Bridal skincare essentials for an outdoor summer wedding

Imagine: it is a bright sunny day. The outdoors look beautiful with the mandap set-up and you look drop dead gorgeous in your wedding attire. Your skin is glowing, part because you are going to marry the partner of your dreams and part because you put in all the efforts to keep your skin looking radiant and healthy. If you are a summer bride and do not yet have a skincare routine, here’s what you absolutely need to have in your bag.  

Niacinamide to keep your makeup in place.

Niacinamide can most effectively assist with keeping your makeup in place during the ceremony. Brides can set their makeup with a setting spray or hydrating mist containing niacinamide, which also helps to prevent acne, hydrate skin instantly, and lock-in the moisture. 

Pro tip: You can also use it on the groom.

Sunscreen is your best friend

Sunscreens are a must for the outdoors, after all its going to protect you from UVA, UVB, and UVC rays, thanks to zinc oxide—a very powerful ingredient. The benefits of this product go beyond just protecting your skin from getting tanned, it also prevents early signs of aging, protection from sun damage, and reduces skin inflammation. So daily application is the key. Use products that already have SPF in them. This can help you prevent getting any sunburns while also protecting your skin.

Exfoliate and hydrate with the right ingredients

Hyaluronic acid and ceramide-based hydration serums give the skin the utmost hydration and help it retain moisture even when wearing heavy make-up. It's crucial to exfoliate your skin using an AHA, BHA, and PHA-containing exfoliation serum before applying makeup to unclog pores. They can be applied as a quick 10-minute glow mask (in lower percentage) right before you get dressed. Scrubbing will remove extra oil from the skin and aid in removing blackheads and whiteheads.

Less is more

For skincare, less is always more, especially during summer. Using more makeup products results in cakey skin, which is the last thing you want on your wedding day. Therefore, it is advisable to utilise versatile or multitasking products with well-thought-out combinations.

Choose cleansers that contain Allantoin 

Any skincare regimen must include cleansing, yet this step has major negative effects on the health of your skin. You must only invest in non-stripping, pH-balanced, soft, moisturising cleansers. In fact, cleansers containing allantoin, which can soothe and calm irritated skin and work wonders in removing acne scars, allow your makeup to set flawlessly without the need for multiple layers of correction.

Focus on hydrating your skin to ensure a flawless base 

The secret to glowing skin and a makeup base is flawless is hydration. Drink at least three to four litres water to hydrate yourself. Stick to products that contain pentavitin, also known as saccharide isomerate, for external skin hydration as its effect lasts for over 72 hours. A few tricks, like giving your face an ice bath before applying makeup, can also aid in boosting blood flow, tightening pores, and giving it a natural, refreshing glow.

Topical Antioxidants: Ranging from Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Glutathione, Resveratrol and more, your skin needs the antioxidants to combat the daily stress. Antioxidants have a wide range of benefits from correcting signs of ageing, helping skin repair itself, brighten skin tone and more. 

Ceramides are a must-have in your D-day skincare essentials

You can't picture getting rid of the ceramides that make up 50% of the epidermis, the top layer of your skin. In fact, the epidermis forms the skin's foundation, so look for products that contain ceramides. Brides can choose moisturisers containing ceramides, which help strengthen skin barriers, reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and environmental damage, and protect the skin, leaving plumped-up healthy glowing skin.

Sheet Mask: A great way to pamper and introduce nourishment back into the skin. Loaded with actives, they help deliver the serums into the skin.

Make sure the skin products you use for skin on the wedding day are water-based gels so that they set lightly on skin without making it look oily or clogged. 

Inputs by Ms. Samhitha G. Inturi, Skincare & Haircare Expert, Founder, 3AM, Saagrika Khera, Skincare Expert, Founder, Hollistia, Dr. Meghna Gupta, Dermatologist and Founder, Delhi Skin Centre, Dr. Ipshita Johri, MBBS, Dermatology and aesthetic consultant and laser specialist Founder of Skinfinity Derma and Anupama Bisaria , Dermatologist