Insider tricks to perfect skin on your wedding day from Irene Forte

How far in advance did you start your bridal skincare preparation?
I started six months before the wedding! I did all the 'intense' things, such as facials and micro-needling, six and three months before the big day. In the two and one months leading up to the wedding, I did nothing that would aggravate the skin and I focussed on having buccal massage and lymphatic drainage.

What does your bridal skincare routine look like?
A mixture of a thorough daily routine and a range of treatments in the 6 months leading up to the wedding, including:

• Fraxel Laser with Jasmina Vico six months prior:  an extremely effective treatment for any scarring, sun spots, wrinkles and signs of ageing. Jasmina Vico is a skin health specialist with 16+ years of experience, renowned for her high-tech yet holistic approach, based in London.    
• Microneedling with Jasmina Vico three months prior: an effective treatment for any scarring, as well as to deliver anti-aging benefits, stimulating the skin’s natural ability to heal itself by producing collagen and elastin.
• Targeted laser with Jasmina Vico six and three months prior on my broken capillaries around the nose area. Jasmina did this twice to remove my few broken capillaries. 
• Two buccal facials with Michaela Bolder three and two months prior to the wedding. Micheala has over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry, and is based in London. Michaela's signature facial is focussed on easing muscle tension using pressure points and unique massage techniques to lift and sculpt the facial contours. She uses a unique buccal technique, accessing different pressure points and passages from inside the mouth helping to further lift and set the muscle, release and clear out blockages, aid lymphatic drainage. 
• Weekly facials (lymphatic drainage) for the month leading up to the wedding with Luciano Porcu at my Irene Forte Spa at Verdura Resort in Sicily. In these facials, we did no peels/ scrubs or extraction. I had already done fraxel and microneedling six and three months prior to the wedding, which was more than enough. We didn't want to do anything that would aggravate the skin or push spots to come out. These facials used my gentle, hydrating and nourishing products to really keep my skin looking healthy and glowing. Luciano would focus on Lymphatic Drainage massage techniques to clear away toxins below the skin surface, promote blood flow and ensure my complexion was looking good! 
• Facial on the day of the wedding (lymphatic drainage) with Luciano Porcu at Verdura Resort. Just like the facials in the month's lead up to the wedding, this was just very much a lymphatic drainage massage to ensure my skin was glowing on the day. 

To summarise, I did all the 'intense' things six and three months before the wedding. In the two and one month leading up to the wedding, I did nothing that would aggravate the skin. I focussed on having buccal massage and lymphatic drainage. 

Talk us through your skincare regime in the lead up to the wedding.

• I didn't change much in terms of products I used in the lead up to the wedding; of course, I always have a good skincare routine - and I use Irene Forte Skincare. 
• However, I went to see Dr. Alexis Granite six months prior.  Dr. Alexis Granite is a world-renowned expert in medical and aesthetic dermatology. Certified in the US and the UK, she is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD). She is based in London. I have always suffered from mild rosacea, and she prescribed me soolantra that I used in my daily routine: 

MORNING 

1. Cleansing/ Toning: my Almond Cleansing Milk, followed by Helichrysum Toner. 
2. Next Step: Soolantra on my cheeks and chin. 
3. Serums: my Triple Level Hyaluronic Serum, followed by Hibiscus Serum. 
4. Eyes: my Olive Eye Cream. 
5. Creams: Prickly Pear Face Cream, followed by SPF 50. 

EVENING

1. Cleansing/ Toning: my Almond Cleansing Milk, followed by Helichrysum Toner. 
2. Serums: my Triple Level Hyaluronic Serum, followed by Phytomelatonin Serum-Oil (not out yet, but coming soon! and amazing!!). 
3. Eyes: my Olive Eye Cream. 
4. Creams: Hibiscus Night Cream. 

• I would do a weekly Apricot Face Peel monthly, with the exception of the month before the wedding where I did no peels/ scrubs!
• 2x per week, I would use my Pistachio Face Mask overnight instead of the Hibiscus Night Cream. On these nights, I would use my Rose Face Oil for some self-massage techniques, as well as integrating my Gua Sha. I would do this after the Cleansing/ Toning Step, and then follow with serums, eyes & mask

Are there any products you specifically use the night before or on the day of the wedding?

NIGHT BEFORE WEDDING

1. Cleansing/ Toning: my Almond Cleansing Milk, followed by Helichrysum Toner. 
2. Facial Massage: my Rose Face Oil with Gua Sha. 
3. Mask: Pistachio Face Mask. 
4. Wash off the Pistachio Face Mask, and then Serums: Phytomelatonin Serum-Oil (not out yet, but coming soon! and amazing!!). 
5. Eyes: my Olive Eye Cream. 
6. Cream: Hibiscus Night Cream. 

DAY OF THE WEDDING

• My usual morning routine, as then I did my lymphatic drainage facial with Luciano. 
• I then did an Opalex hair treatment to get my hair ready for the day. 

MAKEUP SKIN PREP

• As primer/ skin prep, we just applied my Triple Level Hyaluronic Serum, which is clinically proven to hydrate the skin over 12 hours, as well as plump the skin. 
• My make up artist then followed with a very natural makeup look because my skin was in great condition!