Best Beauty Treatments Before a Wedding, Photoshoot, or Special Event
One of the questions I get asked the most as an esthetician is “What treatments should I get to prep for my special event [wedding, photoshoot, reunion, etc.]?” I created an easy list for you that details what treatments you should get and when.
Don’t stress; you don’t need to get ALL of these treatments. This list is simply to help you figure out your timeline of beauty and skincare services. Pick and choose what looks good for you and your skincare goals.
scrub me secret: feeling stuck or lost about where to start on your skincare journey? Read my blog post “An Esthetician’s Guide to Getting the Best Facial” to learn how to communicate best with your esthetician or a new esthetician.
Beauty Services to Get 4-6 Weeks Before Your Event
Professional Microneedling
A microneedling treatment is where a clinical esthetician or nurse uses a device with a head of small needles that pulsates, letting the needles quickly penetrate the skin’s surfaces layers (some needles go deeper) creating small microchannels that bring renewal and more oxygen flow to your skin’s tissues. This treatment creates a small amount of damage to the cells that urges them to heal and become even healthier.
Microneedling is great for treating textured scarring, smoothing fine lines, preventing wrinkles and overall firming, and reducing the apparance of dark spots.
After a microneedling session your skin will feel sensitive for 24-48 hours and you cannot apply ANY product. Some people have flaky/dry skin for 2-7 days post-microneedling and some people feel soft skin right away. I suggest doing this about a month from your event, no sooner.
**Always leave microneedling treatments to a professional. You’ll get the best results this way and you’ll save yourself from unwanted breakouts from doing it at home.
Photofacial - IPL
A photofacial is a laser facial treatment using IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) to deliver waves of laser light to the skin that smooth and brighten the skin giving an overall more even tone and a firmer feel. This laser light works by creating a small amount of damage that signals to the cells to renew and regenerate, coming back stronger and healthier. This is a great option for those who want a more even and healthy complexion and facials aren’t giving the results you are looking for.
Downtime is different for every skintype and every type of laser treatment. And sometimes multiple treatments are required for best results. Thats why I suggest getting a treatment like this 6 weeks out.
scrub me secret: BBL (broadband light laser) is a popular treatment among my clients who are prepping for weddings or other important events. This is a type of IPL laser that is more advanced.
Beauty Services to Get 10-14 Days Before Your Event
Nano Needling - Nano Infusion
Nano needling, also called nano-infusion therapy, helps serums get into the skin deeper than of we just applied them topically and sparks cell growth.
Your esthetician (me 😊) will use a small device with a sterile, single-use tip. This tip features tiny pyramids made of monocrystalline silicon that will press into the skin without piercing the surface. After applying serums, the silicon pyramids push products into the outer skin layers while also triggering cell renewal.
The result is firmer, smoother skin with fewer lines and less sagging. Your face looks clearer and more glowing 2-10 days post-treatment. This is a more mild treatment but everyone heals differently, so I always suggest getting nano-infusion at least 10 days before your event or photoshoot.
Facial - Plus Dermaplane or Enzyme
A custom facial is a great way to perfect your complexion, take care of any visible blackheads or whiteheads, add hydration, and give your skin a more radiant glow. Skin usually looks it’s best about a week+ after your facial, especially if you get extractions your skin will need a couple days to heal completely. I suggest a facial about 10 days before your event. Your skin will be looking great and you won’t be stressed over it!
Adding dermaplane to your facial is an exfoliation method that will get rid of the vellus hairs (peach fuzz) on your face as well as dry surface cells. A dermaplane makes your skin really smooth, helping any makeup to lay more evenly. And light reflects better off of your skin with no little hairs there. Great for photos.
Exfoliation using an enzyme dissolves dead skin cells and has brightening benefits. This allows for skin to feel softer, healther, and look overall brighter. Serums and moisturizing masks will also absorb better after an enzyme. For certain enzyme products, results aren’t immdiate, you have to wait 4-7 days to see your bright and fresh skin. Thats why I suggest getting a facial 10 days or more before.
