A dermatologists's top 10 tips to feel skin confident at your wedding

There’s no time to lose: start your skincare regime asap and make sure to cleanse your face twice a day ahead of the big day

“Cleansing your face twice a day is sufficient. Avoid harsh products that further strip and imbalance the natural oils of the skin and its microbiome (healthy bacterial balance). Dermatologists recommend using syndets (synthetic detergents) that do not strip natural oils. If you have dry, sensitive skin use a lotion or cream cleanser. Whereas, if your skin is oilier, you may prefer a foaming cleanser. Active ingredients, including benzoyl peroxide or AHA/BHA, can be found in cleansers to enhance their effect on acne prone skin.”

Don’t panic! Although tempting, try to not overload your skin with products, ingredients and complex regimes ahead of your special day

“Patients seeing me in clinic are often overloading their skin with products and this can exacerbate their skin complaints. A typical example would be a patient suffering from an acne breakout, who uses a harsh cleanser followed by an alcohol-based toner, that further strips their natural oils. They then apply a thick moisturiser because their skin is so dried out, but also inadvertently clogging their skin even more and making things worse.”

Even before the wedding, try to avoid heavy oil-based products and stick to lighter ones instead

“Making simple changes and reducing the number of products you apply to your skin by using multi-tasking products can have dramatic results. There are many make-up products on the market that are light and non-comedogenic and provide camouflage for acne lesions. Avoid oil-based and comedogenic (i.e. pore-blocking) products and ensure you remove makeup at the end of each day. Look for products that have multi-tasking ingredients, e.g. tinted moisturisers or sunscreens with salicylic acid to help prevent blocked pores.”

One always to remember: Avoid dirty makeup brushes and clean them regularly

“Dirty makeup brushes can wreak havoc on your skin as they spread dirt and bacteria from your face to your makeup, then back to your face. Therefore, make sure to clean your brushes regularly.”

Worried about your dark marks showing up in photographs? Be patient and make sure to apply a daily high factor SPF sunscreen

“Acne creates significant inflammation in the skin, which in turn can cause areas of post-inflammatory pigmentation. Firstly, be patient, it can take many months for post-inflammatory pigmentation to improve. If pigmentation is a concern, use a daily high factor SPF50 and ensure the product has 5* UVA, HEVL or blue light protection as these elements of UV radiation will worsen pigmentation. Some moisturisers will have UV protection, but not all will provide such high levels of UVA and B protection so do check the bottles.”

Panicking about a breakout ahead of the day? Squeezing your spots isn’t the answer!

“By far the most important thing is to avoid squeezing spots. This can worsen the problem and cause scarring. Remember to be gentle with your skin, don’t aggravate or damage it by picking, squeezing, or over-exfoliating.”

Keep your face mask as clean as possible to not cause breakouts ahead of your wedding

“Face masks have become part of our daily lives during the COVID pandemic. While they have been shown to help keep people safe, they have also exacerbated ‘maskne’ (triggering spot-prone skin to breakout, or mechanically irritating the surface of the skin). Cleanse the skin with a wash containing benzoyl peroxide or a BHA such as salicylic acid. Do not overload the skin with moisturisers or make-up products. Apply a clean, washed or disposable mask. After removing in the evening, cleanse your face and apply a localised spot treatment to any breakouts.”

Although enticing, steer clear of the home remedies to avoid irritated skin on your big day

“There are many ‘remedies’ that are best avoided. Applying toothpaste to a spot has no real evidence. Although, some toothpaste ingredients have a possible antiseptic effect, the other ingredients are likely to further irritate the skin. It is better to use skincare products that have been specifically developed for use in acne prone skin with proven efficacy.”

It’s a keeper! Establish your skincare regime ahead of your wedding and stick to it!

“Once you have good control of your acne, try to maintain your skin care regimen and do not make too many changes or add in new active ingredients which may sensitise or flare the skin.”