Beauty from the inside out -- take charge of your skin care

By Cynthia Clayton and Mary Louise Carpenter

     Every day, ultraviolet rays, chemicals and free radicals bombard our skin, causing both visible and invisible damage. To ensure healthy, clear skin for your wedding -- and years to come -- you must protect your face’s cellular proteins and lipids from damage caused by free radicals. Men, as well as women, should begin a healthy skin care regimen at least three to six months leading up to their wedding day.

     Your goal is to help even skin tone and bring luminosity to the skin. These skin care tips will help you have healthy, beautiful skin in time for your wedding day:

     1. Select high-quality skin care products. This is not an area to skimp anytime of the year, but especially while preparing for your big day. In a perfect world, your pH balance would be 5.5. Many things contribute to an unbalanced pH, but it is important to take charge. Soap-free, fragrance-free and pH-balanced skin care products are a must to gently remove dirt and excess oil from the skin without the harsh and irritating effects of other cleansers.

     2. Choose a daily moisturizer that contains a sunscreen or sun block with SPF 15 or higher. The sun can cause dark spots to become darker.

     3. Watch your diet, drink plenty of water, eat lots of fruits and veggies, be faithful to your multivitamin and regularly exercise to get your body into shape and you will also see beautiful things happen to your skin.

     4. The week prior to your wedding, pamper yourself with a facial firming masque to tighten, tone, and remove impurities from deep within your skin. A high quality facial masque will improve circulation and skin texture, helping to erase the effects of time and stress. Again, this is just as important for the groom.

     5. If you’re a sun worshiper, there are other ways to achieve that perfect tan. High-quality self-tanners let you achieve that beautiful bronze look any time of the year without the effects of harmful UV rays.

     6. Don’t forget your hands and body! Today’s beautiful wedding gowns will be showing off a lot more of you. Opt for a shower gel that will leave your skin feeling silky and revitalized. Hand and body lotion will play an important role in the condition of your skin.

     7. If whiter teeth are something you desire, schedule an appointment with your dentist as early as possible to discuss options.

     8. Consider having your brows shaped to open up your eye and schedule your appointment two to three days ahead of time.

     Advice on hiring a makeup artist

     You are investing a significant amount of money in your photographer, wedding gown, hair, etc. Again, this is not a time to skimp on professional services.

     A well-trained makeup artist understands undertone, eye shape, face shape, and will apply makeup without making you look made up. Your wedding day is not the time to try a heavier look or use glittery eyeshadows. A classic look generally enhances your gown, hair and veil, as well as your features.

     At first glance, it may seem expensive to hire a professional makeup artist who specializes in brides, but if you were to add the expenses that you would incur yourself on hundreds of dollars worth of cosmetics and expensive brushes, it could prove to be a bargain. This is especially true if you lack the expertise or may never use these cosmetics again. Add in the cost of professional advice and experience and it’s not really an indulgence at all.

     Here are a few tips to remember:

     Flash photography emphasizes pink tones, so it is important to begin with a foundation that matches your skintone perfectly, to create a beautiful canvas. Your makeup artist should create a foundation that is not only comfortable to wear, but will last throughout your long day. Concealer may need to be used to cover up dark circles, brighten up your face, highlight your features and lift your look for your pictures. Cosmetic colors should be applied that are from your correct palette to ensure a healthy, natural looking glow that warms up the skin, contours the face, highlights the cheekbones and gives a radiant glow that looks like it comes from within.

     Waterproof mascara is always the only option!

     A fresh look should be your signature, which means your creation is an authentic, never-duplicated original.

     In order to look your best for your wedding, you should start well ahead of time. Insist on a pre-consult with your makeup artist and bring a camera along so you can see the contrast between the before and after look. The brides of this millennium are going for a more natural look, but that look still requires great skill for a perfect balance between eyes, cheeks and lips. Although evening weddings can require darker colors, you don’t want to go overboard! Obtaining the look you are looking for in advance will ensure you a much calmer, happier wedding day.

     Cynthia Clayton and Mary Louise Carpenter are award-winning makeup artists and own From This Day Forward traveling wedding makeup service based in Rockland. They specialize in soft, natural, comfortable cosmetics and high quality, affordable skin care. They are both custom-blend cosmetic specialists and certified in undertone analysis. They have provided services for more than 200 brides from Maine and around the country -- as far away as England, and have been commissioned by a California agency for magazine makeup. Clayton also is a makeup artist trainer for a private label cosmetic company. For information, call 594-5612.