Wedding beauty countdown - WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports

By Dana Wagner
From Bright Smile Beautiful You 

We know you're completely crazed with the final preparations for your wedding, and the last thing you need to worry about is having all that stress turn you into bridezilla. To take the anxiety out of making sure you look every inch the blushing bride, just follow our easy timeline of to-do's (and a few to-don'ts).

Six Weeks to Wedding Day:

• Hair and Makeup Trial: Schedule a trial run with your makeup artist and don't be afraid to speak up if you're not 100 percent happy. Not using a pro? Head to the makeup counter to make sure you have everything you need and start practicing! Now is also the time to bring your veil to your hairstylist to test day-of options for your 'do.
  
  
• Brighten and Whiten: Some at-home teeth whitening kits can take up to four weeks to achieve results, says beauty expert Greg Clarke, so it's best to start now. Cut back on tea, coffee and colas, which can stain your pearly whites. And swap out your regular toothpaste for a whitening one.
  
  
• Don't schedule a professional teeth-whitening right before your wedding -- you don't want to be worrying about what you can (and can't) eat or drink at the reception.

Three to Four Weeks to Wedding Day:

• Healthy Eating: Load up on fresh fruits and veggies -- they help give your skin that bridal glow, says Clarke. Choose foods with high levels of stress-fighting vitamin B and essential fatty acids, like salmon, almonds and whole grains. Avoid sugary treats and salty snacks, and limit alcohol (hard, we know, with all those prenuptial celebrations), which can cause bloating, weight gain and a puffy face.
  
  
• Cut and Color: Get your hair trimmed and touch up your color. Doing a cut too close to wedding day can look overly blunt, and color needs time to settle to have a more natural finish, says Clarke.
  
  
• Don't experiment with a bold new cut or a "fun" new color -- stick to what you know and love. You want to look like yourself.

Two Weeks to Wedding Day:

• Face Treatments: Have your last facial and exfoliating treatment. You want to look radiant, but your face may need time to get back to normal, warns Clarke. To avoid any allergic reactions in the days leading up to the wedding, stick to products you've used in the past.
  
  
• Get Peaceful: Plan some relaxing activities, such as yoga or meditation, to help bust stress and pump up feel-good hormones that ease your nerves and improve your appearance.
  
  
• Don't schedule a massage too close to the big day, especially if you have sensitive skin -- you don't want to run the risk of bruising, says Clarke. Consider a couples' massage now. You can both relax and spend time with each other while giving skin time to recover.

One Week to Wedding Day:

• Hair Removal: Have your eyebrows shaped and bikini line and legs waxed, suggests Clarke. It's enough time to allow redness to fade, but skin will still be smooth and sultry for your honeymoon lingerie.
  
  
• Look Tan-tastic: Skip the harmful tanning booth and get a bridal glow with a spray tan. Schedule it three days ahead to allow the color to even out and ensure it doesn't rub off on your gown. If you're doing it yourself, be sure to exfoliate knees, elbow and heels, and consider having a friend help with those hard-to-reach places so they don't look blotchy, says Clarke.

One Day to Wedding Day:

• Nail It: Have your mani-pedi now to allow polish plenty of time to dry and eliminate worries of getting any on your gown; slick on an extra top coat to make sure it doesn't chip or smudge -- essential for those close-up shots of your ring, says Clarke.
  
  
• Suds Up: Wash hair the night before the big day, suggests Clarke. The overnight buildup of natural oils actually makes it easier to style.
  
  
• Don't use a heavy conditioner or too many styling products, which can make hair fall flat; if you have oily or very fine hair, wash it the morning of your wedding.

Big Day:

Smile, gorgeous!

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Dana Wagner has held positions at Vogue and Gotham, and she is the fashion and beauty director of Bridal Guide magazine.

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