Wedding Night Feet

Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

On your wedding day you should look and feel beautiful literally from top to toe, but don’t forget the wedding night.  When the ceremony and reception is over and your wedding night beckons you want to be confident about every part of you, so don’t ignore your feet in your beauty plan.  After all, with all the rushing about you have done prior to the wedding they will have taken quite a bruising.  Treating them to a regenerating and beautifying pedicure could be expensive, so if you need to save on expense - do it yourself.
Follow my foot care tips once a week for a month prior to the wedding, and on the day before, and you will achieve satin smooth and attractive feet that will look truly elegant when slipped out of your shoes on your wedding night.

For a home pedicure start by removing old nail polish by soaking a cotton pad in an acetone free nail polish (this type is less drying to the nail). Press the damp cotton pad against the nail for 10 seconds and it should soak through the polish for easier removal.

Using a hard skin or callus removal tool slough away the hard skin on the heels and balls of the feet. This is best done on dry feet as it won’t shred the skin like it would on softened, damp skin.

Next soak your feet in a foot spa or bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Remove the feet and towel dry, but don’t discard the water just yet. Use a granular foot exfoliator (or make your own with olive oil and granulated sugar or coarse sea salt by mixing 1 heaped teaspoon of salt/sugar with a tablespoon of oil) and massage over tops and soles of each foot before returning your feet to the bowl of water or foot spa to rinse off.

Have two hand towels ready and wrap each foot to keep them warm.

When ready unwrap one foot and cut the toenails straight across with toenail clippers. Cut them slightly longer than the desired finished length and use an emery board to smooth and seal the cut edges. Apply foot cream thickly over the whole foot up right up to the ankles and including the soles. Wrap the foot in cling film and put a sock on over this. Repeat with the other foot. Leave on for 10 minutes.

Remove sock and cling film, massage any excess cream into the foot. Push back the cuticles with an orange stick. If you want to paint your toenails de-grease them with acetone free nail polish remover on a cotton pad first.  Always use a base coat before applying nail colour. Paint 2 coats of your favourite polish and finish with a coat of clear topcoat. Now your feet are ready for dancing!

Tools:

• 3 hand towels
• Foot cream
• Foot exfoliator
• Toenail clippers
• Emery board
• Cling film
• Acetone free nail polish remover
• Orange stick
• Bowl or foot spa
• Hard skin / callus remover

Foot Notes
Take special notice of these tips during the month before your wedding:

• Remove hard skin regularly
• Always cut toe nails straight across to prevent ingrown nails
• Push back cuticles regularly to stop them sticking to toenails
• Use a foot cream containing urea as this also exfoliates the dead skin
• Always wear socks in boots to stop bare skin rubbing against the sides as this can cause calluses.

Well cared for feet will enhance, not detract, from your wedding day beauty. Try to make your feet as much a part of your beauty plan as your hands and face, so that the top to toe elegance you achieve on your special day will always be remembered.

Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Hairstyles, Wedding Beauty and lots more!

Wedding Hand and Nail Care

Joyce Connor, owner and founder of Brides and Beauty (www.bridesandbeauty.co.uk)  is a well known skincare and makeup expert who specialises in creating top to toe beauty for brides.

Beautiful Hands on your Wedding Day

The glow and clarity of your skin and the perfection of your make-up is all important on your wedding day, but don’t forget about your hands.  There will probably be close up photographic shots of your hands, holding the bouquet, showing off your ring, cutting the cake and clasping the hand of your new husband so don’t allow them to let you down.  Your hands say a lot about you as a person so to make sure that they look fabulous on your wedding day you should begin working on them at least a month before the big day. Regular manicures will get them into peak condition and ensure well shaped nails and beautifully soft skin in time for the special occasion. If you’re on a tight beauty budget a professional manicure the day before your wedding may be out of the question, so knowing how to do a home manicure will be of great help to you.
When doing a home manicure start by removing old polish with an acetone free nail polish remover. Rinse hands in warm water and massage a hand exfoliator all over hands and nails and around the cuticles and in-between fingers.  Rinse off and pat dry.
Apply one drop of warm cuticle oil or cuticle cream and massage around the cuticle and nail plate. Use a cuticle tool or orange stick to gently push the cuticles back and unstick them from the nail plate. Rinse your nails in warm soapy water. Regular cuticle massage during the month before the wedding will prevent hangnails forming and skin splitting around the nail.
Trim the nails, if necessary, with nail clippers rather than scissors.  Scissors tend to split the nails so I don’t recommend them. Use a soft flexible emery board to file across the top of each nail.  File the nail in one direction only from side to centre, do not use a sawing action because this can cause the nails to split and peel, as do metal nail files. Use the edge of the emery board to smooth away any surplus bits of filed nail.
Once you have achieved the desired nail shape apply a thick layer of hand cream to hands and put each hand into a cotton glove. After 10 minutes remove gloves and massage any excess cream into hands and up your forearms.
If you wish to paint your nails degrease them first with a cotton pad soaked in an acetone free nail polish remover.
Apply a base coat to each nail from base to tip and allow to dry for a minute or two. Apply two coats of your chosen colour allowing a few minutes between each coat for the colour to dry and finish with a clear top coat.

