As a makeup artist in the Melbourne bridal industry for 27 years, I cannot overemphasise the importance of great skin prep for your wedding day.

Not only does it make our job easier on the day, so that we can focus our time on finessing your makeup look and having time for those little details, well prepared skin will hold makeup for longer so that the look we create lasts beautifully into the night.

The secret to a natural yet long-lasting makeup application is smooth, well-hydrated skin and I’m here to share all of my tips to help you achieve just that.

Skin Prep Timeline

6-12 Months Pre-Wedding

• If you are having skin treatments with a skin aesthetician then begin these now and follow their guidelines and advice. The general advice is that more aggressive treatments such as peels and laser should be ideally done during this time period.

• Curate your skincare routine and maintain consistency with the products that are giving results. You can try new products and investigate ingredients that will target your skin requirements at this point.

• Ensure that you are bringing all of your skincare products down your neck and onto your chest if this skin will be visible when wearing your wedding dress.

  3 Months Pre-Wedding

• Lock in your skincare routine and maintain consistency. Trial spray tans if you are planning on having one before your wedding.

• Add facial massage to your daily routine to help reduce puffiness, lymphatic drainage and increase blood flow to the skin. You can see a professional for this or do it at home either using a gua sha or your hands (there are lots of tutorials online).