There’s a burgeoning industry in pre-wedding beautifying. First, you’re advised to have 6 months of facials, then there’s teeth whitening and tanning,not to mention fitness trainers to shout you into a smaller dress size. Brides get whipped up into a frenzy of panicky weight loss and facial masques and suddenly pre-wedding beautifying is a small event in itself. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to beautify without those beastly costs:
1. Water is free. Hydrate til your pee is like liquid diamonds and your skin glows like an Evian models’.
2. Dry brushing is the secret to being cellulite free. OK, it’s a bit like self-flagellation, but it does wonders for those dimply thighs.
Brush in long strokes towards the heart and think of England.
3. Expensive body exfoliators are a waste of money – get the cheapest you can buy, or just use salt granules.
4. DIY Intense Pulsed Light hair removal – For the price of a few trips to Madame Bikini Wax and a little bit of patience, you can actually get your hair removed forever. Boots has just introduced a DIY non-laser Intense Pulsed Light hair removal kit, called Smooth Skin, for an introductory price of £250. That’s a great deal cheaper than salon hair removal, which can cost thousands, and means those mortifying trips for Brazilians could soon be a thing of the past.
Boots Smooth Skin takes 6-12 weeks to de-fuzz you
5. Awarded high street products – Superdrug Instant Radiance and Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum are prize winners.
Even my mother recommends this
6. Sleep costs nothing. You’ll always look like poop if you’re tired.
7. Beauty schools - get all your beauty treatments done for a song, by nervous but enthusiastic students.
London Esthetique run a student salon in Margaret St, London W1.
£12 for Galvanic cellulite treatment? Happy days for your orange peel.
8. Shop around for beauty products. Otherwise, you just pay lazy tax. Jersey Beauty Company do tax-avoiding Dermlogica and Saint Tropez products. You can normally get a third off or more for any product on ebay (unused, obviously).
9. DIY Facials – According to You and Your Wedding, here’s how to do it:
Mix two teaspoons of fine oatmeal with enough natural yoghurt (for oily skin) or almond oil (for dry skin) to make a paste. Leave it on for 20 minutes then wash off.
10. DIY make up – No need for an expensive bridal make up lady, or the pre-wedding make-up trial. Learn how to do your make up better yourself. It’s cheaper, plus it’s a skill you can keep forever. You can get a free make-up advice in most department stores. If you ask the nice lady her advice, and don’t mention it’s a wedding she’ll surely help you out. Alternatively, teach yourself with Lauren Luke’s YouTube make up tutorials. There’s endless make-upstyles to choose from:
