Beauty Regime for Brides

In the last six weeks, getting into a regular beauty regime has very much been on my mind as we enter the month in which I'm set to tie the knot.

Diet
Many brides go on a wedding diet, and while I didn't, I have been trying to eat more fruit and vegetables and drink more water. I'm a vegetarian, and am pretty happy with the weight that I am but I want to keep my eye on what I eat in order to keep my skin clear for the big day. I've been making sure to keep some bottled water at my desk every day and have been getting through two bottles most days- with the heat in the UK, it's not been hard! (Fingers crossed the weather holds for our wedding day.)

Exercise
I haven't undertaken a specific exercise programme for my wedding day, but I have been doing regular yoga (at least 10 minutes per day). I can't recommend it more, particularly for the relaxation and stress-relieving benefits. We have a smart TV, and I use the yoga workouts that came with the TV apps, but you can find them by googling or here's a link to a beginner sequence. I've been doing yoga since I was 17 and I really recommend it for everyone, it's great way to beat stress and help straighten your posture.

Skincare
When my mum came to visit for the weekend (something which I definitely recommend- getting some one-on-one time with your mum) we visited The Body Shop together. We both ended up picking up the same serum, the Nutriganics Drop of Youth (found here). I've been using it in the morning after cleansing and before moisturiser, and I love it (my mum does too). The scent is also very calming in the morning, which is always a plus. I moisturise every morning directly after using the serum. At the moment I've been using a sample of the Ren Evercalm Day Cream (found here). It's quite rich but has been working well with my combination skin (mildly oily t-zone, dryish cheeks). When I finish that I'll be moving onto the Clinique Moisture Surge (here) which I've used before and like a lot. I've also been using a face mask once a week. Things that I need to improve are removing makeup at the end of the day. When I do,  I use the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish (here). There's nothing better!

Makeup
We don't have the budget for a make up artist on the day, and even if we did, they are likely to be booked up so close to our day. I've done two trials at Bare Minerals, one at the National Wedding Show 2014 in Birmingham, which I really liked, but the makeup artist didn't travel for weddings. I'm hoping I will be able to try another beauty counter so I can book in for the morning of our wedding (we're getting married in the afternoon). The problem is that I'm not getting married in the town I'm living in so doing a trial is difficult. Any other brides had this problem? What did you do- I'd love to hear! The only makeup product I'm sure I want to use, and will be purchasing regardless of who does my makeup, is the Chanel Volume de Chanel mascara. It's great for volumising lashes.

Teeth
I know some people can be a bit slack about getting regular dental checkups in the UK if their teeth aren't giving them any problems. I tend to schedule dental checkups when I visit home, and as our wedding is in our parents' hometown, this fits in. I'm having a checkup, clean and polish the day before. Day-to-day I use the Colgate max white toothpaste and the accompanying mouthwash, and I'm also planning on using a home teeth whitening kit the week before.

Waxing & eyelash tinting
I plan on getting a leg, underarm and bikini wax a couple of days before my wedding day, to last when we're on honeymoon in California- although I have to admit I'm not looking forward to the waxing. We're driving an RV around for three weeks, including through the desert and camping in Yosemite, so I didn't want to worry about shaving with minimal shower facilities in the RV. I'm also getting my eyelashes dyed before the big day. This is something I'd recommend for low-key brides who don't wear much makeup. It's cheap and lasts a few weeks and you don't need to bother with mascara, particularly if you're on a beach honeymoon.