There are lots of things to think about when you’re getting married abroad, but our bridal beauty timeline is here to take the stress out of at least one part of the planning.
From making sure you know what you need from your beauty routine for a destination wedding, to the best time to have your makeup trial, this is our guide to every aspect of your bridal beauty prep.
The aim: to take you from fiancée to bride, stress-free and even more beautifully.
1. Once your wedding venue is booked
Do your research
The biggest beauty mistake destination brides make is trying to follow a ‘standard’ timeline, which really only focuses on ‘when’ to do certain things. Instead, you need to go back to basics and consider how your skin and hair may respond outside your usual environment first, especially due to climate, travel and even water quality. Start by researching your destination in detail – not just the temperature, but humidity levels, UV index, wind exposure, and even water hardness, all of which can affect skin and hair. In brief:
Hot, humid destinations: Skin tends to produce more oil, makeup breaks down faster, and hair is prone to frizz. Focus on choosing makeup looks and hairstyles with real longevity, so your bridal glam stays perfect for longer.
Hot, dry climates, like desert locations: Dehydration – regardless of your skin type – becomes your biggest issue, so focus on skincare that really hydrates and consider being less rigorous with harsher actives, such as retinoids or exfoliants, as these can make dry skin worse.
Cold or high-altitude destinations:Â Your skin can become tight, dull and red due to the cold, wind or snow, so focus your pre-wedding prep on nourishing your skin and protecting the skin barrier. You may also want to think about waterproof makeup and keep a concealer with you to blur away any high colour in your photographs.
Consider your hair and makeup teams
Then, it’s time to consider who will be in charge of your bridal glam: a hair and makeup artist you will bring with you to the destination, yourself, or a local professional. If you are bringing a team, you’ll need to factor in travel costs, accommodation and scheduling, as well as whether they have had any experience with brides getting married in your destination. If wanting to hire locally, it can be a good idea to speak to your wedding planner (if you have one) or your venue to avoid feeling overwhelmed with where to start.
In all cases, start researching what you actually want from your makeup in advance, to ensure you pick someone who suits your style. Ask to see their body of work, too, particularly on someone with your skin tone. Also, be aware that bridal specialists tend to book up early, so reach out to your favourites as soon as possible, and check they are available for your date and location.
With 12 months to go
Hair
To get your hair in the best possible condition for your wedding day, consider having regular trims every eight to 12 weeks starting from about a year before – this will avoid dry, damaged ends, and stop breakage to encourage growth too. Also, speak to your hairstylist to discuss any hair colour or style changes you may want to try, to give you enough time to experiment. Bring some references of the look you are aiming for to ensure it’s possible for your hair type and texture.
Skin
A year in advance is a great time to start considering building a solid and effective skincare routine, as well as starting monthly facials to get your complexion in the best possible shape. Focus on treating your key skin concerns one at a time so as to not overwhelm your skin, and see a dermatologist for conditions such as acne, eczema and pigmentation to build a tailored regime that may require prescription help. Overall, a slow and steady approach is best, so avoid introducing lots of active ingredients, such as retinoids and exfoliating acids, all at once. That’s a ticket to skin irritation rather than a quick fix.
Fitness
You shouldn’t feel any pressure to change your body to fit into a dress, but if you do want to shape up your fitness routine, look for something you know you’ll enjoy so you can keep it up. Yoga and pilates can help stretch and tone, while allowing you to destress amongst the busyness of wedding planning. Hiring a personal trainer can be a good idea if you find it difficult to stick to a workout plan.
10 months to go
Hair removal
If you’re looking to take the hassle out of your hair removal routine, laser hair removal is a popular and effective way to go – and the best news is that it offers silky smooth, hair-free results for your legs, underarms, and even your face that really lasts. You do have to start the process with enough time though, as you’ll need around six to eight sessions, spaced about six weeks apart to effectively target hairs at all stages of the hair growth cycle. Laser hair removal is also now available for all skin types, including Black skin, if you find the right technology. Alma Soprano Titanium, for example, is offered at Cosme Beaute on Harley Street and Dr Rashpal Singh’s clinic in London too.
6 months to go
Skin
With six months to go, it is time to consider booking in for any professional treatments you are interested in. Chemical peels, laser therapy and advanced facials, which sculpt and tone, can help you achieve a smoother, brighter and more evenly toned complexion, as well as targeting key concerns such as fine lines, dark spots and redness. It is important to have your first session sooner rather than later. Firstly, to ensure you don’t have any side effects from the treatment, and secondly to give you enough time to have a full series of treatment (normally five to six sessions) for the best results.
Teeth
For a brighter smile in your wedding photos, speak to your dentist about six months beforehand to discuss your teeth whitening options. This will allow you to opt for a gradual and subtle approach, so your teeth are free from stains and look whiter by the time you walk down the aisle, but without being the only thing anyone can see when they look at your face.
Body
Don’t neglect your body in your bridal beauty prep either. Treatments such as massages, scrubs and wraps not only ensure your skin is plump, smooth and hydrated from head-to-toe, but can be incredibly relaxing at a potentially stressful time. To add a hint of romance to the experience, you can also get your fiancé involved, with a spa trip for a couples treatment.
