Every bride wants their day to be perfect. Some of us have been dreaming about this day our entire lives. That vision of walking down the aisle in a beautiful white gown as you catch the eye of your tuxedoed groom waiting to take your hand in marriage is one many women have had for as long as they can remember.
Screeeech! Back up. What if you wake up on your wedding day with a pimple on your nose or cold sore on your lip? Did you stay out in the sun or a little too long in the tanning bed trying to achieve that perfect glow? Or maybe that updo you saw on Pinterest turned out to be a downer and that smokey eye looks more like a baseball hit you in the face.
While you’re busy planning your wedding, life has other ideas. Here are some of the most common wedding day “disasters” with hacks to match.
Blemishes
Any number of skincare traumas can erupt for many reasons with stress setting the stage for one big whopper that peaks at the worst moment.
Prevent it: The best way to increase your odds of keeping your complexion clear, is to try to relax. It may be easier said than done, but try to make time for yourself, even if it’s just 10 minutes to meditate, do some yoga stretches, or deep breathing. Delegate some tasks to the spouse and enlist the help of your bridal party family members. Make a regular routine of cleansing and moisturizing your skin well before the big day. Drink your water, get your beauty sleep, and remember to breathe!
Emergency Hack: If you end up with a blemish despite your efforts, there are a few things you can do. First of all, but remember, it’s not the end of the world. Do not squeeze it or pick it, this will only make it redder and bigger (and harder to conceal with makeup). Instead, crush an uncoated aspirin with spoon and add some water, making a paste. Apply the paste to the blemish. It will dry it out and shrink it fast. Tea tree oil is another option, applied the night before and morning of. Dab it on with a Q-tip. If you’re lucky enough to get your blemish at least a day before your wedding, you can go to your dermatologist for a shot of Kenalo, a diluted form of cortisone that is injected into the inflamed site. A good concealer can also help hide it. Also, any professional makeup artist worth their salt will be able to cover it up easily. So don’t stress.
Cold Sore
If you’ve contracted the herpes simplex virus at some point in your life, cold sores are the norm for you. Most of the time they lie dormant, but when the body is under stress or fatigue, it can cause a breakout. This is another reason to try to keep stress to a minimum when planning your wedding.
Prevent it: The best way to prevent an outbreak is to relax, get enough sleep, and wear an spf on your lips every day. Keep your immune system healthy by taking a daily vitamin and add a lysine supplement to the mix. If you are really prone to cold sores, have your doctor prescribe Zovirax, Famvir, or Valtrex and take it a month before your wedding.
Emergency Hack: Abreva is sold over the counter and is one of the fastest working topical medications for a cold sore. If you get the cold sore a day or two before your wedding you may be in luck. Lysine is also great for getting rid of a cold sore fast. You can take it internally and topically, both over the counter. If you do wake up on your wedding day with a cold sore, ice it. As a last resort, you can apply a creamy concealer to the area. Just be sure to keep it separate from the rest of your makeup, and continually sanitize the product.
Sunburn
Many brides lay out in the sun or go to a tanning salon in search of that perfect sun-kissed look. However, it’s hard to control the amount of exposure you get. You may end up with a sunburn, swelling, and peeling.
Prevent it: The best way to prevent sunburn is to avoid the sun and tanning beds close to your wedding day. Instead, opt for a self tanner that builds gradually so you can control the amount of color. There are also wipes available if you apply too much color. Make up is another option. Try a professional who can give you a beautiful glow.
Emergency Hack: Against all advice you laid out in the sun too long or had one too many tanning bed sessions and now your skin is red. The best thing to do is apply some ice to the area and then apply a thick layer of aloe vera. If your skin is already peeling, steam your face and gently exfoliate and then apply a thick moisturizer on your skin. You can also take an anti inflammatory (like ibuprofen) to cut down on the sting.
Hair or Makeup Disaster
It’s always best to go to a salon or hire a hair stylist to come to your home for your big day. Sometimes though, despite your best efforts, you can end up with a hairstyle you despise.
Prevent it: While Pinterest has some great ideas, by now you’ve probably seen too many Pinterest fails. The best way to avoid this type of hair disaster is to do a practice run before your wedding. This way you’ll know if you like the style on you, and more importantly, you will also know if it’s attainable. As for that smokey eye, you need the right style depending on your face shape and complexion. Again, practice first. If you’re using a professional, schedule a trial with your artist.
Emergency Hack: Let’s just say that you spent your day doing your hair and makeup. Or, you were at the hair stylist or with a makeup artist all day, and now you hate it. With limited time, it may not be feasible to do over, but you can make it better by using a hair clip/bob pins, flowers, or trying different ways to wear your veil. As for your face, try to remove what you don’t like by gently using a makeup remover while trying not to disturb the rest of your face. Then reapply. You can also layer a lighter make up over the dark makeup to take down the intensity. If you worked with a pro, be sure to communicate with them!
No matter what, enjoy your special day. Even if you’ve got a pimple, cold sore, sunburn, a messy hairstyle and black eyes. The day will be over all too soon, and it’s really about enjoying that day with your new spouse, making memories and starting your life together. Remember—prevention is the way to go and when all else fails, distract the eye the best way possible.
