Get ready, get set, get married! Facing your wedding day with beauty & style

WITH all eyes on the beautiful bride, she's got to have the perfect dress, flowers and, of course, the perfect groom. But one small detail is vital to make it a truly picture-perfect day--radiant skin.

So before taking the wedding vows, brides-to-be should vow to take steps to ensure that their skin and makeup are flawless for their special day.

To avoid a bridal "makeup catastrophe," here are some helpful hints from the experts. First, begin with the skin, skin care that is, says international trainer and Fashion Fair Cosmetics makeup artist Victoria Cochran. Three months before the wedding, the bride and her entire wedding party should visit the nearest makeup counter (Fashion Fair preferred) to get a skin care consultation for a complete skin care regimen customized for each member of the wedding party. "Allow at least three months for the skin care products to have time to work," Cochran advises. Removing dead skin cells via exfoliation is a "major" step, she says, and is the foundation for flawless skin. "Facial exfoliation should be first on your 'to do' list," she adds, along with scheduling appointments for manicures and pedicures.

Many African-American brides face issues with hyperpigmentation and skin discoloration on their face or body, particularly elbows and knees. Cochran recommends brides use a good fading cream to smooth away discoloration.

Celebrity wedding planner Diann Valentine says stress is a big problem for brides, often causing wedding-day facial breakouts. She recommends a "stress-release" regimen for the bride and bridal party. "If you can manage only one or two pre-wedding day-treats, make one of them a full-body aromatherapy massage [lavender, gardenia and jasmine are among the calming scents]," Valentine says in her new book with Tonya Bolden, Weddings: Valentine Style, Rich Inspiration for Every Woman's Dream Day.

"If nothing else, along with getting your hair and nails done the day before, or the day of the wedding, get a major facial a week before," she adds. And don't forget to moisturize, especially if you want that dewy look for your wedding day.

When choosing makeup for the big day, keep in mind that color should complement your complexion. "If you have a golden-brown complexion, your glamour color is a medium plum or lavender, which can be used to highlight your eyes and lips," Cochran says. For those choosing an Afrocentric wedding, warm earth tones--like coppers, bronzes or deep cranberry colors--blend nicely with that color theme, she says.

The traditional white wedding theme requires a soft and understated, "inconspicuous glam makeover" and a professional who can help blend the bride's personal "color story" into a natural look.

Other bridal beauty tips include:

* Don't forget to wear blush. Flash photography can wash out your complexion.

* Don't use heavy pressed powder to set your foundation. It can leave your skin looking chalky and lifeless in the wedding photos.

* Don't choose a lipstick that is too neutral or frosted. Brighter colors in warm shades photograph better.

* Go for lush lashes by first using an eyelash curler and then applying two coats of lengthening mascara; make sure you allow the first coat to dry before applying the second coat.

* Don't get too trendy. Years later you may look at your wedding photos and regret it.

* Finally, schedule a makeup "dress rehearsal" for the bride and wedding party, Cochran suggests. Take instant photos to ensure that everyone's makeup is appropriate. Make any makeup adjustments before the Big Day. And when in doubt, let a professional handle the brush to guarantee wedding day bliss and not blues.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning