This weeks guest blog by the fabulous Dr Justin Kluk...a must read for all Brides to Be....

What do a Dermatologist and a Florist have in common? Well, apart from a keen eye for detail and a flair for recognising beauty in its natural form, the answer is quite simply…brides.

In the run up to their big day, both myself and the incredibly talented Emma (aka Urban Flower Farmer) are approached by discerning brides hoping to make their wedding stand out for all the right reasons. For Emma, that means bespoke arrangements of beautiful, garden-style flowers that change with the season and enhance the location and setting you have chosen. For me, it means making your way down the aisle with your head held high, exuding the confidence that comes with having beautiful, clear skin that you want to show off.

So…we got to talking and thought you might like some pointers to help prepare your skin for your special day so that the only thing that can go wrong at the last minute is the weather! Here are my top 10 tips for radiant wedding skin:

1.     Plan ahead. It is not unusual for women who have battled with problem skin for years to finally pluck up the courage to seek expert advice when their wedding is just around the corner. Breakouts, scarring, pigmentation and redness are the most common reasons for brides to book an appointment, panicked about how their skin might behave on the day and how they will look in their photos. I always do the best that I can to get them to where they want to be with whatever time we still have available, however really getting on top of any of these problems can take 6 (or even 12) months in some cases, so the earlier you plan for it, the better your chances of having clear skin on your big day.

2.     Get your skincare routine right. We all want a glowing complexion and to look healthy and rested when we appear for the first time before our family and friends. Sadly, many of us get carried away in the beauty aisles and end up with skin that is congested and confused as a result of fussy, overcomplicated skincare routines. Keep it simple and stick to a few key products that contain proven active ingredients.

3.     Wash your face morning and night with a cleanser containing AHAs or BHAs to exfoliate the surface of your skin and revive a dull, lacklustre complexion. Glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid prevent a build-up of dead skin cells leading to a smoother texture and a brighter skin tone. They also prepare your skin for the next steps in your routine by improving how effectively ingredients are absorbed.

4.     Apply an antioxidant serum to your face, neck and the front of your chest every morning after cleansing. Antioxidants, for example vitamin C, neutralise free radicals from UV rays and city pollution which destroy our collagen leading to loss of skin firmness and elasticity.

5.     Use an SPF30+ sun protection moisturiser every morning. This prevents pigmentation from becoming even more blotchy and noticeable. Skin lightening serums containing kojic acid or niacinamide can be added to your routine to help even your skin tone and fade dark marks.

6.     Booking in for a course of skin peels can supercharge your skin by giving an extra boost of brightness and radiance. Gone are the days of having to hide away with a red, crusted face for a week though. A superficial or medium depth peel can have minimal downtime so you can get straight back to your normal activities when you leave the clinic. Remember that peels shouldn’t be attempted in sunny weather as they can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. For this reason, it is important to start planning treatment in September or October if your wedding is the following Spring or Summer.

7.     Use a retinol cream at night to get rid of blackheads, tighten pores and reduce fine lines. These take 3-6 months to demonstrate an obvious effect, but it keeps getting better the longer they are used so it is vital to start early and persevere. For even more dramatic results, particularly if you also have scarring from old acne spots, a course of medical needling can be considered. This uses a very fine needle to make microscopic punctures into the skin that stimulate your cells to produce more collagen. Pores are refined, fine lines are softened and scars appear more shallow. Treatments are performed at 4 - 6 weekly intervals over a 6 to 8 month period so this is another one to plan well in advance. It is mildly uncomfortable, but definitely tolerable when you consider the potential benefits. Your skin is likely to be pink after each session, a bit like a mild sunburn, but this tends to completely settle over the following 24 - 48 hours.

8.     If you’re worried about dark circles or tired eyes, pick an eye cream containing vitamin K oxide to banish sunken shadows or peptides to plump crepey skin.

9.     In the last few weeks before your wedding, if a dewy and glowing complexion is your goal, mesotherapy is definitely worth exploring. This technique involves placing droplets of a powerful cocktail of vitamins, antioxidants and growth factors just below the surface of the skin to inject a bit of juiciness and glow. It is also a fantastic solution for rejuvenating a sun-damaged neck and decollete. 5 treatments are performed at approximately 15 day intervals so you would need to leave yourself 2 - 3 months before the wedding for this.

10.  Spare a thought for your mum. The idea of your children growing up and starting a new life of their own as a married couple can make mums reflect on the passing of time, just as they’re about to be thrown into the spotlight by your side. This might be the time to see a Dermatologist for a few subtle tweaks to freshen the skin and improve a tired or sad appearance.

Dr Justine Kluk is a London-based Consultant Dermatologist with boutique private clinics in Hampstead Garden Suburb and Harley Street. Her expertise in skin health and skincare spans the full spectrum of medical and cosmetic skin concerns. For further information about the clinic or to read her blog, go to drjustinekluk.com

If you would like to leave any questions for Justine please comment in the box below and we will pass them onto her and she will reply back to you.