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FAQ
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A: Month-by-Month Beauty Countdown
There is a select group of adjectives that people often attach to the word bride: blushing, beautiful, radiant. But in the months leading up to a wedding, many brides-to-be relate to terms of a different sort: tired, stressed, and haggard. Amid the bustle of planning, it's hard to imagine that fabled "glow" arriving in time for your walk down the aisle. Don't worry. Whether you have several months or a couple of weeks, there are things you can do now to ensure you'll look your best, and some you can leave until the eleventh hour. Follow our tips, and continue to do the one thing that makes you naturally gorgeous: smile.

6 Months Before
3 Months Before
1 Month Before
2 Weeks Before
The Week Of
The Day Before
The Day Of
Beauty Countdown: 6 Months Before the Wedding
Hire a Hairstylist
Audition stylists until you find one you love; ask friends and fellow brides for recommendations. Once you select someone, he or she can help you come up with a wedding-day hairstyle. Now's the time to try something new, like highlights, and book your appointment for your wedding day.
Schedule a Makeup Artist
Some hairstylists also do makeup and offer packages. If yours does not, ask if she knows someone, talk to other brides, or inquire at your favorite cosmetics counter or salon. Prices for makeup are similar to those for hairstyling: $75 to $300, and in-salon application costs less than on-location. Request references and ask to see photos of recent work.
Clear Your Skin
Blemishes you've Tolerated -- acne, scars, sun damage -- can be diminished through treatments like retinol cream, lasers, and skin lighteners, if you begin a regimen now. To improve your complexion, consider monthly facials and treatments like fruit-acid peels, which refresh skin's outer layer. Microdermabrasion, a form of exfoliation that uses tiny crystals, is better for sensitive skin. Prices for both range from $100 to $200 per session.

Beauty Countdown: 3 Months Before the Wedding
Target Areas
If your gown bares your shoulders, arms, or decolletage, do two sets of 10 to 12 push-ups every other day to define these areas, says Christi Masi, a personal trainer and the author of "The Healthy Bride Guide" (Sasquatch, 2006).
Shape Your Brows
Visit a specialist, especially if you want to reshape your brows, says Shobha Tummala, founder of Shobha spa in New York City. Overplucked brows will need time to grow in. Try threading (hairs are wrapped with thread and pulled), or find an aesthetician who pairs waxing with tweezing to shape brows better. Go for follow-ups every three weeks.

Beauty Countdown: 1 Month Before the Wedding
Brighten Your Smile
First, get a teeth cleaning, even if you're not due for one. Drugstore whiteners, like strips and gels, take about three weeks to work. A one-hour whitening by a dentist starts at about $650, but it fades stains significantly, says New York dentist Mal Braverman. Results can last six months to a year.
Hold a Beauty Rehearsal
See your hairstylist and makeup artist for trial runs, with your veil and accessories, says New York salon owner Eva Scrivo. Take photos so you can recreate the look on your wedding day. Get golden: Sunless options include airbrushing (color is applied by an esthetician, $50 to $100) or spray tanning, where tanner is misted on via jets ($25 to $35). If it's your first time, try it out a month before the wedding.


Beauty Countdown: 2 Weeks Before the Wedding
Cut and Color
Cut your hair two weeks in advance so it won't look too blunt, says Boston-based hairstylist and makeup artist Anne Marie Laurendale. Have color touched up now as well to give it time to settle in.
Beauty Countdown: The Week of the Wedding
Smooth Skin
Make an appointment to have your eyebrows shaped and other areas, like bikini line and legs, waxed. This way, there's enough time for any redness to fade.
Pack an Emergency Kit
Fill a cosmetics bag with supplies: tissues, a nail file, dental floss, breath mints, and bobby pins. Ask your makeup artist for pressed powder, lipstick, and concealer to put in a custom makeup palette. Also, bring your nail polish for quick fixes.
Go for Your Last Appointments
Some people experience acne after a facial, particularly if they have never had one before. New York dermatologist Rosemarie Ingleton recommends getting this service at least a week before, in case you develop an allergic rash or look red. Tan two days ahead of the wedding for the best color, says Richie Perna, co-owner of Bond St. Tanning in New York. Results last about a week if you thoroughly exfoliate before application.
Beauty Countdown: The Day Before the Wedding
Banish Blemishes
Adrenaline can lead to breakouts. If this happens, don't panic: Your dermatologist can administer a cortisone injection to begin reducing a pimple's swelling and redness. "Almost all my brides have an appointment the day before their wedding," says Ingleton. Within twenty-four hours, the blemish will have almost disappeared.
Put on Polish
Dzeneta Arslanovic, director of the Spa at Miami's the Shore Club, advises brides to get a manicure and pedicure a day ahead so nails can thoroughly dry. Should you nick or smudge a nail, gently even out the area with a buffer and smooth on a dot of color.
Wash Your Hair
"The buildup of oils overnight makes hair easier to work with the next day," says Scrivo. Use light conditioner and styling products. Fine or oily hair should be washed and styled the day of to keep it from falling flat.
Beauty Countdown: The Day of the Wedding
Just Relax
The more at ease your mind and body are, the better you'll look. Stress can show up on your skin in the form of acne or eczema. To help stay calm, take slow, deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Pace Yourself
Allow ample time for hair and makeup: Three hours before is when many brides begin their hair, followed by makeup, with each taking around an hour. Pull on your dress only after hair, makeup, and perfume are set (oils in fragrance can discolor your dress). Lastly, arrange hair accessories and veil.


