The ultimate pre-wedding skincare regime
A super-talented esthetician and one of the best facialists around, NICHOLA JOSS specializes in getting women ready for big occasions, whether it’s working with Kate Moss on set for a cover shoot, prepping A-listers for the Oscars’ red carpet, or perfecting Meghan Markle’s pre-wedding skin. “Whatever the event, it’s all about getting that incredible glow and using lots of massage to get the face contours tighter,” she says. Read on for her essential pre-event beauty countdown.
Eight to six weeks before
Focus on more intensive and aggressive treatments, in particular acids, lasers and skin peels. “Do all this now to deal with any issues, then stop,” says Joss. “If you pack in too much beauty prep near to your event, skin gets stressed and sensitive, or it breaks out and gets blotchy.” Instead, do a short course of peels, or use a home peel for two to three weeks. At this point you should also start on your supplements – the link between a healthy gut and great skin is proven, so take a daily probiotic (try Dr Nigma Talib Healthy Flora) and with skin that’s reactive or even very dry, you will see the difference.
Six weeks before
“From now on, it’s all about keeping it simple: hydrating and moisturizing your skin with serums and masks, plus vitamin C to brighten,” says Joss. “Make time to massage, as it’s the game changer to giving the skin an incredible quality and glow, and defining the face contours. A good product accounts for 60% of the results – how you massage it in is 40%.”
Use a natural face oil (Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum is more of an oil than a watery serum and is amazing to use for massage) and work firmly in small circles upwards and outwards over your face. “Use the knuckles of your index and middle fingers to work along the jawline, and use the heels of your hands to press and hold under the cheekbones. For the eyes, use the index finger to support the skin on the temples, and then work the middle fingers under the eye to the bridge of the nose, and using more pressure, back along the eyebrow.”
The night before
“Give your face a deep 20-minute massage to remove tension and fluid, and plump up the muscles and skin overnight,” says Joss. Alternatively, a massage device like Nurse Jamie 24k Uplift Tool is easy and effective to use – roll it upwards and outwards over the skin. If you’ve had less time to prep, Joss suggests using a gentle overnight exfoliating cream twice in the week or so before, but nothing too aggressive.
On the day
“Mix up serums to hydrate, plus peptides to firm, and vitamin C to brighten, and use like a mask or apply under a sheet mask. Then remove with a warm cloth and do a final massage with oil,” says Joss. “It drains fluid and makes the muscles contract, so you get an amazing instant contour and lift.”
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