You deserve to radiate confidence on your wedding day. To help you get there, we've organized a bridal skin care timeline that starts one year from your wedding date. Starting with less than a year to go? Don't panic: just be sure to implement the products that come before and during your current countdown time frame.
Our Skincare Expertise
I’m Laura Beacham, MMSC, PA-C. I completed the top-ranked Emory University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program in 2015, earning my Masters degree in Medical Science. By day, I’m applying that background as a dedicated Physician Assistant at Dermatology Associates of Georgia. On my time, I'm on a mission to pare back the labyrinth of skin care options by conducting thorough research and sifting through clinical trials data to curate products that really work, and that are really worth the investment.
Bridal Skin Care Routine: 12 Months Pre-Wedding
Starting 12 months before your wedding, build a strong foundation that increases your protection and correction efforts. You'll use this throughout your prep timeline. In addition to cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen, you should add Vitamin C and Retinol. Here's how we'd structure that routine with our favorite products:
- Cleanse: Our favorite cleanser is the Revision Gentle Foaming Cleanser. However, if you're looking for an area to conserve budget in your routine, this is where to do it. Since cleansers are only in contact with your skin for a short amount of time, you don't need to spend a lot of money on active ingredients. A simple CeraVe drugstore cleanser works. There are other areas where you'd see a lot more return on your investment by spending a little more.
- Vitamin C: We're big fans of the Revision C+ Correcting Complex here- especially since it adds correction and protection to your skin care routine. It's one of the areas we referenced where you benefit from spending a little more. The most stable form of Vitamin C, THD ascorbate, carries about twenty times the cost of a typical l-ascorbic acid; however, it has a longer shelf life, is more effective, and is much less likely to cause irritation. In the morning, you should apply this product just before your moisturizing sunscreen.
- Retinol (Nighttime Only): We recommend using the Revision DEJ Night for your bridal skin care routine starting 12 months out. (You can start to see results sooner, but Harvard Health confirms that retinoids will have their most evident impact after one year of consistent use.) This product reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, brightens and smooths the skin's texture, and boosts the skin's hydration levels. When getting started, we recommend you introduce this product by using it every three nights for two weeks, then every other night for two weeks, then nightly. Any prescriptions or serums can be applied prior to this product. It can cause increased sun sensitivity - be sure to apply a sunscreen with SPF 30+ each morning. If you do get sunburned, stop using your retinoid until fully recovered.
- Moisturizing Mineral Sunscreen (AM), Non-SPF Moisturizer (PM): In the morning, finish your bridal skin care routine with Revision Intellishade Original. Formulated as a 5-in-1 formula, it's a tinted daily moisturizer that corrects, protects, conceals, brightens and hydrate the skin. Prevents visible signs of aging and enhances skin’s natural moisture barrier, improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and brightens and evens skin tone while reducing the appearance of redness. Also protects skin from UVA/UVB radiation. The sheer mineral tint conceals and restores skin’s youthful appearance. In the evening, we like the Avene AV Revitalizing Nourishing Cream (especially for sensitive skin). It replenishes lipids while preventing moisture loss to restore a healthy skin barrier, leaving your skin soft and glowing.
9 Months Before Your Wedding Day
At 9 months, your bridal skin care routine should begin to address any specific problem areas that you have. We're including our favorite products for some common challenges below:
- Pigmentation: Isdinceutics Melaclear Advanced
This pigment-correcting serum starts to produce notable results in as little as two weeks, so you can imagine the impact it will have over 9 months. It unifies your overall skin tone and maximizes your glow while correcting dark spots and hyperpigmentation. After 4 weeks of twice-daily use, 84% of consumers saw a brighter complexion and 81% saw fewer dark spots.
- Fine lines: Revision Revox™ Line Relaxer
Revox™ Line Relaxer is an advanced, targeted serum specifically formulated to amplify results with a neuromodulator. It uses patent-pending technology to not only help optimize in-office treatments, but also to deliver clinically-proven benefits on its own. It visibly reduces the appearance of horizontal and vertical expression lines, including under-eye lines. It visibly improves skin texture. It hydrates skin, improves the look of fine lines and wrinkles caused by dry skin, and helps maximize overall benefits. It also visibly increases your skin's radiance. This is definitely a powerhouse product- for brides and guests alike.
- Texture or Tone Concerns: Glytone Lactic Retexturizing Serum
This is a daily, gentle peeling solution that offers gentle exfoliation. It leverages 10% Lactic Acid to hydrate, visibly brighten, and promote a more uniform, even-toned complexion. We recommend starting this in the evening one to two times per week and increasing frequency as tolerated.
- Eye concerns
- For dark circles and puffiness: Revision C+ Brightening Eye Complex
- For crepiness, and fine lines and wrinkles in the crow's feet area: Revision DEJ Eye Cream
- For mature eyes with more visible signs of aging (patients 50+): Obagi ELASTIderm Eye Cream
Bridal Skin Care: 6 Months Before You Say 'I Do'
Starting 6 months before your wedding or special event, we recommend incorporating an at-home red light therapy device into your bridal skin care routine. Studies like this one from Photomedicine and Laser Surgery have shown it boosts collagen production, making a big impact on wrinkles, redness, and more. Our product of choice is the Omnilux Contour Face mask. It's a medical-grade, anti-aging red light therapy device with clinically proven results for skin rejuvenation. By promoting collagen production, it's reducing fine lines and wrinkles, the appearance of redness and pigmentation, and promoting healthier, younger-looking skin. We recommend using it several times per week.
3 Months Before Your Wedding Date
At the 3-month countdown mark before your big day, add the Revision DEJ Boosting Serum to your routine to maximize your bridal glow. It helps all your skin care products work more effectively. This powerhouse serum is designed to help protect the skin’s energy source, support natural collagen and elastin so the appearance of skin firmness and elasticity can be maintained. It also improves the overall appearance of photodamage that includes more noticeable wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, rough skin texture and uneven skin tone. It should be applied after cleansing and before any additional products or serums are applied twice daily for maximum effectiveness.
Skin Care 6 Weeks Before Your Wedding
In the final stretch of your wedding day countdown, we're pulling out all the stops with ( plated ) INTENSE Serum. This appropriately named product is the key step in radiating confidence on your big day: within just six weeks, this serum significantly minimizes the appearance of wrinkles, redness, and brown spots. We selected it after being truly blown away by the Mayo Clinic clinical trial results! Simply apply (plated) INTENSE serum as the first step in your morning OR evening routine (you only need this once daily!). Be sure to wait 10 minutes before applying any other products.
Mother of the Bride Skin Care Tips
We haven't forgotten about the very important MOB! You can also follow the above steps, but with a few tweaks. You should still ensure you are using your skincare basics here:
- C+ Correcting Complex
- Retinol - If you are a retinol newbie, start with DEJ Night. If you have been using retinol for a while we recommend stepping up to Avene Retinol or Revision Retinol Complete.
- Tinted Mineral Based Sunscreen - Assuming you are aged 30+, MOBs should step up your sunscreen to ensure it is completely mineral based. We recommend Revision Intellishade TruPhysical.
Once you have those basics on board, these are going to be your power players to add in for the best wedding day glow:
More Questions on Your Bridal Skin Care Routine?
We understand that your wedding day is an important day, and that you want to look and feel your very best. We're here to help. If you still have questions after reading our recommendations, or have other concerns you'd like to address that you didn't see covered here, simply reach out to us on our Contact page for one-on-one support. Congratulations on your engagement- wishing you a day that glows almost as brightly as you do.