photo by Corey Tenold

I’m so exited to have Jessica Morse of Bare Beauty giving us bridal beauty advice today! So many invaluable morsels of information, so thank you Jessica!

Many people ask me which products they should use to look their best for a big event.  To be honest, no cosmetic will do more for you than eating Clean, drinking enough water (half of your bodyweight in ounces), getting plenty of sleep and exercising.  If you’ve got all of that covered, and you want to kick it up a notch, (and I’m sure that’s why you’re reading this) I do have a few more tricks up my sleeve.  These tips won’t just make you look gorgeous, they will also improve your health.  It’s a win-win – that’s what Clean Beauty is all about!

Take a Pursoma Resurrection Bath once a week in the month leading up to your big day.  These aren’t just any epsom salt baths.  Sea salt stimulates circulation and detoxifies, while Montmorillonite clay’s negative charge helps to attract unhealthy, positively charged radiation that accumulates in the body.  Soothing Spirulina and Laminar soften and hydrate skin.  Not to mention the fact that a hot bath after a long day will melt guest-list stress away faster than you can say “my fiancé’s second cousin”.

Use Pacific by True Nature Botanicals Exfoliating Moisture Mask once or twice a week, leaving it on 2-5 minutes.  This mask uses lactic acid, a gentle Alpha Hydroxy Acid, to exfoliate skin without stripping away any moisture.  Your complexion will be left glowy, soft and supple.  Suitable for all skin types.

The Hydrea London Dry Brush will banish dry, dull skin, cellulite, stimulate circulation, detoxify the body and improve energy levels – for real.  When I dry-brush consistently, my skin looks ten years younger.  All you have to do is use it for five minutes every day before you hit the shower.  For a quick how-to, check out my blog post on dry-brushing.

On the big day, you won’t have a ton of time to constantly touch up your makeup.  It’s important to choose cosmetics that will wear well, but feel good, too.  If you drank too much champagne at your rehearsal dinner, the next morning, finish your shower with a 30-second blast of freezing cold water.  It will stimulate circulation and eliminate any puffiness.

Treat Collection Nail Polish in Wedding Day is the palest sheer pink. Their polishes wear beautifully; my manicure usually lasts more than a week – no chips – with their polish.  Treat Collection is also 5-Free, meaning that their formula is free of the five most dangerous chemicals that are present in many conventional nail polish formulas (Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde resin, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate and Camphor).

Axiology Lipstick in Philosophy is the most gorgeous, neutral pink with the perfect sheen.  Axiology lipsticks wear so well, and they will never, ever dry out your lips.  Their formulas are packed with plant-based organic oils and butters, natural mineral pigments, and they contain no synthetics, parabens or petrochemicals.

False eyelashes are a must on your wedding day  No other lash product – from topical growth drugs to professional extensions – will make your eyes pop like good, ol’ fashion falsies.  Winks by Georgie Faux Lashes are my favorite; they look so real, and their adhesive is nontoxic (no formaldehyde, phthalates or parabens) and cruelty-free.

No matter where you choose to honeymoon, it is all about easy, relaxed beauty at this stage.  You won’t need much in the way of cosmetics, as you’ll have a natural glow going on.  A friendly word of advice: there isn’t much that can totally ruin a honeymoon, but a bad sunburn is at the top of the list.

Suntegrity Sunscreen for Body SPF 30 is my favorite nontoxic sunscreen.  Without the use of parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic dyes, sulfates, nanoparticles or chemical UV absorbers, Suntegrity protects your skin from the sun, absorbs quickly and never feels greasy.

I simply cannot travel without RMS Beauty Ultimate Makeup Remover Wipes.  After a long night, they take off every last trace of makeup while moisturizing and conditioning the skin with pure, organic coconut oil.  If you’re going to be a lazy face washer, do it with these!

The warm pearl color and creamy consistency of Kjaer Weis Radiance Highlighter makes bone structure pop.  Easily mixed with eyeshadow and lip gloss, this formula is one of my secret weapons that I rarely leave home without.  The gorgeous compact is refillable and Kjaer Weis never uses any synthetics, petroleums or parabens.