One of the biggest driving forces for a new patient to contact me for skin treatments or skincare is event prep. Whether we are talking about a wedding, reunion, big party, hot date, or just the start of a “new you” — an event, no matter how big or small, is a good excuse to take your self-care to the next level so you can look and feel your very best! In this blog, I am here to give you advice on getting your glow on and most importantly what that timeline to your most radiant skin should look like.
When & Where To Begin
The earlier the better! As soon as you get your event date set up a consultation with your provider. If you don’t already have a reputable esthetician and injector here are some tips in searching for one. During this consultation, we typically set up a timeline by working backwards from the big date to fit in all of our necessary treatments + healing time. When a new client reaches out to me, I first have them send me photos so that I can give them a basic assessment and offer a guideline of recommendations and ballpark pricing. This helps clients plan, budget, and travel if they are out of town. This pre-screening process also helps us to be able to book treatment immediately following that first consultation which saves patients a trip.
Customized Medical Grade Skincare Plan
This is also the time we want to start a consistent skincare routine with medical grade skincare. You would be amazed at the degree of change we can make in the skin with solely medical grade skincare. We can soften wrinkles, erase sun damage, and smooth texture – it is transformational! Medical grade skincare products contain the most active, potent ingredients. Unlike drugstore and beauty counter brands, they do not contain “fillers”. With these products you will be able to achieve heightened results most quickly. I help patients nationwide achieve their best skin by using medical grade skincare. I love being able to reach and help people all over the country with the very same products I use daily in my practice. Skincare is not one size fits all. I create complementary, custom skincare regimens for my clients. I am able to do this via email and in the convenience of your own home. If you would like to start achieving your best skin today fill out the form here. I will send back a plan that fits your needs as well as links to purchase. I do ship nationwide- so even if you can’t see me for in office treatments I can definitely still help with topical skincare…and let me tell you this can be totally transformative for the skin!
The Date Is Set
Your event date is set and it is time to book your first Hydrafacial and Dermaplaning appointment. You’re ready for your very first facial, amazing! To develop a customized treatment plan to address your concerns, pop in at least 2-6 months before the date for a proper skin analysis. You’ll have the opportunity to chat with your Esthetician who will give you pro-pointers to make sure you’re set for success.
I recommend getting a hydrafacial with dermaplaning a few months before the wedding to make sure you love it (I’m sure you will!) and then consider getting them before the shower or other events, and the final one would be the week of the event. Both of these treatments are completely noninvasive with no down time.
Get Your Glow On
There are so many different facials out there but my favourites for even prep are Dermaplaning and HYdrafacials – they give the quickest results with the fewest appointments. Dermaplaning involves gently scraping your skin with a blade to remove the hair and dead skin. Nope, you won’t get cut and the hair won’t come back thicker don’t worry! You’ll be left with a clear surface for applying your skin care products and makeup. It is the flawless finish. A HydraFacial is a facial treatment using a patented device to deliver exfoliation, cleansing, extraction, and hydration to the face.
Most facials are totally customizable medical grade facial. It’s so much more than just getting your face washed and exfoliated spa style. At Racquel Aesthetics we offer 4 different facial types and they can all be uniquely tailored to your skin type and needs!
PS. If you’re getting a ‘hydra-facial ‘ or a ‘hydrating facial’ it’s likely not the same! The true HydraFacial treatment is administered with the trademark HydraFacial machine which includes a vacuum system, multiple suction and serum application heads and a monitor.
Considering Botox?
As soon as your event date is set, go ahead and schedule your first Botox ASAP. We use botox for treating expression lines & wrinkles. You want to try it out and make sure you love it once or twice before the event if possible. You want your last botox appointment to be 3-4 weeks before your event so that it has plenty of time to set in as well as time for a touch after the 2 week mark if needed. If you start early enough, we can get a couple of sessions in before the big day!
All About Botox
Yes, what you heard was true, Botox is a muscle relaxer. But it isn’t permanent. Botox is used to prevent muscles from contracting because when the muscles contract they cause creases in the skin which turn into fine lines and wrinkles. Botox can be used to both prevent and reverse wrinkles in places like your forehead, crows feet and the ‘11s’ lines between your eyebrows.
A Botox appointment generally starts with a discussion with the practitioner about what you need and what is best for you. The injections themselves will take around 5 minutes and then you’ll be on your way! Immediately after the procedure you may see small red bumps at the injection site but it will likely be gone by the time you get to your car.
You’ll notice the full effect of the relaxed muscles at the 7-10 day mark and then you will notice fine lines and wrinkles begin to slowly fade since the skin is not long being creased over and over and over. On average, the treatments last about 3-4 months.
Filler Types
Fillers last about one year or more. I recommend getting your filler about 2-6 months before your event, and it should still look absolutely perfect for the big day. You want at least one month between your last filler and your event so that there is plenty of time for everything to settle from the swelling and discolouration.
Filler can be injected in so many locations, but I usually do consults and then appointments in two different sessions so I know you are really wanting to go ahead with it. Fillers is a great way to accent features you love and hide lines you don’t but I always want my patients to feel loved in their skin not changed!
Info on Fillers:
Simply put fillers are an injectable hyaluronic acid gel that is used to replace this volume loss, fill in facial wrinkles and help restore a smoother appearance.