Looking Beautiful On Your Wedding Day
The best beauty tips for your upcoming wedding are to start long before the wedding. You should be investing in good skin healthcare months and months before the wedding. From facials occasionally to day-to-day maintenance of your skin, the best way to do this is to establish a proper skin care plan based on your skin type.

While it may sound like you hear this all the time, good eating habits and regular exercise are as important to your skin health as they are to your overall body health. So once you make the investment in proper skin care, how do you achieve the look you want for your wedding?

Hire a professional.

eauty time line, on the wedding day
* Have a massage in the morning. This will give you time to relax and reflect before your big event.

* Take a long bath.

* Eat at least one small meal, you don´t want to pass out at the altar.

* Have your hair and make-up done a few hours before the ceremony. If at all possible, have your stylist and make-up artist come to you. This will prevent any "weather" damage.

* Start dressing one to two hours before the ceremony and do any necessary make-up touches.

Take deep breaths and enjoy the moment! All of the planning is over, it´s time to enjoy the blessed event!

Men are Beautiful, Too
Be sure that the groom has had a recent haircut and that he also has a smooth, clean shave for the wedding day. If he has a problem getting a good shave, consider having a professional shave at a salon.

Stop the Shine
If carrying around a container or compact of powder for touchups is too bulky, consider buying blotting papers (they´re often dusted with powder) to occasionally absorb oil and moisture on your face and keep shine from showing up in your photographs.
Excuse My While I Powder My Nose . . .
Your wedding day is one day when you want to keep your face shine to an absolute minimum, especially since you´re going to be photographed all day long. Be sure to keep a powder compact (not loose powder, which could spill onto your dress) nearby throughout the day, either in your own purse or with a bridesmaid.

Beauty Bag for the Groom
To make sure the groom looks dashing for the wedding, help him along by making a little bag of ´beauty´ supplies that he may need. Include shaving cream, skin cleanser, cologne and other little necessities.
Beauty time line 1-2mo. prior
Have a make-up artist do a trial run. It´s wise to start this early and plan it on a day when you have another special function to attend. Not only will you look great for the event, but you will also be able to test drive the products that they applied. Many department store cosmetic counters offer this service free with the hope that you will buy some of their products.

If you plan on doing your own make-up on your wedding day, we suggest that you take your maid-of-honor with you for your makeover so that she can help you recreate the look. With one month left, you should schedule your final fittings for your dress.
Beauty time line 4-6mo. prior
* Remember to take into account the cut of your dress and how many hours you will have to spend in the lingerie. Not a good time to start wearing something with "boning" if your not used to torture devices!

* Now is the time to start experimenting with your hair. How do you see yourself on your wedding day? Should you be growing your hair, or getting it cut into a specific style? Schedule an appointment with your stylist, take your headpiece and magazine clippings of hair styles. Work with your stylist to get the right look for you.
Beauty time line 2wks. prior
* Have your final dress fitting. Take along your headpiece, shoes, lingerie, jewelry and accessories so that you can get the full picture.

* Break in your wedding shoes at home.

* Give yourself a facial.

* If you can afford it...have a mini spa day and let a professional pamper you.

