12 Months
- Start a regular exercise program. Exercising for as little as 20 minutes a day can help tone muscle, increase blood flow, relieve stress and much more, so get that heart rate going.
- Get into the habit of exfoliating. It removes dead skin cells, stimulates circulation and helps the skin absorb moisture more effectively. Look for scrubs that boast smoothing ingredients such as sea salt or sugar.
- Investigate hair removal. If you’re thinking about laser hair removal, book now. Most people find a series of three or more sessions is required for optimal hair removal, with a four- to six-week wait between sessions.
- Drink plenty of water. Increase your intake to flush
out toxins, hydrate your skin, keep your metabolism and digestion working properly as well as alleviate that pesky bloating problem.
9 Months
- Investigate vascular surgery. Unwanted veins can easily be zapped away. Book a consultation to go over procedure options, which can include simple weekly injections to major operations.
- Get some z’s. Never underestimate the power of beauty sleep. Eight hours a night is recommended to replenish the body’s cells. Not getting enough sleep slows your body’s ability to fight disease and repair tissue—not to mention causing dark circles around the eyes.
- Look after your nails. “To keep nails naturally healthy, start regular manicures as soon as possible,” says Cathy O’Reilly of Nail Bar in Toronto. If regular manicures don’t fit in your schedule, she suggests simple things you can do at home: invest in a good cuticle cream, use a hand moisturizer daily and avoid buffing and filing too much as this tends to make the nail thin and weak.
- Interested in electrolysis? Aestheticians find follicles by following the hair shaft, so full treatment requires several visits, ensuring that follicles dormant at one visit are zapped at the next. Budget now for three or more sessions, spaced four weeks apart.
6 Months
- Take a night off to de-stress. Fill the tub with a relaxing scent like lavender, light some aromatherapy candles, then just lie back and relax. “A bath is the most complete body treatment,” says Vika Goodale of Toronto’s VikaSpa. “It relaxes the mind, spirit and body.”
- Invest in a good body lotion. Shop for a deep-penetrating moisturizer that contains healing active ingredients such as vitamin E and use daily after bathing.
- Book a massage. Massages are a great way to release stress, pent-up energy and bring life back to your body. “Many women get very stressed out during this time, so monthly massages for 30 minutes are a good idea,” says Olga Uchitel from Toronto’s Chi Spa.
3 Months
- Start experimenting with self-tanners. Try a lotion or a mist-on tan at home. You want to give yourself enough time to find the right glow.
- Try reflexology. It’s great to unwind and stay healthy. It helps to stabilize the body, improves circulation, releases blocked energy and eliminates toxins. Make appointments whenever you feel the need to detox.
- Heading south on your honeymoon? Get bikini-ready. For waxing virgins, see an aesthetician for a trial run weeks before the big day. While allergic reactions are rare, you want to make sure you aren’t part of the one percent who responds adversely.
- Think about birth control. If you plan to start, there is no time like the present! “Give yourself time to see how your body reacts with the pill,” says family physician Dr. Michael Kates. “More than likely, the side effects will be minimal but you want to be on the safe side,” he says.
- Make your bookings. Book a manicure and pedicure for either the day before or day of the wedding to get an optimum time slot.
1 Month
- Indulge in a special wedding-day fragrance. Be sure to try it out for a day to make certain you love it. The last thing you want on the big day is to dislike how that new bottle smells on your skin, or worse, get an allergic reaction from it.
- Try a back facial. If you’re wearing a strapless gown, get prepped! Treatments often include cleansing, exfoliation, toning and massage. Plus, they are super-relaxing!
1 Week
- Treat yourself to a rub-down. Make one last appointment for a relaxing massage.
- Need some colour? Jennifer Rozon of Glow in Toronto suggests a spray-on tan two days before the wedding: “You want to ensure the product has settled and leaves you with a natural-looking tan.”
- Remove any remaining unwanted hair. Return two to three days before the big event for your full waxing treatment to allow 48 hours for your skin to calm down.
- Hit the sack early every night. Your body will thank you for it.
- Light exercise is key this week. You don’t want to pull any muscles!
- Get polished. Have your last manicure and pedicure now to ensure you are nail-ready.
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