines. I've booked in for a personal trainer to get rid of that last 21lbs and tone my arms (I've lost 5st over the past 2 years and they're more like bat wings than bingo wings at the moment), I've started using a regular skin care regime for toning, moisturising etc (something I've never done before). I hate my teeth under usual circumstances and the idea of having my teeth in photos petrifies me so have an appointment booked to find out about veneers and have booked in for regular hair cuts every 6 weeks to get my hair as healthy as possible.

I'm seeing them as long term routines rather than just for the wedding.

Sounds like a good plan & congrats on your weight loss! My original goal was 5 stone off but I'm still 3lb shy of losing 2 stone with less than 5 months to go! I'm hoping for at least 3.5st off now & have made my peace with it lol.

Another reason I won't have my teeth whitened is that I have a crown that's matched to my current tooth shade. It would stand out loads if I whitened the rest, not a good look!

Thanks for the sentiment, but not going to happen! Scarlet Johansson could walk down that aisle in a bikini, garter and veil, and he'd barely raise an eyebrow. ?

Not a lot!

I've changed my acne tablets which was really not a wise choice before the wedding, but I'm thinking longer-term rather than just about my wedding day.

This thread is fab! I've learned loads!

My wedding is about 14months away, I tried to bleach the black out of my hair a couple of weeks ago and absolutely wrecked my hair so, long story short, I cut it all off. I went from just below my shoulders to a pixie crop. If I let it grow out now it should be around shoulder length again so I'll have lovely strong hair for my wedding.

...perhaps a little extreme if you're wedding's close

Clearly missed the tounge in cheek aspect of my post eh Sarah?!

But even to quote the OP- who asked about the "obligatory" weight loss she has to do before getting married?! Why is it obligatory? I get that you want to look good, who doesn't but I have seen brides (and a very close friend of mine at that) diet so much for the big day they actually looked nothing lilke them anymore, I think its sad thats all.

I am also pretty sure MrMini said "wow" when I got to the end of the aisle, even though I hadnt lived in ricecakes for a year and changed my teeth to dazzling white! Just dont get too hung up ladies on what you "must" do.

OP here, hope I've actually managed to quote! To clarify, when I say obligatory diet and exercise, I mean obligatory for me. I diet for every big event - it's just what I do to justify the other months of the year when I pig out! I think a lot of brides have 'lose a few pounds/tone up' on their list of things to do, I doubt many take it to the extremes of being unrecognisable, but if that was what they wanted to do and they were happy when they achieved their goal then I would hope their new husband would be equally as happy for them (i'm talking slimming down, not starvation of course!) Personally, I'm doing what beauty prep I am for me, not my OH in particular, I don't want to look back on my photos and think that I looked nice but what a shame I didn't do something about my bingo wings!

ah no you diddnt manage to quote! That said I still cant work out how to double quote and I have been here years so there probably is no hope for me!

Fair enough- as long as you feel confident thats the main thing I suppose. I think the wedding industry is designed to make people want to diet! I remember after getting engaged someone at work was like "oh I guess you are going to go on a diet now then..." Rude! A girl has just got engaged and is even now (with no date set) living on fresh air, turning down every bit of birthday cake etc- I couldnt imagine going to that extreme, I would be so misrabale untill I got married I dont think MrMini would want to marry me!

Hahaha!

No not at all Mini, I was just saying that what all these girls want to do isn't necessarily 'going to extremes', it's just what they want to do to enable them to feel their best on their big day.

Regarding dieting, sometimes a huge event is what some people need to finally give them the kick up the butt to lose weight, me included! I've personally battled with my weight for years & it affects my confidence every day. Despite this I still struggle to do much about it, partly due to lack of time & energy (I'm a working Mum with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) If I did manage to lose the 5st I was originally aiming for I'd still look like me as most people would remember the slimmer me from before.

For me personally it's not about what I 'must' do, it's about what I want to do. My OH is marrying me because he loves me as I am. He doesn't want me to lose weight & goes mad when I call myself fat. I want to lose weight for me & because I don't want to look back at my wedding photos & feel upset because I look porky.

Well, with three weeks to go, and no sign of the sun ever coming out, I've decided to go on a sunbed. I know I'm being a huge hypocrite, as I've always been against sun-beds, but I'm ashamed to say vanity has won. I'm not too bothered about going really dark, but I just want to look healthy, and I've got lots of scratches, scars, blemishes etc that I know fake tan just won't cover. I've also weighed up the health risks, and I don't think a couple of 5 minute sessions over three weeks is going to do that much harm. Plus I will be in the sun for two weeks after on honeymoon anyway!!!

Apart from my usual make up, which I did myself, I had a false tan, false eyelashes, had my eyebrows waxed and tinted, and got my nails done.

I would like to stress that I have NEVER had false tan, eyelashes, nails or severe eyebrows before in my life.

My OH p1ssed himself laughing. he said I looked like a transvestite coal miner ha ha ha ha

?

With over a year to go I started watching what I ate and drank, went to the gym and took supplements.

With 3 months to go I am doing none of the above!! I do intend to start soon though...

I am having a massage the morning before I leave for the venue, nails done and waxing. I am going on holiday for a week in July so hope to get a tan and slowly let it fade into a healthy glow or top up with a sunbed or two if necessary.

Well I'm a girl who loves pampering - every month Im off to the Beauticians for eyebrow and bikini wax, I fake tan and paint my nails most weeks.

I have started to eat better more for the honeymoon as be in a bikini for two weeks so want to tone up the stomach area - the things I'll be doing different is a couple of sunbeds (again more for honeymoon for a base colour so I dont burn), getting a pedicure and also thinking of getting a couple of eyelash extensions. I cut my hair short when we got engaged and now growing out again as want my hair up for the wedding day so bought extensions for thickness.

Hi,

I would recommend exfoliating and using regular face masks by a good brand like Liz earle or elemis up to a month before the wedding. Bare minerals make up is also excellent.

lynne

My big problem was lots of spots on my face & chest. However went on the spot busting pill Dianette 3 months ago and started using a topical antibiotic and my skin is a lot clearer now, although I have the odd spot - my make up lady should easily be able to hide it I hope.

The other thing I did was start British Milartary Fitness sessions - it's a boot camp thing run in a park where you get shouted at and it is HARD!!! However it has toned me up so definitely recommend - just go with a friend cuz there is no way I'd be inclined to face it alone.

My friend go semi permanent eyelash extensions on her wedding day and she looked amazing. I'm thinking of getting them but am a bit concerned I might end up looking like a drag queen. Got 6 weeks to go until my wedding, should I get a trial or just brave it nearer the time?

It's already been mentioned above but crest whitening strips (eBay) are amazing. I do a 10 day course every 6 months, but even after 3 days you can see a if difference (I'm a red wine loving smoker though!) and there is sensitivity after but it only lasts a couple of hours x

Mine appears to be stuffing my face since I went on my hen do on Friday! Really need to stop or my dress won't fasten and my skin will break out!

Me? Beauty regime? Ha! Yeah right!

Other than bleaching my nicotine fingers for the ring shot, my 'beauty' will be entirely in the hands of my MUA.....

Oh, and I might shave my pits that morning ;0)

Quick update from me - I tried the Pearl Drops Hollywood Smile and I do think it brightened my teeth up a bit, and I've also been swimming loads which is helping with toning, so I'm pleased about that! Whoever mentioned the semi-permanent lashes - I've had them before and will have them again for my wedding - I think that as long as you find someone who is great at applying the lashes and you get the right weight and length then they look great! Next up is trying highlights!