The Knot Chicago Weddings Spring Summer 2020_downmagaz.com

FASHION + BEAUTY
PROBLEM: Dull Skin
“I want the opposite of a glow on my wedding
day,” said no bride ever. But seasonal changes
and dehydration (say, from hitting the wine
to counteract wedding planning stress) can
cause your complexion to have a dry, lackluster
appearance. To boost your glow at home,
incorporate a vitamin C serum into your
morning skin care routine. “This can help
prevent fine lines, wrinkles and skin cancer. It
also notably brightens the complexion as
it’s a potent antioxidant,” says Marnie Nussbaum,
a dermatologist in New York. You can also
try an at-home glycolic peel—just make sure
you give yourself a couple of weeks before
your wedding to avoid walking down the aisle
with blotchy, irritated skin. For more immediate
results, consider making an appointment with
a dermatologist for a Clear + Brilliant or Fraxel
laser facial to resurface the skin and stimulate
collagen production. “Both are fractional laser
treatments that jump-start the regeneration
of new skin, increasing collagen and elastin,”
Nussbaum says. “They also improve skin tone
and texture and exfoliate away dead skin cells.”
Pro tip: Schedule these treatments at least
a few weeks before your day. The effects of
Fraxel can take up to seven days to heal,
and Clear + Brilliant can take up to three.
Start amping
up your skin
care routine a
year to six
months before
your day.
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PROBLEM: Acne-Prone Skin
Pimples are a rite of passage, but not everyone
stops dealing with breakouts after their teenage
years. If you’re eager to clear up your skin before
your day, we hear you. To tackle this problem
at home, look into adding retinoid products like
Differin gel into your regimen. “Apply a peasize
amount at night with an overlying oil-free
moisturizer like Cerave PM to combat dryness,”
says Lian Mack, a dermatologist at GlamDerm in
New York. Keep in mind it can take an average
of six to eight weeks for breakouts to ease up
after starting an acne regimen. And, using
acne products may cause skin to get worse before
it gets better. “They can cause a temporary
purging effect, where congestion comes to the
surface,” Mack says. If you’re looking for a
more aggressive treatment, consider a series
of salicylic acid peels. This potent ingredient
combats acne by clearing up clogged pores. It
also speeds up cellular turnover, which can
help with scarring and discoloration. Mack
recommends three peels spaced out a month
apart. Start this process four months before
your “I dos” to give yourself ample time to heal.
Using acne
products
may cause
skin to
get worse
before it
gets better—
they can
cause a
temporary
purging
effect.
PROBLEM: Acne Scars
The only thing worse than a major zit is a deep,
lingering reminder. Acne scars can be the result
of moderate to severe acne, and typically show
up as uneven or “pitted” areas. “Microneedling
treatments, specifically those with a device
called Vivace, can help soften or reverse this
scarring,” Mack says. A microneedling tool
that is coupled with radiofrequency, Vivace
stimulates collagen production to plump up
pitted areas over time and rejuvenate the skin.
After a treatment, you may experience mild
redness and pinpoint bleeding that lasts from
one to two hours. The big plus to looking like
raw meat for a couple of hours? You can expect
to see smaller pores, tighter skin and an overall
more even complexion within a few weeks. If
microneedling isn’t in your budget (the cost can
run upward of $650 a session), almighty
retinol can also resurface pitted areas—but
won’t do away with them completely. ››
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