3 months to go
Hair and Makeup
If possible, book a hair and makeup trial with your beauty team with about three months to go. This ensures you are happy with how everything looks, while allowing you to discuss the conditions on your wedding day itself. If you are heading to sunny climes, for example, now is the time to discuss a great SPF that won’t give you ghostly flashback in photographs.
If you can’t meet with your expert in person (due to them being destination-based) or are planning on doing your own hair and makeup, booking a consultation can still be a good idea. Selfridges’ Beauty Concierge, for example, offers hour-to-90-minute long Wedding Look Consultations to give you guidance on the look that might work well for you. You can then send a picture to your actual makeup and hair artists or simply gain guidance on the best products and techniques to use.
Nails
Nail extensions or gel manicures can make your hands look great, but the treatments may also weaken your nails overtime. That’s something you don’t want to risk when you’ll want photographs of your rings on the day. Around three months out, start by taking a break from extensions and gels. Instead, treat yourself to regular standard manicures and pedicures to keep your nails healthy and strong – or use nail strengthener and cuticle oils to care for your nails at-home. Then, start your research into the mani-pedi you want on your wedding day, whether that’s a classic French or a pop of colour.
Semi-Permanent Tweakments
If you like the idea of having eyelash extensions or microblading for your wedding (especially if it’s for the first time), have a trial at this point to check you actually like the finished look. If you are considering toxin injections or dermal filler, this is also the time to book in, as it will allow you enough time for the results to settle and to check for any potential adjustments. You can continue to have your other tweakments too, such as laser therapy, but you should be approaching the end of your treatment plan by one month before the big day, so you can benefit from the results at their peak on your wedding day.
1 month to go
Hair
With one month to go, it’s time to finalise your hair colour and cut, although avoid making any last minute or drastic changes if you can. Look to deep conditioning treatments (either in the salon or at-home) to keep your hair healthy and glossy, and avoid anything that might cause a lot of damage, such as excessive heat-based styling.
Skin
Keep your skin looking healthy and radiant by maintaining a consistent skincare routine and avoiding introducing anything new at this point. Gentle facials that focus on hydrating your skin and boosting glow can also help – they are relaxing too! Try to avoid worrying too much if your skin breaks out or you perceive another imperfection, including on your body, such as bruises or spots. Avoid picking or irritating your skin with aggressive treatments and instead look to soothing products. There’s still plenty of time for them to disappear.
Makeup
Make sure you have finalised the details for your makeup on the day and have organised what your touch-up plan might be, for example, in time for the evening (if you are changing your outfit) or to remove some shine and reapply lipstick post-food. It can be a good idea to plan to have one of your bridesmaids (or another close friend) carrying a few top-up products in a clutch for you, so you can access them easily when/if you need them. That might include a great blotting powder for oily shine, a long-lasting lipstick and a touch of concealer to hide any high colour.
Less than 1 week to go
Makeup and Nails
With your wedding day just around the corner, it’s time to get your final manicure and pedicure done. Depending on when you are heading to your destination, try to go somewhere you’ve been before if you can (to avoid any unexpected surprises) and opt for long-lasting gels to reduce the risk of chips. Don’t panic though if your nails do chip when travelling. As soon as it happens, ask your wedding planner or hotel to secure you an appointment. Or, if neither of those apply, know that a highly rated local nail artist should do a great job on small touch-ups.
If you’ll be having henna applied, make sure your appointment is scheduled a few days before the ceremony. You may need to factor appointments like this into your travel plans to give it the time it needs to look its best.
Semi-Permanent Makeup
If you’ve tried and loved lash extensions, lip tints or other semi-permanent makeup before, organise your wedding appointment in the week before your big day to maximise the effect, while also leaving enough time for any irritation to go down. The same goes for if you want brow shaping or tinting. If you can, go back to someone you have trusted before to avoid a look you aren’t happy with.
When you reach your wedding destination
Hair, Makeup, and Nails
Once you’ve arrived in the country you are getting married in, it can be a good idea to do a tiny mini trial of your beauty look if you have the time. Test out that your mascara doesn’t leave you looking like a panda bear in the heat, that your concealer doesn’t look a little ‘off’ in the new lighting, and your hair curls don’t immediately fall flat. This can help you pick up any issues before the day itself, discuss switches with your hired experts, and factor in a small window to pick up anything you might have forgotten or really want to change!
Wedding Day
Hair, Makeup, and Nails
The main thing on your wedding day itself is to enjoy it – and that includes the process of getting ready. Just remember that bridal beauty always takes a little bit longer than you think! Got a breakout? Don’t stress. Use spot stickers, such as those from Mighty Patch, to bring the bump down overnight and apply ice in the morning to reduce the redness. This will help your makeup artist blur the spot away with just a little bit of makeup.
Then, before you make your way down the aisle, do another quick makeup, hair and nail check, and you are ready to say ‘I do’. Congratulations!
Becki Murray is Citizen Femme’s Beauty and Wellness Director. As one of the only UK journalists to hold a Distinction-grade diploma in cosmetic science, she combines her unique knowledge with an editor’s eye to help you make smarter choices about beauty, wellbeing, and aesthetics. Becki also heads up CF’s spa guide so you could say she’s an expert in the science of relaxation too…
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