I'm following up from my last post "Bridal Beauty Guide" in which I talked about basic skincare and its importance for beautiful, healthy skin. A simple approach with your skincare will help to maintain consistency and keep you on track. I recommend starting with a 2-3 product regime: Cleanser, Exfoliant and Moisturizer. Once you can incorporate these into your daily lifestyle, it will become second nature. I’m putting a list together of some of my favorite products, but will also make sure to include something for everyone.

Cleanser: This step should be non-irritating and kept simple. The goal here is to remove all the grime from "the day"...dirt, oil, sweat and makeup. Avoid stripping your skin of its natural protective barrier and try not to overdry the skin. Water temperature needs to be lukewarm, not hot, as hot water can cause overreactive sensitivities to the skin. Example: onset redness, broken capillaries, excessive dryness/dehydration. Cleanse in the am/pm

A Few Classics:

Recommended for all Skin types.Oil-based product to remove excess dirt, oil and makeup. Cleanse after you've applied the pre cleans. Especially good for removal of makeup!

Exfoliants: This key step ensures smooth, polished and glowing skin. Most people don't take part in such a wonderful, but also very crucial, part of skincare. I'm hoping to change that! Start the exfoliation process and experience the benefits of resurfaced skin! A few tips are: understand your skin type as well as the many different types of exfoliants available. Normal-to-Dry skin types can exfoliate up to 1-2 times per week whereas Oily-to-Combination skin types can exfoliate up to 3-5 times per week. The most basic method is manual exfoliation. This is the process of applying a gentle scrub and carefully messaging it into the skin. Then you have chemical exfoliation, which is applying a topical product: fruit (enzyme) or sugar acid (lactic acid, glycolic acid) to help digest the dead skin cells at a lower level. Both can be very effective. The idea is to remove the build-up of dead layers of skin. This helps regenerate and bring forward fresh cells to the skin's surface.

Must Try:

Moisturizer: Last, but certainly not least! This step gives proper hydration and the moisture skin needs to be balanced. Feeding the skin with the right amount of moisture is important. If this doesn't take place the skin can become too Oily or Dry or compensate for what's lacking. Dry skin requires extra oils (lipids or fats) where Combo/Oily skin needs hydrating qualities (water). Find what works best for your skin type and you may consider an am/pm moisturizing routine. Moisturizers come in a wide variety of formulations. Do your research and feed your skin. I always recommend a daily SPF in the am, whether it's in your moisturizer or a booster you can add over the top of a moisturizer.

Skin Quenchers:

As a makeup artist and someone who has worked on dozens of skin types, I can't express enough the importance of well maintained skin. These few simple steps can help keep skin happy and healthy for years to come. Sometimes the most basic routine can make all the difference, and it doesn't need to be complicated: Just cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, moisturize and moisturize! I always encourage research. Everyone's skin is unique, do what's best for yours. The products above are ones I've tried myself and have also been recommended by other professionals. Products vary for each individual Go find your favorites, and I'd love to hear about what works for you!

Skin Care Favorites

— Shanie Crosbie —