Handy tips

The month before the wedding:

• Don’t use nails as tools e.g. removing staples, scraping.
• Wear an SPF, minimum factor 15, when not indoors to protect hands from sun damage and age spots.
• Wear gloves in winter to protect them from the harsh cold winds and prevent chapping.
• Always apply hand cream after washing your hands or having them in water.
• Regularly use a cuticle oil or cream at bedtime to nourish the cuticles. Buffing your nails is great for smoothing ridges and giving natural nails a glossy shine. It also helps to remove slight nail staining and increases the blood flow to the nail which in turn helps the nail to grow. Only buff from base to tip 3 or 4 times. Never buff the nails horizontally as this causes vertical ridges to develop by drying out the nail plate because the nails’ natural oils evaporate from the surface.
• Always wear protective gloves to do cleaning, washing up dishes and gardening. Harsh chemicals can be very drying on the hands.

Follow these beauty tips and you will not only be prepared for the close up shots of your wedding ring but even more importantly, to give away your hand in marriage to your wonderful new husband.
Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Bridal Hair, Wedding Beauty and lots more!

Top 10 Tips For Beautiful Bridal Hair

1. Choosing the style
You’ll want to look wonderful on your wedding day, so take control.  Rule out the styles that you wouldn’t personally feel comfortable with; this will help with the final choice. It does not matter what your mother, sister, best friend or hairstylist like - what really matters is what you want and like.
2. Browse Magazines and the Internet for ideas
Before booking a stylist, try to develop a good idea of what type of hairstyle suits you best. Cut out pictures of your favourite styles from magazines, print pictures from the Internet and take them with you to the trial appointment. If you can't find any pictures, be prepared to give a very clear description to the stylist.
3. Does it go with the dress?
Purchase your wedding dress first and then decide which hair style and accessories will best compliment both you and the dress. Take a picture of your dress with you when you visit the stylist so they can give you the best advice on how to achieve total harmony between dress and hairstyle.
4. Trial Run
Have a trial run before your wedding day. I would recommend this trial run to be 6 weeks before the day itself. If the hairstyle that you dreamed of does not look as good as you’d hoped, you'll be glad you found out before the big day! Bear in mind that the thickness and length of your hair may not be suitable for your chosen style. Make sure you take your veil, tiara or any other accessories along to the appointment.
5. Comfort Levels
During the trial run if the pins or hair accessories are causing discomfort, let your stylist know so they can be adjusted. The last thing you need on your wedding day is painful pins!
6. Take pictures
At your trial appointment take along a digital camera to take pictures. Ask the stylist to take pictures from all angles. The photos will give you a better idea of how the style would look to other people.
7. A Fresh Approach
If you want to have your hair coloured, or to have any other chemical treatments for the big day, try to have these done a few weeks before so that the colour has time to settle down. Have your final trim or cut no later than two weeks prior to the wedding date.
8. No Change Here
Just before your wedding is not the time to try out a drastic new look, such as cutting your long hair into a short style or completely changing the colour. Your husband and guests will be left wondering if it’s the same person!
9. Tall or Short
If you are taller than the groom or you are both the same height, avoid a high hair style as this can add quite a lot of height to the bride. Also take into account the height of your shoes. A bride that is much shorter than the groom can use a ‘hair up’ style to even out the height difference for those all important wedding day photos.
10. Sleek and Glamorous
Try not to have too elaborate a hairstyle. While it is undoubtedly a very important part of your whole bridal look, on the most important day of your life it is beautiful you, not just your hair, that should be the point of your guests’, and your groom’s, attention.

Article provided by Joyce Connor, owner of Brides and Beauty

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Speeches, Bridal Hair and lots more!

Top 10 Health and Beauty Wedding Tips

Two weeks before the wedding:

