Winter weather poses a few challenges: chapped lips, dry skin, and dullness. This article will help you prepare yourself for your special day, because come hail or storm- you’re getting married! So start from the basics, and keep these in mind.

Skin and Hair care:
Nourish your skin-
Drink plenty of water and don’t leave your skin feeling thirsty. Hot Herbal teas are also a great way to replenish your body and moisturize it from the inside. Help your skin retain its shine by using body butters and oil based creams. Always remember to do this when the skin is slightly damp to help lock in the moisture. Apply a primer 2 minutes after applying a moisturizer. This helps keep your makeup in place for hours.

Exfoliation-
Our skin gets dull in the winter months and dead skin cells keep increasing making exfoliation a key step. Scrub thrice a week, not more. Over exfoliation will make your skin dry.

Protection from the sun-
Yes, it is possible to get a tan in winter. Protect your skin from the harsh UV rays of the sun by investing in a sunscreen with an SPF30. Do this in the months before your wedding and reapply often.

Lip care-
Chapped lips are not a good look in any season, and especially not on your wedding day. In the days prior, make sugar and lemon lip scrubs and always use a balm with SPF for protection. Never lick or bite your lips!

Hair care-
Your hair is also a very important part of your look, so depending on your hair type, apply a deep conditioning hair mask regularly for your hair to be luminous and bouncy. This is often overlooked, but you must oil and massage it regularly to increase nourishment. And always remember, never wash your hair with hot water because it damages your hair follicles more than you can imagine.

Relaxation-
Make the spa lady your best friend and go at least thrice a month before your wedding. Indulge yourself and try not to take on too much stress as this hampers your skin, making it look worse.

Makeup:
Morning or evening wedding-
Knowing the time and setting of the wedding should impact your makeup style largely. If it’s a morning wedding, opt for lighter, more natural pastel shades. If it’s an evening wedding, go for a more dramatic vibe with deep shades of berries, reds and crimsons.

Foundation-
This is the base of your skin and makeup. Choosing the right shade is essential because you don’t want to look ghostly pale or darker than you really are. For winters, try a mousse base instead of a powder, which doesn’t dry your skin out. A yellow-based foundation will look good in photographs while a pink-based one could make you look washed out.
This may seem extreme, but you must apply foundation on all exposed parts of your body (arms, back, etc.) to make it seem more natural.

Use a highlighter-
The main aim should be to make your skin look glowing, not shimmery. So skip the glitter and use a highlighter to increase luminosity instead. This step is key especially in winter, because the weather makes your skin dull.

Do up your eyes-
Your wedding is not the time to be experimenting with blue and brown liners. Stick to black and define your eyes on the top and bottom waterline. Create a winged cat-eye look for a dramatic effect. For eye shadows, stick to peachy shades which light up your face. Gel liners give better precision and staying power. Use mascara that is less than 3 months old and make sure its waterproof!

Lip loving-
On D-Day, use a long lasting lipstick in the shades of reds and berries. If you have thin lips, invest in a lip plumper. People with thick lips can apply a gloss instead. Apply a lipliner that matches your lipstick, as this will help define the outline more prominently.

Blotting paper and compact-
Keep blotting paper handy on your day to get rid of extra shine. This will also help in getting rid of excess eyeliner or lipstick. Use a compact for a quick cover up and to look less dull.
Makeup artists-
If you’re hiring a makeup artist, explain the kind of look you are going for beforehand! Always go for a trial session before your big day and make sure the products they use suit your skin. if you’re considering doing your own makeup, practice a couple of times before hand. Remember, this is NOT the time to experiment, so stick to using the brushes, sponges and shades that you are comfortable with.

Moderation is key-
Take a look at your wedding clothes and jewelry and make sure that your makeup does not clash with it. The aim is to compliment. Indian brides are loaded with heavy clothes and jewelry as it is, so it’s best to keep makeup in line and not overdone.

Content contributor – Saumya Chawla for IndiBrownBeauty
Photo credit – http://www.fb.com/weddingsbyemagination