Beauty Services to Get 2-3 Days Before Your Event
LED Therapy
LED therapy is something that you can do in the weeks and months leading up to your event for healthy, clear, and plump skin. But I also find that a red LED session or a blue/red LED combo a couple of days before your event gives you a really radiant glow and clear complexion. I alwasys get compliments the day after my LED session.
How does LED work?
Red LED waves penetrate into your skin to stimulate rejuvenation in your skin’s proteins. This means collagen and elastin become stronger, healthier, and more active. Hello firmer, smoother skin! Goodbye lines and wrinkles.
Blue LED waves penetrate into your skin and create an envronment that bacteria cannot live and breed in. This is really helpful for clearing pimples, little red breakouts, and acne. If you have serious breakouts and acne, more than one blue LED session is needed to clear your skin. But it works!
Both of these therapies are non-sensitizing and have no down-time after the treatment. LED boosts skin health, it does not compormize your barrier in any way.
Brazilian Lymphatic Massage (body)
Brazilian lymphatic drainage massage is a specific type of body therapy treatment that is different from other lymphatic drainage body massages. This method is a blend of manual lymphatic drainage, as well as deep fascia release and circulation-boosting massage techniques.
The result is firmer, more toned skin and more contour in places where you were retaining excess fluid. And lymphatic drainage + a boost of circulation in the body is great for the immune system and our overall health.
These instant visible results usually last around a week. It’s perfect 2-3 days before your event. And if you’re getting a spray tan you’ll want to do this the day before.
Spray tan
Getting a light spray tan before an event, wedding, or photo shoot will give you a healthy, natural, even glow all over. I find that spray tans are great for events where you’ll have a lot of photos taken and great for phoroshoots as well.
The day of a spray tan you’ll need to let it set in and wear loose clothing. After you shower, 4-24 hours later (every formula has differnt rules for when you shower) your tan will be set in and last for at least 3 days.
I think a spray tan 48 hours before your photoshoot or event is ideal.
Beauty Services to Get the Day Before or Day of Your Event
Face Massage
A professional facial massage treatment helps to depuff, sclupt, lift, and create radiance in your skin. Results are immidiate after your treatment. Your esthetician or massage therapist will use their hands or specific facial massage tools to move and drain away stagnant lymphatic fluid, boost energy in the skin cells/tissue, smooth fine lines, and release tension that results in a lifted look.
Perfect to get the day before an event or the morning of!
Blowout
The best blowout leaves you with silky hair thats full of volume but not frizzy at all. Blown out hair looks amazing worn down and also lends to a more polished look if you’re putting it up.
My favorite blowout in Boulder, CO is Nate at Dark Horse Salons (my neighbor 😊)
More tips for keeping your skin and body in tip-top shape before an important event
Eat fresh or flash-frozen berries in the weeks leading up to your event
Fresh and flash-frozen berries are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that nourish our bodies and skin, improving health and creating a radiant glow. A couple of weeks leading up to an event, I love to swap out sweet treats like baked goods or candy for more berries. I also love a berry smoothie in the morning.
scrub me secret: lingonberries are my favorite superfood berry! I have a lingonberry-infused water recipe that will give your body both important hydration and antioxidants that help your immune system and make your skin glow. Find the blog here.
Move your body
Movement, whatever kind, helps move stagnant lymphatic fluid and boost circulation in the body. This improves your immune system and also makes you feel and look less puffy. Even simply squatting down and standing back up, followed by moving your arms around a bit at all of the joints, is a great way to create lymphatic flow and circulation. Whatever kind of exercise or movement feels good to you.
Scrub me secret: A vibration plate is another way to stimulate lymphatic movement and circulation in the body. You can stand on it and squat up and down. Or do different stretches on it.
Tea or matcha instead of coffee
Coffee dehydrates us, making our skin look and feel less alive and radiant. Green teas and matcha are better ways to get our caffeine fix without the same dehydrating qualities as coffee. And a bonus: green tea, especially matcha, is full of adaptogens that help us feel calmer.