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The
GOOD SKIN Blog

A Pre-Wedding Skincare Checklist for Every Complexion

Just as we cross our fingers for clear, sunny skies on the day of a wedding, birthday soiree, or other special occasion, we beg our skin to be on its best behavior, too. But just in case our prayers to the beauty gods go unanswered (pimples do always seem to show up at the very worst moment, don’t they?), it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan. One that ideally starts weeks—even months—back so that you can set your skin up for success without stressing it out

Got something important on the calendar? Follow this timeline to get glowing skin before your big day.

6 MONTHS OUT

VISIT A DERMATOLOGIST 

Whether you already have an established skincare routine or are just starting one, we recommend scheduling a dermatologist appointment six or more months before your event. Besides asking for a full-body skin exam to check for moles and other abnormalities, this is a great time to bring up any existing concerns and go over the best ways to achieve your skin goals.

If you aren’t able to make an in-office appointment, take our Skin Decoder quiz instead; while it can’t replace the expertise of a dermatologist, it does use data such as age, sleep habits, and climate to recommend the best ingredients and products for your specific complexion

START APPLYING SUNSCREEN
We can’t say it enough: Year-round sun protection is so important. But no skin-shaming here: if you haven’t been applying sunscreen daily, it’s never too late to start. Not only will a Daily Mineral Sunscreen guard against skin cancer and sunburn, but it also helps prevent dark spots, premature fine lines, acne scarring, and more. 

3 MONTHS OUT

ADD IN ACTIVES
While diminishing whiteheads and hydrating skin can take a few days, other concerns such as fine lines and dark spots can take a bit longer to treat—around 6-12 weeks depending on your age and skin type. To give yourself plenty of time, start incorporating actives such as retinol, vitamin C, and tranexamic acid at least three months in advance. This will also allow your complexion plenty of time to go through any skin purging, should that occur. 

Our Gentle Retinol Serum and Advanced Retinoid Eye Balm firm skin, smooth fine lines (including crow’s feet), and reform texture. If you’re new to retinol, apply them one to three times a week during your PM routine and slowly work your way up to nightly use. To get similar results on your arms, legs, neck, chest, and bum, apply our Retinol Body Lotion nightly, too.

While retinol will also help with dullness, target specific dark spots and areas of discoloration with Out of Sight. For best results, apply the formula twice a day using its precision applicator. It plays well with retinol too (in fact, niacinamide helps retinol work even better), so don’t be afraid of layering the two together.

1 MONTH OUT

REPAIR SKIN’S MOISTURE BARRIER

You can’t have a firm, soft, even complexion without a strong moisture barrier. As skin’s biggest defense, the moisture barrier fends off bacteria, pollutants, and other impurities that can cause irritation, acne, flakiness, and more. 

It can take two to four weeks to repair a damaged barrier so, one month out, start incorporating more ingredients that focus on barrier repair and retaining moisture, such as the superfruit complex in our Antioxidant Cleanser and the vitamin E in our Antioxidant Oil-Serum.

2 WEEKS OUT

GET A FACIAL 

While we love the way our skin feels after a facial, you don’t want to book one too close to your major event, as the skin will need a few days to heal from any extractions and chemical peels. Schedule an appointment with a facialist two weeks before an event to detox pores, brighten dullness, and give your complexion a reboot.

If you don’t want to spend the time or money at a spa or office, you can easily give yourself a facial at home using our Instant Resurfacing Mask. It’s a two-minute treatment that uses a blend of vitamin C, bearberry extract, and AHAs to brighten tone, soften bumpy texture, and minimize the appearance of pores without much tingle or downtime.

1 WEEK OUT

KEEP THINGS GENTLE 

Now that we’re getting down to the wire, we want to make sure our skin stays as calm as possible. Avoid adding any new ingredients or products into your routine just in case skin has a negative reaction to it. Instead, stick with soothing, non-comedogenic products like our Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream which will heal any redness and inflammation without clogging pores.

1 DAY BEFORE

DERMAPLANE 

The night before your event, use an At-Home Dermaplaning Tool to slough away facial hair and dead skin cells. Not only will your complexion look bright and feel so soft, but it’ll also provide a smooth canvas for any makeup application. 

SOFTEN  LIPS

For a supple pucker, exfoliate with a gentle lip scrub. Emphasis on gentle–a washcloth wet with warm water works great. Or you can DIY one by mixing coconut oil or olive oil with a little bit of brown sugar. Follow up with a thick layer of Conditioning Lip Oil pre-bedtime to restore moisture and soften texture. 

FACIAL MASSAGE

While a little stress before a big event is inevitable, a spike in cortisol can affect our complexion, causing an uptick in breakouts, redness, inflammation, and dark circles. After applying your PM skincare routine, relax your complexion—and mind—using a Facial Acupressure Tool. Using light to medium pressure, massage facial pressure points (the third eye, upper lip, cheekbones, side of the jaw, brow bone, and temples) in three-second increments. Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth every time you massage an acupoint for extra relaxation.

DAY OF

HYDRATING MASK
Today is all about moisture, moisture, moisture. After cleansing, apply a layer of our Hydrating Plumping Mask to restore skin’s hydration levels and bounce. Its aloe leaf juice cools any redness and inflammation, too. 

TREAT PUFFINESS AND BRIGHTEN UNDERYES
To combat any day-off puffiness and undereye bags, run a cold compress or frozen cucumber across the undereye area before following up with an eye cream like Zero-G. It uses a blend of peptides and olive oil to moisturize skin, while its ethically sourced mica provides instant brightening to the undereye area. 

ENHANCE GLOW
For a final touch, apply a few drops of our Luminizing Glow Drops to skin. Or, mix into face makeup. Its superfine, light-reflecting pigments softly diffuse imperfections while enhancing skin’s natural radiance—perfect for any photo opps. 

Need a morning routine for your big day? Here’s how to layer your AM skincare products.

How to Use Our Smooth Landing Advanced Retinoid Eye Balm
How to Use Our Smooth Landing Advanced Retinoid Eye Balm

How Do Our Retinol Body Products Compare?
How Do Our Retinol Body Products Compare?

How Does Our Gentle Retinol Body Lotion Work?
How Does Our Gentle Retinol Body Lotion Work?

The Complete Guide to Retinol
The Complete Guide to Retinol