Hi everyone! This is Nicole of The Nicole Code– An Insider’s Guide to Beauty Secrets, Not-So-Secrets and Everything In- Between. Here are my Top 5 Beauty Dos and Don’ts to have your skin in tip top shape for the most special (and most photographed) day of your life. Let’s get into it shall we ladies and exceptionally well groomed gents?
DO
Start a skincare routine
You should ideally have started a strict skincare regimen of cleansing, toning and moisturizing at least 6 months before the day, but anytime is a good time to start. Pick the appropriate products for your skin type to get it prepped and ready in time.
Stay hydrated
Drink water like your life depends on it. Because actually, it does. Your skin is the very last organ to get water when you drink, so if you aren’t drinking enough you are depriving your skin of moisture. And moisturized skin is glowy skin! Aim for a minimum of 2 litres of water a day, but if you are a Real G, make it 3. You can do it!
Step up your Supplement game
Fish Oil and Vitamin C are great for making skin clear and radiant. Zinc (Zinc Picolinate if you can find it, Zinc Gluconate is a good alternative if you cannot) is particularly good for acne, especially those pesky cysts. Try and splurge on the best quality supplements you can find, as the higher the quality the more potent it is, obvs. (Please consult your doctor before starting any medication thanksss.)
Sleep (and sleep on your back)
Goes without saying that you need a minimum of seven hours sleep every night. Sleep as much as you can , and if you don’t do this already- you might want to train yourself to sleep on your back. Sleeping in this position reduces puffiness under the eyes (as fluid cannot build up), stops you from getting wrinkles (which one gets from pressing their skin into pillows for hours on end every single night) and may reduce breakouts (pillowcases harbor debris and bacteria)
Eye Cream/Serum
This is soooo important so you can look bright eyed and bushy tailed. Most women have eye area concerns- puffiness, fine lines, dark circles. Some women like me are blessed with all three (man, life is so fair and fun). Incorporate this into your routine PRONTO, and thank me when you are 50 and still look 30. Two words. ANGELA BASSET.
DON’T
Get a facial anything less than 2 weeks beforehand
Facials are great, but sometimes make your skin ‘purge’, and you need to leave enough time for any post facial breakouts that may happen afterwards to heal completely.
Eat Junk Food
Again, goes without saying that you should be making healthier choices with food etc etc snooze snooze. But just start off with small changes like swapping your morning coffee with green tea which is BURSTING with antioxidants to make your skin luminous.
Attempt to pop any blemishes
Don’t do it. DO NOT DO IT. It’s more likely that you will drive the infection deeper into the skin and scar yourself (the scar will take weeks to heal, maybe months) or if it is a cyst, you will make it 100x worse. If you attempt to pop a cyst, THE CYST WILL WIN.
Stay in the sun
Sun rays are super harmful for your skin, causing discoloration and/or wrinkles. Sunscreen is your friend at all times.
Stress
Easier said than done. I know weddings are an incredibly trying period. But stress could throw the body’s hormones out of whack, leading t excessive sebum production which clogs pores and leads to breakouts.
And that’s it folks! Hope this was helpful. Until next time.
Nicole
www.thenicolecode.com
