Hand emphasizes that the goal isn’t to look like an entirely new persona as you head down the aisle. “It’s to look like yourself on your very best skin day,” she says. “And honestly, one of my favorite things is that so many of my brides keep coming in every month after the wedding. They realize how much better their skin feels when they stay consistent. Usually the moment their spouse comments on how good their skin looks without even knowing they had a facial… that’s when you know it’s working.”
Six to 12 Months in Advance
First Time Trying Injectables
According to Dr. Ranella Hirsch, a board-certified dermatologist based in Boston, if you’re hoping to try out injectables like Botox or a filler ahead of your wedding, the best thing to do is grant yourself as much time as possible. “In an ideal world, I would have people come in as early as a year before their wedding to create a plan—that way, we can discuss what you’d like to achieve and work together to ensure that you will have the best results on the day,” says Hirsch. She explains that giving yourself more time will also allow for more careful allocation of funds and open up the possibilities to more types of treatments. “Ultimately, more time equals way more options for you, not only just in terms of procedures, but, importantly, in terms of downtime and cost,” she adds.
But, of course, not all weddings are planned a year out. In these cases, Hirsch recommends coming in at least six months in advance for an initial consult and injectable treatments. “While my general rule of thumb is the more time the better, six months is a decent amount of time for your dermatologist to get a grasp on your expectations and also see how your skin responds to the treatment,” she explains.
Find an Aesthetician You Like
If regular facials are something you are planning to integrate into your pre-wedding skin-care routine, you should start looking for an aesthetician about a year in advance. “Texture is one of the main things people want to fix before a wedding,” says New York–based aesthetician Sofie Pavitt. “Working together, aestheticians can really get to know your skin, perform multiple treatments, and help resurface and smooth your complexion. But it becomes more difficult as we approach the two- to three-month mark.”
Facial menus can range from acne extraction, microcurrent for lifting and sculpting, LED therapy, and so much more. Before booking your first treatment, it’s important to research your potential aesthetician and ensure that they specialize in an area that aligns with your skin goals. Depending on your budget and the severity of skin concerns, you can then work together to create a facial schedule in advance of your wedding—for some, this could be frequent biweekly facials, and for others, it might be occasional treatments every couple of months.
“One of my recent brides started with me a year before her wedding,” says Hand. “She didn’t have major pigmentation concerns, so instead of chasing corrective treatments, we focused on keeping her skin consistently healthy. We did monthly facials centered around barrier support, gentle exfoliation, hydration, lymphatic drainage, LED, microcurrent, and sculpting massage. We even did a trial facial six months out, just like you’d do a makeup trial, so we knew exactly how her skin responded and when she looked her best. About two months out, we stopped introducing anything new. From there, it was all about maintenance. Keeping her skin calm, hydrated and resilient. The final two facials before the wedding were really just about enhancing glow, reducing puffiness and adding a little more definition, not trying to fix anything.”
