Beauty Tips

A painter needs a well prepared canvas to achieve a flawless finish. To a makeup artist your face is his/her canvas. Here are some great tips to prep your skin up for a beautiful, and flawless finish.

A good skin care regime, (cleanse, tone, moisturize) targeted for your skin type is essential in achieving great skin. Finding the right products can be frustrating at times, so if you need any honest advice without spending a fortune, you can contact us for advice in finding the right products for you. Don't be influenced by the big, expensive brands. The less expensive ones are just as good, if not better. What works for you is the important thing!

Drink heaps and heaps of water, at least 8 glasses a day, 2 months before your big day. This helps flush out toxins from the body quicker, thus clearing up your complexion. In conjunction with increased water intake, reduce your sugar and salt consumption as well. I am not trying to put you on a diet here. :). A vitamin supplement to fortify skin, hair, and nails may also be helpful.

If you see a pimple coming on, treat it with either tea tree oil or a BHA product (beta hydroxy acid). Apply it only on the blemished areas. They can be applied after your cleansing routine. If you have oily, or combination skin which is prone to break outs, you may want to try mixing 4 drops of tea tree oil to your moisturizer (5ml). Do this every evening before bedtime until your skin clears up. For drier skins, a AHA product at 8% AHA may be more helpful. Apply the AHA product in the evening only, after your toner on dry skin, wait 2 minutes, then apply moisturizer. If your skin only breaks out occasionally, and you know when the outbursts arise, pre-treat your skin for a week with the above suggestions. For example, I know that my skin breaks out a few days before my period, so I use the tea tree concoction for my oily skin one week before I get my period. I sometimes get a pimple, but in that case I just dab tea tree directly on it to banish it. If your complexion has a more serious problem, contact your dermatologist.

Do not use AHA products that are 8% or higher one week prior to your makeover. AHA's are excellent for exfoliation purposes, but using them one week before the big day can cause some redness and/or flaking. Using them correctly, for certain skin types, and conditions makes all the difference. Baking soda is an effective, cheap, and gentle alternative to exfoliate your skin. Try mixing baking soda into your cleanser, forming a paste, and rub gently onto your face for about a minute. Rinse with lukewarm water. You may do this 2 days prior to your make over. It's that gentle and your skin will feel extremely soft and smooth. Follow with toner and moisturizer.

Try to use face products with low or no irritants in them. Alcohol, fragrance, witch hazel, and certain ingredients can cause a negative irritation to your skin even if you don't experience the reaction. Negative, meaning break outs, redness, allergic reactions, etc. There are certain ingredients that are positive irritants, such as AHA's, Renova, sunscreens, BHA's, etc. These positive irritants have a purpose. To increase cell turnover, protect the skin from the sun, and some to improve texture and color. The negative irritants have no purpose and it's best to avoid them. Again, as mentioned above, even the positive ones should be avoided temporarily before a make over.

Getting sufficient sleep is important. How long you sleep depends on your bedtime habits and body temperature, more than being tired or fatigued. Adapt a sleeping pattern that is suited for you. Upon rising, have a languid stretch, and think about the good breakfast you're about to have!

This advice is easier said than done in preparation for your wedding day or other special event. But, the results are worth it. You will feel better on the inside as well. One more thing, keep your stress level as low as possible and handle certain situations calmly. Enjoy and appreciate the excitement and anticipation before your big day.