* If you color your hair, now is the time to refresh your color.
Beauty time line 3mo. prior
* Start shopping for your trousseau and honeymoon clothes.
* Get a manicure and pedicure. Your hands are going to be well photographed on wedding day so start getting them in shape.

Establish a skin care routine. You don´t want to start with a new product just prior to your big day and find out that it gives you hives, or worse, blemishes. If you are one of those women with perfect skin and have never used a moisturizer, now would be a good time to start. One day you will have to use these products so this is a good time to start the practice.
Taking Care of Tattoos
If you want to cover your tattoo for your wedding, try using a product such as Leg Magic from CoverMark Cosmetics. Their products are budge-proof and will last all day long.


Wedding Timeline
Wedding planning is arduous. The proof is in the details and if you want to keep track of the details you’ll need a wedding planning checklist. If you hire a wedding planner, he or she will have his or her own wedding planning checklist to go over. In the meanwhile, please find a sample wedding timeline below to help your wedding planning. If you are setting up your own portfolio for wedding planning, this wedding planning checklist should go at the very front of every wedding planned in order to verify that you are getting everything done and checked off in a timely manner.

Timeline:

12 Months Before:

* Book Ceremony Venue
* Book Reception Venue
* Determine and Book Liability Insurance

10-11 Months Before:

* Book Caterer
* Book Musicians
* Book Photographer
* Book Videographer

8-9 Months Before:

* Book Florist
* Book Cake Designer/Baker
* Book Transportation

6-7 Months Before:

* Book Rentals (i.e. chairs/tables etc as needed)
* Review All Vendor Contracts, Update Timeline

5 Months Before:

* Order invitations etc.
* Order Flowers
* Provide Music/Requests to Musicians

4 Months Before:

* Meet with Caterer for food tasting (w/Bride & Groom)
* Order Wedding Cake

3 Months Before:

* Have Bride Book her Beauty Appointments for hair, makeup etc.
* Provide Caterer with menu and beverage selections
* Have Bride/Groom meet Officiant to review ceremony
* Verify with Printer that Invitations, etc are ready

2 Months Before:

* Contact all book vendors to confirm arrangements
* Pay any balances to booked vendors
* Prepare information sheets for bridal party and vendors

1 Month Before:

* Provide photographer with list of desired photos
* Provide guidance for videographer
* Confirm Music and Arrangements with Musicians
* Confirm transportation
* Confirm flower orders with florist
* Confirm rental requirements
* Confirm drop off times

2 Weeks Before:

o Confirm With All Vendors One More Time

1 Week Before:

* Make sure Caterer has final RSVP numbers for reception
* Make sure vendor bills are collected to make final payment

Day Before:

o Oversee the decoration of the ceremony and reception venue

Day Of:

* Oversee and coordinate with all vendors
* Pay Vendors their Final Checks

Planning for the Venue
Planning a wedding always begins when the question is popped. Most people know the type of wedding they would like to have, but when you add another person’s dreams, aspirations and religious feelings it can require some discussion. The couple are an important part of planning a wedding and whether it’s the parents of the bride or the groom or a wedding planner, the wishes of the couple have to be taken into account. This is especially true of the type of ceremony that the couple decides on.

Determining whether the wedding will be a religious, civil or other type of ceremony will play a part in determining the venue. The couple usually has an idea of where they want to have the wedding. Your job as the wedding planner will be to contact the venue and verify all information with regard to booking it for the day in question. Be sure to have a standard contract available that you use for negotiating a venue. At bare minimum you will need confirmation on the following:

* Contact Person?
* Location of Utilities?
* In-house staff?
* Clean-up responsibility? Yours? Theirs?
* Parking?
* Entrance?
* Dressing Room?
* Fees?
* Rehearsal availability?
* Piano? Organ?
* Rules about Photography (specifically in Churches)

You will want to confirm a booking of the venues at least three to four months ahead of time. In many cases, it’s better to settle on the venue in the first hours of planning wedding because much of the rest of the planning will center on the location. Planning a wedding is like setting up dominoes, each decision helps you make another one. The first domino is the question, the second domino is the type of ceremony and the third domino is choosing the venue and it continues from there.
Planning a Wedding Should Be Fun
Congratulations, you’re planning a wedding. You may hire some to help out with partial planning of a wedding, complete planning and co-ordination of the wedding or coordination on the day of the service only. Wedding planning revolves around one singular event: the ceremony. There is a great deal of pre-planning and post-planning related to arranging the vendors, the dresses, the tuxes, the site and the reception. Yet all of these components are directly related to the central focus that is the actual ceremony.

