The Ultimate D-day Beauty Checklist

It’s imperative that you look your best on your big day. Hair, face, hands and feet—everything needs extra TLC for that radiance a bride wants. From head to toe, we help you bring out the most beautiful ‘you’ for the most important event of your life.
Once your wedding date is set, it’s best to start your pre-bridal regimen almost immediately. This would not only help you look your best on your D-day, but also help you feel your best. Here are some tips to look your natural best exude confidence and beauty.

Hair
Hair, like everything else, needs tending to from outside and inside. Following a diet rich in iron gives your melanin the support it needs to retain the hair colour and thickness. Drinking apple cider vinegar is great for both, hair and skin.
Tip: Use 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a litre of lukewarm water mixed with honey, to give immunity to your hair.

Use henna, which is great for adding volume to your hair and a transparent coating of shine. It’s a natural conditioner, but this is how we recommend you use it.
Tip: Soak amla and shikakai overnight. Strain the water from this and boil this water with a little coffee. Add the henna to this and stir for a few minutes. The boiling takes off the ammonia to avoid the orange streaking it can cause sometimes. Use a sulphate and phosphate-free shampoo and paraben-free conditioners to avoid hair loss.

Face
One thing we can’t stress enough, is to not use soap on your face. Follow this procedure religiously to have the perfect skin that breathes.

C-T-M (CLEANSE-TONE-MOISTURISE)

Cleansing: Cleanse with an alcohol-free cleanser as alcohol dries out your skin. Cleanse every night if you have oily skin and in the morning if you have dry skin.
Toning: Rose water plus glycerine is our classic toner; it gives the skin pores a much-needed rejuvenation.
Moisturise: If you have oily skin, don’t use a regular moisturiser; instead use an oil-free moisturiser. And if you have dry skin use a balancing moisturiser.

Have a peroxide cream ready to tackle any pimples, or breakouts. It helps to stop their aggravation and therefore minimises scarring. Avoid peels if you have sensitive dry skin, but go for regular salon rituals with mild exfoliation.

Eyes
The area around the eyes is the first place to suffer pigmentation, a natural phenomenon, when UV light exposure takes away the glow and skin pigments, to give a darker colour. Be sure to use your sunscreen, especially around the eyelids and under the eyes.
Tip: Use an orange-based eye cream to reduce your pigmentation (if any) and always wear an eye-mask before you sleep. Avoid mascara during the days before your wedding as it causes the lashes to shed. Use a little almond or argania spinosa oil on the lashes for thickness.

Lips
Lips can play a key role in enhancing the bride’s look. Apply extra virgin olive oil on your lips often to avoid peeling of dead skin.
Tip: For party lips, use less lipstick and more of a tinted lip balm to avoid overweighing your lips and
a build-up of lipstick residue.

Neck
Skin discolouration between your face and neck is an eyesore for any girl. Take milk cream mixed with yoghurt and add a little crushed sugar in it. Use this as a body wash two-three times a week to remove unwanted tanning. A cellulite-based facial treatment is necessary during your salon rituals to give it an even tone.

Body
Polishing, polishing, polishing; not just the one you get occasionally at the spa, but the one you do at home and make it a part of your daily regimen as well. A loofah should become your best friend in those days leading to the wedding. Also, use a pumice stone for your toes, heels and knee areas to get rid of the rough and dead skin.
Tip: Do not overlook the ‘bikini’ area; scrub regularly around and below your waistline, use honey-based body washes to remove odour and dirt. The more granules your body wash has, the better it will ease out your skin surface and smoothen your back, an area we often overlook.

Feet
They take our weight and strain every day of our busy lives. It’s important you take utmost care of them to avoid any embarrassment during your haldi ceremony. Wear ‘smart soles’; these are designed to eliminate the stress points, hence equalising your weight throughout and giving ample comfort to your toes. The less dead skin you have, the more naturally beautiful your feet will look.
Soak your feet in hot water with alkaline solution every night for 5-10 minutes, to sterilise them completely. While wet, apply moisturiser (balancing), or hot almond oil, if you have dry, parched skin. Avoid woollen socks in any weather and pick cotton for your feet so that they can breathe.