1. Try to get 8 hours of sleep a night. Getting regular good nights sleep can help improve your skin tone and also help you to de-stress so that you can totally glow on your big day. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid sweets or caffeine before bed and try relaxation exercises such as yoga or meditation. Aromatherapy can also help, so try a few drops of lavender on your pillow and it should help you sleep like a baby.
2. Drink 2 litres of water every day. Drinking lots of water is an easy way of helping to achieve a radiant complexion, bright clear eyes and also gives you that added burst of energy. If you find it difficult to drink so much water, try carrying a bottle with you wherever you go. Or if you find water tasteless to drink, then simply add a few splashes of fresh lemon or lime into it.
3. Full body exfoliation 3 times a week. This is a sure fire way of reducing lines and wrinkles as well as helping your skin look and feel radiant.
4. 15 minutes of stretches every day. Keep limbered and stress-free for your wedding day with 15 minutes of stretches. Stretching regularly will help reduce any build-up of tension, as well as your posture. You don’t need much space and you can even do some at work (www.glo-wellbeing.co.uk/deskercises.html)
5. Have a make-up test run. Whether you are employing a professional make-up artist or doing it yourself, make sure that you have a trial run just to make sure that you get the look that you really want and that you are not allergic to any of the make-up being used.
6. Pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a facial, manicure or massage, so that you feel relaxed and look
   gorgeous. Hen pamper parties are a great way of you and your girlfriends enjoying some beauty and health treatments before the big day.
7. On the wedding day:
   Use concealer one tone lighter than your skin tone. This lightens dark circles, brightens your face and helps you look rested. Lock it in with loose powder applied over the top.
8. Use waterproof mascara. Most brides cry on their wedding day, so make sure you are wearing waterproof mascara – even if you don’t think you are the crying type – why take the chance?
9. Have an emergency health/beauty kit. Make sure that you or your chief bridesmaid has an essential stash of emergency items. Hair spray, clear nail varnish (if your tights ladder), powder and concealer for any blemishes, lip stick, hair grips, hairbrush and a sewing kit , as well as anything else you think you may need.
10. Relax. You have planned so long for this day, so make sure you enjoy it and are totally relaxed. Make sure that you set aside some YOU time on the day whether its by taking a long relaxing bath, lighting some candles of simply reading a favourite book.

If you would like to pamper yourself and your friends with the ultimate mobile spa for your hen party then please contact www.glo-pamper.co.uk / 020 7096 0385 and we can organise everything for you. Look out for any special offers that we might be running too.

Your UK Wedding Directory is a free UK wedding directory where you can submit links and add articles. We have categories on Wedding Planning, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Beauty and lots more!

All Eyes Are On You!

When you’re walking down the aisle, you really desire Makeup to be flawless. Professional Bridal Makeup Artist Isabelle Roberts of Makeup By Isabelle reveals the hottest tips for our 2010 brides.

Elegance. This is the key word for Brides. As a Bride you need to be brave and steer away from the natural look. The natural look always points towards a washed-out looking bride on her photographs. You need to start thinking grown-up beauty with a touch of glamour. Be brave!

There are many magic rules all Brides in the know can follow. Steer clear from the old myth of playing up either the eyes or the lips. You are one complete canvas and with clever techniques and a bespoke colour pallet, your entire makeup look will flawlessly seam together.

It’s all about definition. Sheer, pretty shadows teamed with a heavier lash line is both pretty and emphasising. You really don’t need 6 colours of eyeshadow and complex application. By choosing complimentary colours like pinks and silvers and peaches and creams, you are allowing the colours to do all the work for you. Add a little light-reflecting eyeshadow shimmer and your look is modern and fresh for that bright doe-eyed look!

Isabelle recommends making use of all the wonderful lash products on the market. Individual lashes can do so much to open up your eyes. By applying a few on the outside of your own lash line they will lift and open up the eye in an instant! There are also some amazing false lash effect mascaras out there that do just the trick. Concentrate on those outer lashes and comb between applications and you will literally flutter down that aisle!

For Liners, go for a soft and sooty black. Brown is dulling and can actually make you appear tired and sallow. Liquid liner can also be harsh and can look far too trendy and young on camera. You require your eyes to have a beautiful soft focus look to them so think smudgy.

For lips, they are glossy and sheer with a pop of colour. Your lips don’t need to be bright. It’s all about testing colours that will suit you and link to your look. One pro tip is to avoid all the long wear lip products out there. They tend to be drying and will flake over time. Sadly, re-applying your lip colour throughout the day is the only answer for beautiful plump lips. So keep your lipstick handy in your little bridal bag!

Brides are experimenting with colour and why not! One fabulous way to use colour is on the cheeks. There are some ultra pretty and feminine cheek products out there. Isabelle recommends using a cream blush to define your cheeks and finish off with a powder blush with a little shimmer to really give your cheeks that beautiful bridal flush. Combining the two products will prove a longer lasting colour and definition to the cheek. Colours that are beautiful are peaches and antique rose pinks. Try not to go for baby pinks which can make you look far too flushed. Think pretty and natural for that “pinch your cheeks” flush.

There are many wonderful products out there to be explored. Over her many years as a Bridal Makeup Artist Isabelle has discovered many brides feel overwhelmed with makeup choices. Isabelle always recommends her brides gather up inspirational photographs and colour swatches and bring them along for a makeup master class. Masterclasses advise you on colour and products to suit you individually and avoid you spending hundreds of pounds on products you may never use again. By gathering the information together, you will have a clearer idea of how you want to look on the say and not feel so bogged down by
the science of makeup!

So when it comes to planning your fabulous entrance, make sure you do it with confidence and glamour. Think colour, shimmer and fluttery lashes. Most importantly, be brave!

Isabelle is an established professional Bridal Makeup Artist and is available in the North West of the UK. Please visit her website for further information. Makeup By Isabelle

If you would like to visit Your UK Wedding Directory, you can find out more about Wedding Planning, Wedding Stationery, Wedding Accessories, Wedding Rings and Wedding Flowers.