Weddings are a symphony of organized chaos with the wedding planner in the role of conductor. There is a great deal to planning a wedding and the following is just a sampling of what you need to plan a wedding whether you are the wedding planner, the bride, and the mother of the bride or some combination thereof:

* Ongoing Communication with the Bride and Groom
* Budget Planning
* Schedules, Timelines and Checklists
* Selection and booking of venues for wedding and reception
* Selecting and booking of the minister or justice of the peace
* Planning theme and style of the wedding
* Coordinating design, ordering and mailing of invitations
* Coordinating selection of wedding attire and accessories
* Coordinating or Providing vendors (florist, caterer, photographer, musician, beautician, hair stylists)
* Negotiating and reviewing all contracts
* Assistance with marriage license
* Itinerary planning
* Ceremony planning
* Rehearsal oversight
* Direction of processional and attendant duties
* Planning the reception
* Wedding Day gift coordination
* On-hand coordination on the day of the wedding

One thing that people seem to forget in all the chaos and pressure and stress of planning a wedding. Planning a wedding is a lot of fun. It can be fun for the bride and it can be fun for the wedding planner. Take your time and have fun with the process of planning a wedding.

The Perfect Wedding: Civil or Religious
The perfect wedding exists in the minds and hearts of the bride and groom. Planning a wedding, a perfect wedding requires the bride and groom to communicate their love, their expectations and the customs they want to embrace as a part of their wedding perfection. There are many twists and turns on the road to planning for that perfect wedding. It’s important to understand that the style of ceremony will dictate different types of customs to be followed. There are expectations associated with each one and it’s up to the bridal couple to help narrow the field down.

A religious ceremony is considered a very traditional wedding. It would take place in a house of worship such as a church or synagogue. It would be officiated by a rabbi, a minister or member of the clergy. Traditional religious ceremonies usually call for formal wear with a number of attendants and very traditional music.

Civil or non-traditional ceremonies can be held anywhere such as on board a yacht, on a cliff top, on a beach or even in a family backyard. The officiate is a Justice of the Peace (including relatives or friends who have been certified). There is no set theme for a civil or non-traditional ceremony. Bridal couples can wear beach clothing, renaissance faire garb or even get married on horseback.

The differences between the two are the rigidity of form associated with the first and the freedom with the second. The bridal couple will determine what their priorities are and the type of ceremony they want to have. Familiarity with traditional themes and ceremonies are important when dealing with religious weddings. A sense of adventure and fun can be explored in civil and non-traditional weddings.

Become aware of the wide variety of options available to couples in their wedding choices. The key to planning the perfect wedding is found in truly listening to each other. Be open to hearing each other's thoughts, their dreams and their expectations.


A: Makeup Tips for 40, 50, and Beyond

by: Sheila Dicks

Makeup

Growing older doesn’t have to be a burden. Aging is a part of life and if we learn to appreciate our bodies and faces we will feel much more comfortable and live a much happier, stress-free life. It seems odd that some younger women are more concerned about how they look and dwell on flaws when they are at their physical best, when some older women, who are happy to be alive, feel good about themselves, accept their bodies and faces for what they are and rejoice in living.

If you are worried about getting lines and wrinkles and would like to feel better about how you look, the first step is to change your attitude toward yourself and aging. Start by evaluating the ideas and beliefs you have about aging and where you got them. If you see older women as unattractive then you are going to have a difficult time looking in the mirror at an aging face. Aging is the kind of thing that sneaks up on you and then one day — boom, you’re there. I have met women who are fifty and beyond who are very attractive and exude self-confidence (yes, they have lots of lines and wrinkles and a not-so-perfect body). Their attractiveness comes from feeling good about themselves and knowing they are more than the outside package. Self-confidence crosses all barriers, people notice and see the beauty.

Aging gracefully doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take care of yourself. It means keeping fit, using skin care products regularly, watching your diet and living a balanced life. Develop your own beauty and accentuate your positive qualities.

