The time has come for weddings and during this time, even after several efforts, skincare often takes a backseat but if there was ever a time to take up a good skincare routine, it’s in the lead up to your wedding. With the beginning of the wedding season a lot of stress and hectic schedules kick in and the groom, the brides, the bridesmaids and all others should dive into a skincare regime to keep their skin replenished.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Akshay Batra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director at Dr Batra’s Healthcare and Fellow of Homeopathic Dermatology (MUHS), shared, “The simple trick lies in a basic skincare method, especially the CTM routine (cleansing, toning and moisturizing) which will give a radiant glow to your skin. Apply frozen raw milk ice cubes on the face to exfoliate your skin and remove dead skin cells. For a long-lasting glow, one can also opt for a homeopathic hydrafacial that consists of the goodness of homeopathic ingredients. Another simple trick is to never miss out on sunscreen, one of the common myths that people have is that sunscreen needs to be applied only once before they step out, ideally, you should re-apply sunscreen every 3 hours.”
Additionally, he recommended, “Apart from maintaining a good skincare routine, it is also important to note what you consume, cutting down on dairy and oily food can be an added benefit. It is advisable to increase the intake of Vitamin-C in natural form, preferably fruits, and green leafy vegetables. One can also indulge in the ABC juice – apple, beetroot and carrot with a dash of lime. It is also important to keep sipping on water constantly so you’re not dehydrated, it is recommended to consume 2-3 liters of water on a daily basis. Besides that, you should get 8 hours sleep as it improves the blood flow to the skin which means you wake to a healthy glow! Homeopathy remedy- natural and safe: (Please do not use it without prescription) Berberis Aquifolium- mother tincture 6-8 drops in half a cup of water. Twice a day to eliminate toxins and achieve a healthy, glowing complexion.”
Shikha Dwivedi, Msc. clinical nutrition and dietetics, in-house nutritionist at OZiva, said, “Everyone dreams of being a blushing, glowing bride on the special day but for that glow, ideally, you might want to begin your prep three months before the wedding. For healthier and radiant skin, you need to adopt a holistic approach that provides nourishment to the skin inside and out. In addition to following a skincare routine, it is essential to adopt a clean and holistic lifestyle including clean, plant-based nutrition, managing stress levels, ensuring adequate hydration and physical activity. Avoid sugary and processed foods in your diet, because such foods impact your skin health negatively.”
She advised:
- Your skin is what you eat – Consume foods that are high in antioxidants, Omega 3 and micronutrients like Vitamin C and E daily. You can get these essential nutrients from green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, fruits, and whole foods. A must – have skin health supplement you should add to your daily routine is Glutathione tablets that are rich in antioxidants. It helps nourish your skin to make it bright, radiant and healthy. You can also have plant-based collagen builder daily to keep your skin glowing and youthful.”
- Serums are your best friends – Your skincare regime should include an AM-PM routine with clean beauty products that suit your skin type. Your typical routine should include cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Follow it up with a serum and sunscreen (only for AM). Gentle exfoliation and using a face mask is recommended, once or twice a week. You can choose bioactive masks that have vitamin C as the hero ingredient as it enhances the skin radiance. When it comes to skin health, specialised serums are a game changer. Serums, with their higher concentrations of active ingredients and lightweight molecules, can penetrate deeper into the skin to resolve concerns like acne, pigmentation, aging and dullness. Choose a face glow serum with ingredients like Turmeric Extract, Phyto Vitamin C and Rosehip Oil which will help enhance your skin’s radiance for the big day.
- Beauty sleep and hydration – Don’t forget to get 7-8 hours of your bridal-beauty sleep. Research shows that people who sleep more than 7 hours experience better moisturized skin and it also helps rebuild and repair skin. We can’t stress enough on the importance of having adequate water (around 2-3 liters a day). It not only helps manage moisture levels but also enhance skin elasticity, maintain a healthy pH balance, flush toxins, minimize wrinkles and prevent pimples to give you that picture perfect skin on your big day.
- Keep calm and have fun – The most important thing to remember is that this is your big day. And you should enjoy every single moment without stressing out. While last-minute worries are incredibly common when you’re a bride, try to manage stress using yoga or meditation. Stress can release excess cortisol in your body leading to excess sebum production and cause breakouts. Plan your skin treatments like deep cleansing and facials at least 10-15 days before your wedding to avoid breakouts etc on skin.
She revealed, “Following the above mentioned skin health tips consistently for 3 months will definitely help you get glowing skin. And no one can stop you from flaunting healthy and gorgeous skin on your D-day.”
According to Ankita Chaudhary, COO of Power Gummies, having healthy-looking luminous skin is an essential part of you feeling confident on the day, truly unbeatable. She said, “There is no doubt the best luxury makeup brands are here to the rescue hiding blemishes, wrinkles and what not, but the easiest skincare routine starts with avoiding stress at all costs, depends on your food diet and cleansing your body from inside. You can use a gentle paraben and sulphate free gel cleanser, a skin-suited serum, SPF 50 sun protection, exfoliate weekly with chemical scrub and moisturise with plenty of hydrating cream. Whatever you eat reflects on your skin, nutrient rich diet is a must to tailor the perfect skin routine apart from following the typical skincare. Effective skin nutrition goes for a longer run.”
Dr Khushboo Chadha, Ayurvedic expert at AIMIL AYOUTHVEDA, insisted, “No matter your skin type, face cleansing, toning and moisturizing should be the key steps in any skincare routine. For oily skin, experts recommend always going with gel or foaming cleanser, which cleans up impurities and helps regulate the formation of excessive oil, followed by pore-tightening toner. Lastly, oily skin should only trust oil-control mattifying creams for day-long moisture. For that extra shine, weekly scrubbing or masking with herbal face pack powders or ubtan is also very beneficial for people with oily skin.”
For those with dry skin, she suggested, “A cream-based cleanser with hydrating ingredients like coconut water is essential for dry skin. Mild toners like rose water keep dry skin hydrated. An expert highly recommends regular massaging the face at night with authentic Kunkumadi face serum oil to quench that extra dryness. Lastly, use specific creamy moisturizers packed with emollients and nourishing oil-based face masks to achieve that wedding glow. Sensitive and acne prone skin should seek out formulas that are natural, mild, irritant-free and most important non-alcoholic. Also, such skin types must avoid applying heavy-duty makeup during the wedding as it may cause serious skin issues post-season.”
Adding a pro-tip, she shared, “To target those unwanted dark circles and post-function puffy eyes, all skin types must use the hemp-based under-eye gel at night, apply mineral-based sunscreen before makeup is necessary and most important, stay hydrated for that bridal-like glowing skin. Lastly, the wedding season can’t go without heavy blush and glittery eyes; therefore, to further protect your skin from damage. It is always recommended to use products that are chemical free & are made using the best natural ingredients for healthy and glowing skin throughout the year.”