Conditioning for a Beautiful Bride
Your wedding photographs will show you on your happiest
day looking at your absolute peak. You don’t get
any better than this, so think about maximising your
impact both on camera and more importantly on your new
husband.
Take a good long look at yourself - what needs improving?
Stand in front of the mirror and make a list. Talk to
your mum, sister, brother, your closest friends and your
partner about what looks good (although partners are
usually are too scared to be honest with you!). Think
back in time and ask questions - did I look better with
that hairstyle? Which clothes do I look best in? Think
about when you and your partner met for the very first
time. Did you look better then or do you look at your
best now? What does he love about your image?
Hair
Does your present style suit you? Does your current
colour accentuate your features?Is your hair in peak
condition? Think about how long you have between now
and the wedding day, is there time to make any length
changes? Think about extensions if you want instant longer
hair; consult a hairdresser to consider the best preparation
that you can make.
Start using treatments to encourage growth, thickness,
and above all healthy hair.
Face
Do you look well? If you look tired, spotty, or stressed,
consider taking a course of multivitamins; these can
take up to 3 months before you can notice any improvement.
Look at your moisturiser, is it fulfilling your skins
needs? Do some research into all the various brands that
promise improvement, talk to friends, visit beauty counters
to get samples. It can take quite a while finding the
perfect product for your skin. The sooner you use the
product best suited to you, the better you will look.
Facial Hair
Does it need removing, or bleaching? Start to take care
of this problem, now. Regular treatments really
do reduce the problem and will ensure that on the day,
you won’t get an angry skin reaction.
Eyebrows
Are they well shaped, or have you over plucked them?
Do you need to grow them back into a more natural shape?
Surprisingly the ones you grew up with are usually the
most balanced shape for your face, and often just need
a little tidying up. It would not do to have a permanently
surprised expression on the day, by too-thin, too-high
eyebrows!
Eyes
Do you wear glasses? Glasses and wedding dresses are
not ideal, but, how sad it would be to walk up the aisle
and not be able to see everyone clearly. Have you ever
considered contact lenses? It is far better to get used
to wearing lenses well before the wedding. Not
only will you be more physically comfortable; you will
also get used to the way you feel psychologically about
not hiding behind glasses.
Have a chat with your Optician - you can even
opt for one eye to read with, and one eye to see into
the distance!
Teeth
Are your teeth in great condition? When was the last
time you visited the dentist?
Start to use one of the many brightening toothpastes
that are on the market today; it will help give you the
whitest smile. Many people look uncomfortable in front
of a camera, when they smile because of poor teeth. How
sad, why not just accept it and deal with it instead!
Chin
Are there two?! Chin-firming exercises are effective
if practiced often enough, but can take quite a few weeks
before there is any noticeable difference.
Moving on to your Body
Take a long look at yourself wearing underwear; are
you happy and confident with your size? Check your weight;
too much or too little? A sensible eating regime will
help your overall look whatever your size. A balanced
diet will make your skin glow, your hair glossy, and
your nails flawless. It will also help eliminate all
the toxins that build up when you abuse your system with
convenience foods and booze. Start drinking water:
a glass in the morning, a glass when you get home. Get
into the habit of carrying a bottle with you to drink
during the day. It is said that we should drink at least
8 glasses a day - but by saying that, most of us
feel that it is an unlikely goal and don’t drink
any! At least by doubling up what you drink already
it will help improve your health and is attainable. Don’t
go mad though. Lifestyle improvements have to be made
in bite-sized pieces - like the elephant you could not
eat one all at once! Don’t consider huge changes
in your appearance: remember that your partner loves
you the way you are: in asking to seal your relationship
by marriage, it is you as you are; in asking to marry
you, it you as you are now that captured his heart.
Many brides have become such slaves to losing weight
that it drives their loved one into the arms of one less
neurotic! Think of the girl that was loved for her cute
button nose, and then had surgery to change it! We all
love something quirky about each other; imagine if he
straightened his lopsided grin? Simply enhancing your
look by improving your health is all that is required,
so that you are a truly glowing bride.
Don’t go changing, just look beautiful!
Skin
Making your skin bloom does not happen overnight, it
depends not only on what you put in your body
but also what you apply to it. Look at your beauty
regime: are you using skin products that suit your skin
type? Getting into the habit of moisturising all over
can really improve skin texture. There are even
body products that can help to contour your body, the
massage effect of applying cream will effectively disperse
trapped toxins and break up the fatty tissue that causes
cellulite. Taking the time and effort to look after your
skin reinforces your own positive attitude to maintain
it, because you feel so much better. When you see
improvement it will spur you on to keep improving. It
will also discourage you snacking on chocolate and crisps
and encourage you to keep up your fluid intake.
Body Hair
Your legs and armpits are not the only hairy places
that need to be kept neat and tidy. Indulge in an assessment
of your most intimate parts and decide if a trim would
keep things fresher and more beguiling. You could have
it all waxed into a heart shape or even a landing strip
(ha-ha) or go for complete removal a la Brazilian. Whatever
you chose - be it something a bit different or merely
enhanced with hair conditioner - if you have given the
whole area a pamper, you will feel and look far sexier.
Hands
Are your nails healthy and nicely shaped, or are they
bitten and ragged? Using hand cream regularly now will
encourage healthy nails and soft hands. A nail
strengthener will take a few weeks before you see any
change. Allow at least six weeks to level out uneven
nails. Remember your hands will be on show far more now
than ever before: as soon as you wear an engagement ring
or wedding ring, everyone wants to look at it! Your hands
will never again receive as much attention! Make sure
that they look and feel the part.
Feet
A wry smile, I know, but your feet are just as important
as every other part, there is nothing more unsexy than
dry cracked heels and hard pads. Remember your feet are
often viewed from a different angle to the one that you
see!! Feet do not become beautiful overnight, a few weeks
of gentle pumicing, and use of moisturiser will give
you soft and pretty feet, especially if you grow your
toenails into a neat polished square shape.
Start looking after your feet now and they will not
let you down.
Posture
The way that you stand can make all the difference to
how your clothes hang! If you spend six months walking
tall, and holding your stomach in with your shoulders
back, your muscles will take the form as a natural stance
and you will look leaner, taller and better proportioned.
Wrapping It Up
I hope that this will make you consider all the little
bits of your body that you neglect. In the fast world
that we live in, it is all too easy to focus on one part
of the body to be your “image champion” and
everything else can get forgotten. Your wedding - and
honeymoon, even if it’s just one night - deserves
to be special, so be a goddess and the rest will be history!
|