As we age and our faces change, we must change the way we care for our skin and how we wear makeup. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Always use a moisturizer. A good moisturizer will help your foundation glide on and will keep your skin more healthy. Choose a foundation that is the same color as your skin, is moist, goes on evenly and is one you can see your skin through. Don’t forget to blend around the jaw line.

2. If you have dark spots a good concealer and foundation will hide it. If you have a lot see a dermatologist who can lighten them.

3. Powder is used to absorb excess oil and reduce shine. If you have been plagued with oily skin all your life you might notice that as you get older your skin is less oily and you have fewer lines than your dry to normal-skin friends. Use powder sparingly since too much will accentuate lines.

4. Use eye shadows sparingly and only use shadows that have a matte finish. Iridescent or shadows with a shimmer attract the light and will make wrinkles more apparent. This is a time when less is more. Use earthy tones that create depth and apply the dark shadow to the outside of the lid making sure the lines move upward.

5. Eyebrows change as we age and become unruly and sparse. Use an eyebrow pencil and feather strokes to fill in the bare spots. Keep your eyebrows a lighter color than your hair and in good condition. Remember, eyebrows frame the eyes; so to open your eyes and keep them looking bright depends largely on how well you care for your eyebrows.

6. Use blush to create a soft look. Blush shouldn’t stand out — use just enough to create a glow.

7. Use a lip liner to prevent your lipstick from bleeding into the fine lines around your mouth. Use lip products that have an emollient that will keep your lips soft.

Use makeup to accentuate your positive qualities and make yourself feel great. Don’t focus on covering lines and wrinkles but instead pay attention to your positive features. Let the beautiful you show through.

About The Author
Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women feel more confident by dressing to suit their body type. To get tips on how to dress slimmer and find your best styles get a copy of her ebook “Image Makeover” at http://www.how-to-dress.com or go to http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to get the Free Report “ 7 Things Your Girlfriends Won’t Tell You About Beauty and Fashion”.
A: Hand Care
Hand Care: Do Your Hands Make You Look Older?

by: Melanie Jensen

Hand Care

When you hear about wrinkles and skin aging, your first thoughts are about face and neck. But the earliest signs of aging will show on your hands.

Often neglected, hands need to be regularly taken care of. Frequent contacts with water and chemicals, sun, cold weather, gardening — all put your skin under a big stress. While hands do not have many oil glands, they will give away your age earlier than your pampered face. In the meantime, it has been noticed that after making eye contact, the next thing people pay attention to is your hands.

What can you do to keep your hands beautiful?

# Moisturize! Several times a day. Dry skin is easily injured and looks wrinkled.
# Protect your hands — wear gloves when gardening, washing dishes, or dealing with chemicals
# Use sun protection
# Keep your hands dry; any water left on your hands will evaporate and dry out the skin.
# Give your hands a special treatment — herbal or oil bath — once in a while.

Here are a few suggestions for your next hand spa:

Herbal hand bath

Bring 1 qt of water to boil and pour over 1 tbsp of herbs (you can use all of these or just one: chamomile, nettle, sage, coltsfoot, calendula). Let the infusion cool to 100-110F and soak your hands in it for about 15-20 minutes. Dry your hands thoroughly and apply a rich moisturizer.

You can make your own nourishing hand cream

Thoroughly mix 1 teaspoon of honey and 3 tbsp of unsalted butter. Add 1 tbsp of strong herbal infusion. This will make a very rich cream. It will take a while to absorb, but leave your hands silky and smooth.

For dry skin use this hand treatment 1-2 times a week

1 tbsp glycerin
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp vegetable oil (olive, almond, or another oil of your choice)
lemon juice of 1 lemon
3 1/2 – 4 oz of an herbal infusion (for example: chamomile, calendula, elderflower) or rose water.

Other tips

Mashed potatoes (with milk) will make a great hand mask.
When cooking with eggs, don’t throw the eggshells away. Scrape out the remaining egg white and spread it over your hands.
Rubbing your skin with a piece of lemon will give the skin a more even tone.
After washing dishes or dealing with other alkali detergents, rinse your hands with sour milk or with a vinegar-in-water solution (1 tbsp. vinegar per 2qt of water). This will help to restore pH balance of the skin.
Keep your hands warm. Not only for the sake of better skin, but for your overall health.
Flue and colds often start with cold hands.

About The Author
For more information on hand care by Melanie Jensen visit http://allwomenstalk.com/category/beauty-control/hand-nail-care