Revisiting the Skin Health and Beauty Pyramid: A Clinically Based Guide to Selecting Topical Skincare Products

The big day is all about the dress you’ve always dreamed of, immaculate hair, and absolutely flawless skin. The day most brides get engaged is when the planning begins, including beauty prep. For your skin to be in tip-top shape on your special day, it takes months of planning and some knowledgeable skincare experts, too. So as long as the calendar permits, start prepping your skin about six months before your wedding so that it’s picture-perfect.

A Serious Skincare Push

A well-devised, all-encompassing skin care routine is essential to start at least six months before the big day, if not sooner. According to the OC Esthetician Geneva Stockdale-Shaw, it’s best to follow a good skincare routine for long as you possibly can before your big day, which gives your regimen ample opportunity to do its work and allows for room for error. Not sure where to start? A visit to a board-certified dermatologist who can help diagnose and treat your skin so that you can best achieve your skincare goals.

If your daily skincare routine works for you, then stick with it and tweak it as necessary. But if you’re someone who does little more than splashing your face with cold water in the morning, now’s the time to kick it into high gear. The sooner you can initiate goal-oriented skincare practices, the better.

Of course, the protocol can range from numerous steps and ingredients to something more fundamental. Your skin’s needs, the amount of time you can dedicate daily, and your budget all factor into what you’re willing to take on. “At a minimum, it’s essential to cleanse the skin twice per day, use a brightening or anti-aging serum, moisturize, and apply sunscreen daily,” says Dr. Jordana Herschthal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Boca Raton, FL. She adds that these steps form the basis of a good skincare routine.

Nip Breakouts in the Bud

The stress of wedding planning and starting the next chapter of your life are exciting but nerve-wracking, too. And with increased stress levels and feeling every little detail of your wedding is worthy of a full-fledged breakdown, it’s your skin that suffers. Stressed skin quickly manifests as redness and breakouts, which may be tempting to pick, but Rahman says to keep hands off no matter what. “Frequent picking can force debris and bacteria deep into the skin,” she explains. If that isn’t enough, picking at the skin may also introduce new bacteria from the fingers into the skin and form a blemish. “This can cause the pimple to become more red, inflamed, swollen, and infected, and may even lead to permanent scarring,” she adds.

A more powerful course of treatment may be necessary for those with hard-to-control breakouts. “Some brides-to-be may need prescription medications to help them achieve flawless skin,” Dr. Herschthal says. She puts her acneic brides on an explicit regimen that consists of either an oral or topical prescription medication along with chemical peels or radiofrequency microneedling. Once the skincare portion of things is under control, you and your dermatologist can begin to incorporate in-office procedures such as lasers, chemical peels, microneedling, injectables, and fillers.

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