Your six-month bridal beauty timeline

How to ensure you look your best as a bride on your big day

Getting beauty treatments booked in and hair appointments made is a must for every bride wanting her big day to go without a hitch.

Online hair and beauty retailer Hairtrade.com has made things easier and put together a handy timeline for everyone aiming to be polished to perfection on their wedding day. The timeline starts six months ahead of the wedding, when brides should be putting a skincare and exercise routine in place to get glowing skin, keep in shape and reduce stress - spanning all the way until the day before.

Joanne Dodds from Hairtrade.com saiys: “Planning an entire wedding is stressful enough without worrying about getting hair and beauty just right. We have put together a wedding timeline to help fraught brides to put a simple hair and beauty plan in place. The caterers might still show up late - but our timeline averts wedding hair and beauty disasters and will ensure every bride looks her best on the big day.”

Six months before

Up your skincare game

If you aren’t already, get into the habit of skincare and be strict. Eat well and incorporate a simple bedtime regime of cleansing, toning and moisturising to keep skin in top form and reduce the risk of breakouts.

Start exercising

Exercising is not just important for getting in shape but also for reducing stress. Try yoga to increase posture strength and relieve tension. You’ll be looking and feeling great both inside and out.

Looking after your locks

If you want to experiment with hair colour or style, now’s the time to do it. It will give a new colour time to grow out and fade and you the chance to get used to your new look.

Three months before

Book consultations

If you’re getting your make-up professionally done, test the water by consulting with a few different make-up artists. Once you’ve found ‘the one’, book early to avoid missing out.

Do the same with your hairdresser. If you’re sticking with your regular stylist, get your pre-wedding trial run booked in and any other appointments you need ahead of the big day.

Experiment with fake tan

You don’t want to have a streaky fiasco on the big day so leave yourself plenty of time to get your bridal golden glow. Think about the neckline of your dress and any existing tan lines you’ll need to even out.

Teeth whitening

Get into a home teeth-whitening routine to get perfect pearly whites. Don’t leave this to the last minute, it’s best to build it up and factor in sensitivity to achieve a winning wedding day smile.

One month before

Trial run

When it comes to make up we all know that the ideas in our heads don’t always look the same once executed. Now is the time to buy the products you’d like and trial them out. Ask for samples from beauty counters to give them a test run before you buy. 

Hair practice

Having a hair practice before the big day is a must. Head to the salon armed with your headdress so your stylist can make recommendations on the best look.

Get eyebrows shaped

Leave plenty of time for getting eyebrows shaped professionally. This will leave enough time to grow them out in places if needed. 

Treat your face

Time to start making your skin glow. Book in for a facial or start using facemasks at home. Don’t be tempted to do it right before the wedding incase you have a reaction.

Cut down on tea and coffee

A strict detox isn’t necessary but cutting down on tea and coffee will reduce staining your teeth and flush your body of caffeine.  

Two weeks before

Exfoliate and moisturise

To get those silky soft elbows, hands and feet, start an exfoliating and moisturising treatment once or twice a week.

Drink water

Staying hydrated is the cheapest and easiest beauty trick in the book. Aim to drink one and half litres of water a day for clear glowing skin.

One week before

Bikini wax and shave legs

Make sure everything is silky smooth for your bikini on the honeymoon.

Splurge on a massage

There’s a lot of pressure the week leading up to the wedding so treat yourself to a relaxing massage with your maid of honour. It will relax your muscles and increase circulation.

One day before

Pack an emergency make-up kit

Get all your essential make-up for touch ups packed and give it to a trusty bridesmaid.

Get mani-pedi done

You’ll be too excited to sit patiently and wait for your nails to dry on the big day so make this one of the last things you do the night before.   

Have a soak

Time to switch off and unwind in the tub. Let those pre-wedding stresses melt away. Try adding some essential oils for luxuriously soft skin the next day.

8-10 hours sleep

They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing so get a good night’s rest for the big day.