Photo courtesy of Susan Yates
One good thing about quarantine? It’s the perfect time to squeeze in some self care and make sure your skin and hair are in tip-top shape for your wedding day… even if right now you’re not 100% sure when that will be.
To find out the best ways to go about it, I chatted with a panel of our resident beauty experts, consisting of London-based makeup artists Szilvia Balog and Susan Yates, Israel-based makeup artist Keren Rimon, and Israel-based hairstylist and makeup artist Liat Ben Shimshon. All agree that this is a great time to prioritize taking care of yourself, and they’ve shared some great tips on things you can do right now to get your skin and hair wedding ready.
Photo courtesy of Liat Ben Shimshon
Don’t Stress About Your Skin
First off, our experts agree that the stress we’re all facing right now can trigger a whole host of skin issues, from irritation to acne. Try not to worry about it if your skin is looking a little worse for the wear lately – more stress won’t do you any good – and remember that, like coronavirus, this will pass.
Photo courtesy of Szilvia Balog
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
One of the best things you can do for your skin is staying hydrated! Liat Ben Shimshon recommends drinking at least one and a half liters of water per day, plus making sure to eat lots of veggies and fruits for both their liquid content and vitamins. And Susan Yates – who admits to regularly checking in with her brides to make sure they’re drinking enough water as they prep for their weddings – attests that “the difference in skin is incredible when a bride has upped her water game in the run up to the big day.”
Keren Rimon‘s makeup for Shelly and Harel’s wedding | Photo by Noa Magger
Treat Yourself
Times are tough right now. That means this is the perfect time to pamper your skin – and yourself. In addition to your daily routine, Susan Yates recommends “supercharging your skincare on a weekly basis with a pampering session; exfoliating, massaging, moisturizing, using those eye masks, face sheets, and whatever you have readily available. Don’t forget it’s not just your face on show on the big day – remember those elbows, hands, arms, and of course your chest and neck. You want everything to be gorgeous, hydrated and glowing!”
Szilvia Balog’s also a big fan of self care via face mask: “On days when I dedicate extra time for pampering, I put face masks on while I’m doing some other activity like meditation or even housework – just be mindful not to appear on a conference call with one by accident! Whoops!” She also recommends a gentle scrub every few days to get rid of impurities stuck in the pores.
And Keren Rimon recommends not neglecting your regular hair and makeup routines – even if you’re not leaving the house. Feeling good about yourself is key to keeping your spirits up in this weird rollercoaster of a time!
Photo courtesy of Szilvia Balog
Nail Down Your Bridal Style
Keren Rimon thinks this is the perfect time to think about what kind of look you want for the big day – take advantage of the time to browse Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram and see what speaks to you.
Photo courtesy of Szilvia Balog
Spring clean your makeup stash
Susan Yates says, “Now is the time to make like Marie Kondo and declutter your makeup and skincare. Date check your products (oh hey mascara from 2017, I see you). Purge anything that doesn’t serve you well, flatter you, or work for your skin. And anything you haven’t used in 18 months, bin. Be. Ruthless. Group products into your everyday ‘go-to stash’ for easy access and keep separate to your less used products. This will not only make your day to day routine much more efficient but the whole process can be therapeutic.”
Cleanse Correctly
This is a great time to make sure your cleansing routine is up to snuff. According to Liat Ben Shimshon, washing your face with a cleanser suited to your skin type in the evening before going to sleep is a must. You might opt for a foam wash, a cleansing milk, micellar water, or an oil, like coconut (though Ben Shimshon recommends avoiding coconut oil if you’ve got oily skin). After cleansing, follow up with an eye cream and night cream (or, if you don’t have one, your daytime facial cream – the main thing is to bring back the moisture your skin needs).
In the morning, Ben Shimshon says, your face should already be clean from the night before, and so you should be just fine washing simply with water, no soap. At night the skin secretes oil that protects the skin, and washing with soap removes this natural moisture. After washing the face with water only, apply a moisturizer and sunscreen.
Photo courtesy of Liat Ben Shimshon
Clean those brushes
In the words of Susan Yates, “While you don’t need to clean your personal brushes after every use, now is a really good time to get scrubbing. Not only will your face will thank you, but your brushes will also do a little happy dance (bye bye bacteria). Dig out that baby shampoo (or any mild soap will do), and if you’re feeling extra give them some love with a little conditioner too!”
Hydrate Your Hair
According to Keren Rimon, “This is a great time to do some intense work on your hair. If you have split ends, or very dry or damaged hair because of highlights or coloring, I highly recommend using hair masks. Apply the hair mask and then wrap your hair with a hot towel (you can warm it with a hair dryer) for 30 minutes. Repeat up to two or three times a week – it will most definitely improve your hair texture.”
Photo courtesy of Szilvia Balog
Try something new
If you’ve gotten stuck in a makeup rut, this Is the perfect time to have some fun playing with your lesser loved products, says Susan Yates. “If you never wear a red lip but have one sitting in a box from months ago, give it a whirl. Tend to be more of a neutral girl? Add some color to those cheeks. If you have always wanted to experiment with a flicked eyeliner but were unsure, now is your chance to perfect your technique and get creative. You may find a new look that you love!”
Keren Rimon‘s makeup for Shelly and Harel’s wedding | Photo by Noa Magger
Use an Eye Cream
Not using an eye cream yet? This is a great time to start. Szilvia Balog always recommends adding eye cream to your routine, because the skin around the eyes is much more delicate than the rest of the face. Massage it around your orbital bones – but skip your eyelids.
Photo courtesy of Keren Rimon
Don’t Forget SPF
You may have forgotten what it feels like to go outside and get some sun… but don’t forget what it feels like to wear that all-important SPF (which you should be wearing year-round, not just in the summer)! Susan Yates reminds us that even being indoors doesn’t necessarily protect you, as windows do not offer protection from UV radiation, which causes sun damage.
Photo courtesy of Susan Yates
Book an Online Consult
If you’re looking for more targeted advice on the ideal beauty routine for you at this time, you might want to book an online consult. Working individually, you can get personalized recs for particular skincare products to suit your needs. Any of our expert panelists would be happy to work with you on developing your ideal skincare routine (as would many other wonderful MUAs out there) – see below for their contact info if you’d like to get in touch!
Our Panelists
Szilvia Balog
+44 (0) 7875158256
balogszilvi@gmail.com
www.szilviabalog.com
Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
Location: I’m based in North West London, UK and I’m more than happy to travel (I’m originally from Budapest, Hungary).
Willing to travel: Yes
Keren Rimon
(+972) 507 232 832
kerenrimon1@gmail.com
Instagram | Facebook
Location: Israel
Willing to travel: Yes
Liat Ben Shimshon
+972 545335771
libarbur@gmail.com
www.liat-ipur.co.il
Instagram | Facebook
Location: Shlomo Ibn Gabirol St 168 Tel Aviv-Yafo Israel
Willing to travel: Yes
Susan Yates
+44 (0) 7852 100266
susan@susanyatesmakeup.co.uk
www.makeupisart.co.uk
Instagram | Twitter
Location: Based in London but happy to travel.
Willing to travel: Yes
