10 beauty and skin care products you deserve

If you’re a bride-to-be, chances are, you will like this article.

We interviewed three beauty experts, all three of whom have three different areas of expertise. We sourced tips and recommended products and treatments just for you.

Before you start reading, beware that it’s always wiser to look into the products yourself and speak with a professional before using them. Here’s what our experts recommended:

1. Drink lots of water. You should already be drinking half a gallon of water regularly (according to the experts), so if you don’t, start now. It will hydrate your skin and lips, and make it easier to apply makeup. “Nobody can go wrong with drinking water,” said Maria Moses, owner of Busy Bee Spa in Toronto. So, it’s true, and since water is free, we endorse it.

2. Don’t try any new products close to wedding day. You never know what won’t suit your skin. “You don’t want to do anything extensive, change your routine or anything. Stick with the ones you already have, even if it’s organic,” said Moses. Moses explains that aestheticians such as herself prefer beauty routines to be as simple as using home remedies. She believes that home remedies keep the skin clean and push all toxins out.

3. If you have acne or any form of severe skin conditions, Moses suggests that you consult a specialist at least two months before your wedding.

4. Try Aveda’s tulasāra wedding masque overnight. A 30-day treatment which is clinically tested. It is recommended if you’re aiming for the perfect bridal glow. “You get significant improvement in moisturization, improvement in firmness, in skin tone, and 100 per cent improvement in radiance,” said Nella Arangio. Arangio is a Spa Education and Business Development Specialist as well as a professor of Spa Therapies at Seneca College.

5. Aveda, in general. In fact, Arangio suggests that you should try all Aveda products. She explains that they are all Ayurvedic Indian based and suitable for all skin tones and types. “You are looking at formulations that are 90 to 100 per cent naturally derived. There’s no fillers or any synthetic preservatives. Everything is plants and flowers,” said Arangio. She explains that the basic “tool of facial” is their tulāsara facial.

6. For those with severe skin concerns Arangio suggests a botanical skin resurfacing treatment by Aveda (which is to be performed by a professional aesthetician). Three months before your wedding, Arangio recommends that you should get one professional treatment every month. If you have conditions such as redness, acne, oiliness or hyperpigmentation, she recommends you look into Aveda serums. Arangio says that the best spa to offer Aveda treatments in Toronto is Civello.

7. Own a colour correcting concealer. Nicole Era, a makeup artist based in Toronto says that having a concealer that has colour-correcting properties for your skin tone is very helpful and would save you a lot of time. So, go to your nearest Sephora and ask for one and see the magic for yourself.

8. Use a mineralize face powder. It hides layers of makeup, gives coverage, and bonus: it has minerals in it. “There’s going to be so many pictures taken [of the bride] on the wedding day, the last thing you want is for her face to look cakey,” said Era. “The reason I use the mineralized face powder is because it doesn’t matter how much [makeup] you layer on, it never looks caked. It’s a really nice thin layer.” Since Era works for MAC at Sephora, she uses their mineralize skin finish natural powder for herself and for any bridal makeup she does.

9. Waterproof mascara. Ladies, don’t forget to use waterproof mascara. It’s your big day and if you happen to get emotional, that could lead to smudged makeup. You wouldn’t want that now, would you? So, to avoid any running mascara, Era suggests using mascara that’s 100 per cent waterproof, and consider waterproof foundation too. Her favourite is Prolong Waterproof Foundation by MAC.

10. Korean face masks. If you feel like trying something new, try a Korean face mask. “Korea has the biggest beauty industry [right now],” said Era. She said that they are the best face masks she has ever used. Era buys her masks from Cosmetic World in Toronto. Cosmetic World sells imported masks from Korea in a wide variety, depending on your skin type and tone. Era isn’t the only one to rave about Korean products, Busy Bee Spa offers a South Korean Skin Whitening treatment, which she describes as the “craziest thing ever.” The treatment gives you an immediate glow and brightens up your skin tone. However, unlike the masks, this treatment is recommended for brides with light to brown skin tones.

As you read on, you will come across more tips and some trends about beauty products divided by cultures, and beauty experts for those specific cultures.