Fillers are commonly used in the lips, under eyes, cheeks, beside the nose or mouth, temples, jawline, acne scars, sleep lines and even ear lobes! I’m betting there are a few in that list you didn’t know about and that’s because more often than not we can’t tell when someone has had these treatments done. The biggest fear I see in my patients is looking ‘plastic’ or ‘overdone’. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring carbohydrate in the body, not only is it very safe but it’s also completely reversible! So when you see those people who look ‘overdone’ they chose that, and they have the option to reverse it!
There are quite a few brands of fillers and your practitioner will choose what is right for you based on the area they are treating and the consistency and longevity of the product.
For more on Fillers, read here.
Light Therapy and Skin Tones
I recommend 1-3 IPL spaced one month apart depending on the severity of your pigmentation. You should do your last treatment no sooner than 1 month before the wedding.
Info on IPL:
Intense Pulsed Light Therapy is mainly used with the intent to reverse sun damage which everyone has to some degree. It is just more prominent on some people’s skin than others. IPL is a laser treatment but it does not cause any shedding or peeling of the skin. It is great for reducing rosacea or hyperpigmentation as well as stimulating collagen production.
You can feel the pulsed light and because of that a practitioner will apply a numbing cream. The sensation is similar to someone flicking your face. Not painful but slightly annoying. The treatment generally lasts about 10 minutes. After your treatment, the pigment will start to rise to the surface of your skin and flake off over the course of 5-7 days. One week post treatment you will be shocked at how clear and plump your skin will be!
More on IPL in this Everything You Need to Know blog.
Microneedling with Platelet Rich Plasma
If you want to work on texture or scarring, I recommend a few of these before the big day. The last treatment should be no closer than 2-3 weeks before the event.
Info on Microneedling:
Whether you’re looking to treat large pores, scarring, or just wanting to have even and glowing skin texture, microneedling can drastically help. Microneedling involves making teeny-tiny punctures to the skin to stimulate the growth of new cells and collagen production. The treatment requires taking a sample of your blood and applying it back into your skin. I know it sounds crazy but it works wonders.
The reason we take the blood sample is to extract Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) which is a miracle substance that your body is already creating. PRP is incredible for wound healing so by pairing the small micro-injuries with a healing plasma you are getting quite literally a new face of skin. Before this procedure the skin is numbed with a cream and most patients feel very little irritation during the microneedling.
Skin will be red and a bit swollen after a microneedling treatment but healing time is minimal.
If you’re serious about it, read more about microneedling here.
Skin Prep Tips
What if I’m traveling for the event?
Traveling for an event is not the time to try out those random travel-sized skincare products you’ve been collecting in your medicine cabinet. Keep your usual product routine during travel, even if it means packing a little heavier than normal. Here are some tips on traveling with skincare.
Anything I should avoid doing right before an event?
We love a good microdermabrasion, peel, or laser for resurfacing and stimulating collagen, just remember to schedule yours at least a month from the event, no sooner. Same goes for seriously deep peels. Gentle ones are fine though! And don’t start experimenting with new products. Stick with what works!
LUX Pads – My Fav Product for the Night Before an Event
I recommend exfoliating the surface of your skin with a Lux Pad the night before the big day. This will physically resurface dead skin cells. Immediately, skin will look brighter, while your complexion will look more even with continued use over time. To use, gently smooth a pad over cleansed skin at night just once per week including the night before your big event.
Hydrate your Body
You may think of your skin care routine as solely pertaining to your face—but it’s high time you paid attention to the rest of your body as well. If a plunging, backless, or short dress is part of your big day, you’ll definitely want to make sure that your skin looks as good as it can from head to toe. Before showering, gently scrub your skin with a dry brush or use a scrub in the shower to help exfoliate dull, dead skin cells from the surface. When you hop out of the shower, apply a body lotion to damp skin to help lock in hydration.
FAKE A GOLDEN GLOW
There’s just something about a tan that can make your skin look better than ever. Of course, you know that tanning is a total no-no—but you can get a faux glow with a nice professional airbrush tan.
Hydrocolloid patches for a zit the night before
DO NOT PICK! I always like to suggest Hero cosmetics pimple patches to be applied to inflamed areas clients are so desperately wanting to pop. Hero Patches are made of hydrocolloid and will suck the junk inside the blemish out without you having to pop and pick! This way it feels rewarding like you are doing something for the blemish but not destroying your face. Pop this on before bed. Your zit will look much less inflamed, less red, and more flat in the AM!
You can get these patches here. You can choose the dots or strips (red & orange boxes)! I like both!
Ice any Acne The Morning Of
You can use an ice pack or a frozen spoon to calm down any inflamed acne. DO NOT pick at it NO MATTER WHAT!
I Am Here For You
I can help you decide what you need! You do not have to do all of the above. I always tell my patients the best thing you can do is pick a treatment or two that would fit your needs and goals and just get started. By starting maintenance treatments and just slowly mixing them all in over time you will continue to see drastic changes in your skin. Your skin will not completely change over night. It takes effort, patience, and compliance slowly over time to achieve skin goals. I always compare it to working out. You don’t get fit overnight, and if you completely stop working out you will slowly return to baseline. It is maintenance, but it is SO worth it to feel confident in your skin for the long haul.
Skincare is not one size fits all when it comes to products or treatments. Message me through the contact form on my website and tell me about your skin and your unique needs and I’ll give you some complimentary suggestions.
Here for you!!
XO
Racquel
