Photography: Alex Robertson
It's seven days to the wedding you've been working tirelessly on for the last few months. You're done with the last dress fitting, settled on your hair, makeup and other peripherals, but chances are, you're not fully satisfied with your appearance in some areas. While it's completely normal to want to look better than you do now — lose a kilo more, reduce your belly, get more radiant skin or perfect brows — it's best to avoid these following beauty procedures and/or activities in case of less than stellar results or blunders.
1. Abrasive facial treatments
Chemical peels (even mild ones), microdermabrasion, deep exfoliation or laser treatments can irritate skin and cause flaking, patchiness and red blotches. It's best to do such treatments at least two weeks before and continue with a mild facial regime that'll keep skin in tip-top shape.
2. Cut or colour hair
A week before your wedding isn't the right time to experiment with your hair and give it a drastic cut or dye job.
3. Facial tattooing
If you're intending to do eyebrow embroidery or tattooing, it's best to do so about two months prior to the wedding as it allows time for the scabbing and colour to settle. But our advice is to hold off the procedure till after the wedding if you've never done it before.
4. Try out new skincare or makeup products
When you're out shopping, don't be tempted by the many skincare products and makeup because you'll never know if you're going to have an allergic reaction to it.
5. Embark on an intensive, high-impact workout regime or contact sports
The last thing you want is to sport bruises or hobble down the aisle because of a torn ligament from over-exercising or kickboxing. Keep workouts easy — you'll look amazing on your big day, don't worry!
6. Drink more alcohol
While a little drink can calm the nerves and take the edge off, be sure to not go on a booze binge as you don't want to nurse any hangovers on the week of your wedding. A dull pallor, tired skin, dark eye circles or eyebags aren't a good look too. And avoid too much red wine as it can stain teeth.
7. Go for a tan
You don't want burnt skin or unsightly tan lines, so keep tanning for your minimoon after the wedding.
8. Drinking more caffeine
You might be drinking more coffee or tea because you're staying up late to finalise last minute wedding issues or finish up DIY projects, but all that caffeine is robbing you of much needed beauty sleep.
9. Drinking less water
You're likely to forget to hydrate with all that running around and stressing. Make sure to drink about 2 litres of water a day to keep skin clear and radiant.
10. Eating foods with high sodium content
If you're a stress eater, leave out the salt-laden snacks (no chips, crackers, salted popcorn and the like) and go for the healthier option of fruit, vege sticks or unsalted nuts. If you're disciplined, try a reduced-salt diet for a week before the wedding to reduce any bloating.
