Wedding Skin Prep

I've had bad skin as long as I can remember. My dad used to say that it was because I didn't wash my face correctly (cue eye roll.) For years, I just dealt with it - enlarged pores, very oily t-zone, frequent breakouts in the same places, and uneven skin and scars thanks to fingers that just can't help themselves from picking at breakouts. When we started wedding planning, I knew one of the things I had to do was figure out a way to have the clearest, brightest, glowing skin possible on my big day. And with just a little less than a month until we say 'I do!' I want to share everything I've done to make this possible.

MONTHLY HEYDAY FACIALS

I've touched on this ever-so-slightly in this post, but this definitely deserves more than a 3 sentence blurb. I started getting monthly facials in April. I immediately saw a difference in my skin after the first session! And after the second session, as New Yorkers like to say, “Fuggedaboutit!"

In all seriousness, my skin has never looked better. I've had very few breakouts since April (given that this was six months ago, that's INSANE! Aside from just the amazing facial experience, I've also switched up my skincare routine. I'll list everything I use now below! But what I also want to do is walk you through a typical visit to HeyDay for me:

• After our 'hello's and life updates, Dwayne removes my makeup with One Love Organic's Vitamin B cleansing oil. Before HeyDay and Dwayne, I never knew that oil would work on canceling out my oily t-zone! I actually use this in my at-home routine now as well. It's much gentler on my skin that the makeup wipes and harsher cleansers I was using before.

• We also do a quick check under a light to see how my skin's doing, Dwayne checks the moisture levels in my skin, and how much extraction we'll need to do.

• Here's the best part: no two of my facials have ever been the same because obviously, the needs of my skin have changed between April and now. We've done peels, masks, high frequency electrical currents, and even microdermabrasion. However, the one thing that stays the same is the extractions - I will say that the last few sessions, there have been fewer extractions. So that's saying something for my usually very congested, white head ridden skin.

• At the end, there's a bit of relaxation thrown in with some deep breathing and oils. And voila - 55 minutes, DONE!

The one thing I will say though is that if you're a bride (or if you have a big event coming up), start your facial sessions ASAP. Don't wait until the month before to try to correct things - these things take time and it'll take a while for your skin to really be the best it can be.

AT HOME SKIN ROUTINE

I used to use makeup wipes like they were the only skincare product available in the world. And I typically skipped moisturizer. I was THE WORST. Since starting my monthly facials, I've learned how important the products you choose and how you use them are.

My daily routine now consists of:

• One Love Organics Vitamin B Cleansing Oil (the same one HeyDay uses and sells!)

• One Love Organics Skin Dew Coconut Water Cream

• Thayers Witch Hazel Toner

And every week, I exfoliate once with Shaffali's Pineapple + Peppermint Exfoliant. Recently, we've upped the number to twice a week, with the second time focusing on less of the 'exfoliating' and more of letting it sit for a little while.

I've linked the products below – let me know if you've used any of them and what your experience has been!

DERMATOLOGIST

And last, but certainly not least, I've been seeing the dermatologist every 6 months since the beginning of the year. While I would love to say that the facials are the only thing that's made my skin better, I am on a prescription of Spironolactone that I'm sure has helped keep my skin clear month-to-month (especially during those monthly visits from Aunt Flow.)

However, aside from the prescription, something my dermatologist has given me is peace of mind. Every time I see her, she comments on how much better my skin has gotten. The last time time I saw her, she thought I had foundation on when I didn't – which is a HUGE improvement for me.

Outside of these (not so tiny) changes, some other things I've done is:

• drinking LOTS of water: I drink at least half my body weight in ounces in water everyday. Most days I drink more than that. The Spironolactone dehydrates my body so I need to be constantly drinking water to make up for it, as well as drinking the normal amount to keep my body hydrated.

• not touching my face so much: Bacteria and oils from hands... you know the rest.

• drinking less dairy and coffee: Dairy and coffee make me break out, especially on my chin, which was a main problem area for me. Since lowering my dairy and coffee intake, it's become much better! And the only time I really drink dairy is with coffee – two birds with one stone.

• eating less sugar: I put a ton of sugar in coffee when I drink coffee and I LOVE gummy candies. For the last couple months, I've really tried to lower my sugar intake. The past month in particular, the only time I really touched candy or sugar was on Halloween.

I hope all my little notes helped, whether you're a bride-to-be or not! Let me know in the comments or on social things you've done to get better skin. The countdown is on to the big day!