Looking beautiful on the wedding day is not merely a matter of make-up and attire. It requires weeks of care; skin with problems will need more time. You need to follow a skin care regime four to six weeks before the wedding. The skin type and the season should be taken into consideration before deciding on your bridal skin care routine. For instance, a summer bride, with oily or combination skin, may face a real problem. Skin care products should be selected according to the skin type and the season. To ensure glowing skin on your wedding day, tone the skin daily with chilled rose water, using cotton wool pads. Keep rose skin tonic or rose water in the fridge, so that it is chilled and ready for use. Wipe and stroke the skin with them. Then, pat briskly with the rosewater-soaked cotton wool pads. This tones and tightens the pores and also stimulates blood circulation to the skin surface. Face packs play a vital role for the bride to glow on her wedding day. They dissolve impurities, soften dead skin cells and remove them. This helps to refine the skin, making it clear and translucent. Create a mask at home and use it two or three times a week. Most salons offer makeover for brides. If there is an acne condition, the treatment should be started 2 - 3 months in advance. If there are scars, it should be started earlier. Different kinds of facials and treatments are also offered for bridal skin care to revitalise the skin. In the olden days, “ubtan” was made at home for bridal skin care, both for the face and body. This usually consisted of wheat bran (choker), gram flour (besan), curd or cream of milk (malai) and a pinch of turmeric (haldi). All these were mixed together. The washing off and scrubbing away of the ingredients helped to clear the skin of dead cells, leaving the skin smooth and bright, with a translucent quality. Nowadays, spa treatments are becoming increasingly popular for bridal care. Among these is body polishing, a top-to-toe body care procedure that helps to remove dead skin cells through exfoliation, revitalising the skin and making it smoother, softer and brighter. Sesame seeds soothe sun-damaged skin, help to remove tan and produce an even colour tone. Mint adds a glow to the skin, while honey moisturises and softens the skin. Start with exfoliation. Apply the scrub on the body and rub gently on the skin with circular movements. Pay attention to the knees, elbows and heels. Wash off with water. A bridal skin care programme is very important, because every part of the body deserves attention. Neglected hands and feet can really mar the entire effect, no matter how beautiful your clothes and jewellery, or how skillfully your make-up has been applied.
