Feeling Good: Bridal Beauty with Carolanne Armstrong

Doesn't every bride want that beautiful glow on their wedding day? I know I want flawless skin on my wedding day {ok, and always!} and am prepping my skin for the big day. The winter months can bring along dry, dull complexions, which is not a good palette for your wedding day make up! Following up on yesterday's Feeling Good post about juicing and giving your body a cleanse, I am following up today with some advice on getting your skin to look the best it can for your wedding. I asked the amazing makeup artist, Carolanne Armstrong {who just happens to be doing my wedding day makeup!} for some tips to share on bridal beauty advice and what to use on your skin in the months before your wedding. See the picture below, yes, thats Carolanne on her wedding day with some gorgeous skin going on! I think we can all learn a few things from her. 

Image of Carolanne by Juliet McKee Photography | Water Bottle from Grey Likes Weddings | Healthy Diet from SELF 

Healthy Skin Tips for The Bride To Be 

The best place to start for a healthy complexion (the ultimate base for good make up) is obviously nutrition and hydration. Do your skin a huge favour and drink water and get some fruit and veg in your life. 

If you need a good reason to give up smoking, then the affect on your face could be reason enough? 

Sunscreen is also heartily advised, if you don't wear a foundation which contains an SPF, then a facial sunscreen with a factor 15 is highly recommended. It's perfectly possible to achieve a sun-kissed glow without frying your face!

Skin Care

It is always SO much easier and effective to create an amazing look on someone with who maintains their skin. Dry, patchy skin doesn't receive foundations well, so a weekly exfoliation habit will make a huge difference.

I'm a big fan of Elemis Fresh Skin range (marketed at skin younger than mine, 
but lovely results) especially the Exfoliating Face Wash

I also recently discovered this Dead Sea Mineral Face Mask by Premier. If used straight after a shower, you need only apply the smallest gel-like amount in gentle circular motions and dry, dead skin is lifted and gathers on the surface of your face. It's incredible, no scrubbing or abrasion.

A daily cleanse and moisturise will go a very long way, here are some of my favourite skin care products: 

Murad Skincare is not the cheapest but it's REALLY good. This particular Essential C-Day cleanser does that rare job of stripping away grease and dirt without leaving your face
 feeling dry and tight.....just happy.

Equally their Essential C-Day moisturiser within this range is worth shouting about 
and it contains a delightful SPF factor 30!

Don't forget your lips which can suffer in cold months and there are plenty of gorgeous natural and organic remedies:I love Dr. Hauschka Lip Balm & Burts Bees Lip Balm.  

Make Up 

I don't believe that many mineral make up products achieve the same gorgeous finish as typical brands, so I wouldn't recommend those to clients. I believe in good skin care and in priming your skin for make up too.

My favourite all-age, all skin-type primer is Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. Not to be used daily but when you're putting a special effort in to your make up for an occasion and would like some moisturising, glowy staying power.

If you're going to apply make up with brushes, clean those once a week. The bacteria which will build up from your skin and the products will not only affect the performance of your brushes but also redistribute back to your face. Yuck. Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser & MAC Cosmetics Brush Cleanser 

Carolanne Armstrong is available for weddings, parties, engagements, etc. 

Whatever you want to look pretty for, Carolanne can make you just that! 
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xoxo - Becca