Routine 101
Your Wedding Skincare Timeline
By Hanna Yowell
Filed Under
This is such an exciting journey for you and your partner and on behalf of the whole Heyday team, we wish you the very best. We won’t be much help picking out flower arrangements, or finding entrees to delight both your picky younger cousin and your college best friend who’s now vegan—but we can help you figure out the skincare side of things.
1 year out
Start Enjoying Monthly Facials
Whether the big day is in a year, a few months, or anything in between, coming in for a facial each month is the best way to keep your pre-wedding skincare plan on track. “This is really the time when you should be pampering your skin as much as possible,” says Heyday Skincare Educator Glenise Gomez. Monthly facials are the best way to achieve your ideal wedding look because you can identify your skin goals with your esthetician and receive regular treatments to target them while crafting an at-home routine that works toward those goals 24/7.
Join The Heyday Membership
Take advantage of facial, product, and enhancement discounts with our membership. Stress-induced breakouts? Let’s add on LED light therapy to zap acne-causing bacteria. Having trouble getting your full 8 hours? We’ll recommend an eye cream that reduces puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines.
Build Your Best Home Care Routine Yet
Monthly facials and a membership will allow you to work 1-on-1 with an expert on a regular basis to create your perfect at-home skincare routine. Everyone’s routine will vary depending on their specific skin type and goals, but our experts have identified some key notes for a pre-wedding skincare routine:
- Double cleanse every evening. Once you start oil cleansing, you won’t be sure how you lived without this step. Add a cleanser like Light Work by Pai right before your gel/cream cleanser to simultaneously nourish the skin and melt away impurities.
- Slow, but steady does it with exfoliation. Clear skin doesn’t happen overnight, but a gentle, yet powerful exfoliant like Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant works to give you brighter, more radiant skin over time.
- Target skin goals with a concentrated serum. From treating hyperpigmentation and acne to fine lines and dehydration, incorporating a targeted serum is one of the most effective, long-lasting ways to accomplish your skincare goals.
- Apply a hydrating mask overnight a couple nights a week. “I suggest wearing a hydrating mask at night, two to three times a week, like the Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask to keep your skin super hydrated and build your skin barrier,” recommends Glenise.
- Extend the parameters of your skincare. Bring your moisturizer down to your décolleté (think: your neck, down to your upper chest), start sunscreening your hands, exfoliate your upper back, etc, etc. Skincare doesn’t have to stop at your chin, and this time especially will be key to give other areas some extra love.
- Sunscreen is non-negotiable. The one tip each of our experts mentioned as their #1 piece of advice? Two words: Daily sunscreen.
- Start any long-term projects. If you’ve been thinking about investing in a ZIIP device, gua sha massaging every night, or starting a supplement routine, right now is better than ever to get started to see long-term results.
Daily Rituals, Long-Term Skin Health
6 Months Before
Start An Enhancement Series
Chat with your Skin Therapist this month about which enhancement “series” they would recommend starting. Based on your skin’s needs and goals, your esthetician can perform the same enhancement at each of your facials for the next 3-4 months. This is a smart way to strategically target skin concerns so you’ll see major results by your wedding day—like a series of peels to target hyperpigmentation, or microdermabrasion to target fine lines.
2 Months Before
Stock Up For The Month Ahead
From bachelorette shenanigans to the big day itself, you won’t regret having these tools in your back pocket for any last-minute SOS moments:
- Skyn Iceland’s Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels will be true life savers—firming, toning, and depuffing your undereyes in just 10 minutes.
- Random breakouts are no match for Mighty Patches from Hero Cosmetics. This variety pack helps quickly conquer pimples of any shape, stage, or size.
- Consider our Ice Roller the VIP of your skincare lineup—it helps prep skin for long days ahead and calms inflammation.
- Smooth on this Lip Mask from Henne Organics to ensure your first kiss as newlyweds is an ultra-hydrated one.
- Prepare for day-of sweats with the Citrus Body Wipes from Busy Co., perfect for quickly freshening up after the aisle and before the reception!
1 month out
Get Your Final Round of Extractions
Make sure to keep your Skin Therapist in-the-know regarding your schedule so your last facial with extractions is at least a month out from your wedding day. This will ensure your skin has plenty of time to settle and decongest after professional-level extractions.
2 Weeks Before
Get Your Final Facial
“Your last facial before your wedding will be focused on hydration, soothing the skin, and boosting glow,” says Glenise. No extractions or exfoliation, just a chance to prep your skin for the days ahead. This last check-in is particularly important to get skin primed for upcoming makeup applications and photo sessions!
The Week Of
Keep A Simple Routine
A few days out, you’ll want to go back to the basics. Focus on cleansing, hydration (think: hydrating toners and moisturizers), and of course, SPF. Pause exfoliation and don’t add anything new.
Be Smart With Last-Minute Breakouts
Don’t pick or pop—take a deep breath, ice the inflamed area for about 10 minutes (with a roller or an ice cube wrapped in a clean cloth, releasing every minute!), and apply a pimple patch and/or spot treatment.
Ever After:
Some of the best ways to keep your skin happy and healthy? Cuddling with your partner, giving your best friend a hug, or any form of touch that causes the body to release stress-lowering endorphins is tangentially beneficial for the skin. (Read more of our skin gratitude mantras here.)
Toasting to you, your partner, and your happiest skin yet!
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