Whether you’re having a rustic theme complete with a barn venue or a Halloween-inspired wedding with a moody color scheme, velvet attire, and candles, fall is the perfect time to have a wedding. The crisp air, beautiful foliage, and cool evenings make this time of year popular for weddings. You can rekindle your bridal glow at home. With a bridal skincare routine, you’ll have glowing skin for your fall wedding.

Fall can come with its respective skincare challenges, as cooler weather can cause dry, flaky areas can show up when you least expect them, making you look less than picture-perfect for your wedding day.

So, how can you create the best bridal skincare routine at home to get your glow back before walking down the aisle? We’ve got your ultimate bridal skincare routine here so you can get glowing skin for your fall wedding.

Reminder: Start ASAP!

The earlier you can start with your bridal skincare routine, the better.

Just exactly how soon are we talking? If you can start about a year in advance, that’s not too soon. In fact, when working with a professional to address specific skincare issues, it’s always best to have more time than you need to get beautiful skin.

If you’re a last-minute person (or if all this wedding stress has turned you into one), don’t panic. You can still start a bridal skincare routine at home to have glowing skin on the big day. While you may not have time to tackle bigger issues, such as dark spots or visible wrinkles, don’t worry—that’s what makeup is for.

Do a Chemical Peel at Home

Chemical peels are a superb way to remove dead skin cells. These chemical peels promote the growth of healthy new cells on the skin’s surface. It can help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and even acne.

In addition, chemical exfoliants are particularly good for fall weddings because they allow you to avoid harsh physical exfoliants such as sugar, salt, or coffee scrubs that can exacerbate skin dryness and irritation during this time of cooler weather.

Doing a chemical peel at home as part of your bridal skincare routine is simple, and because OTC products contain a lower concentration of the active ingredient, there is less risk of side effects. However, this also means you’ll need to be consistent and start early to get results.

Which peel you choose depends on your skin type. If you struggle with breakouts, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) may be right for you. However, both BHAs and AHAs can work for normal and oily skin types, and some concentrations can even work for sensitive skin types. Look for salicylic, glycolic, lactic, and even citric acid for a home chemical peel.

Mask Up

A weekly mask is a perfect way to keep skin looking plump and healthy before your fall wedding. Adding a mask to your bridal skincare routine at home is also easy.

A weekly or bi-weekly mask can be especially helpful if you have dry or combination skin. These skin types are more likely to see dryness and flakiness as summer transitions into fall. A mask can supplement your skincare routine and help protect your skin barrier by locking in moisture to reduce dryness, irritation, and even acne.

You can either use a sheet mask or a rinse-off mask, or you may do an overnight mask. It is particularly beneficial the night before the big day. Start using a weekly face mask about a month before the wedding to maintain your glow.

Stay Moisturized

Moisturizer is your BFF in the days, weeks, and months before the wedding. Moisture can help reduce irritation, protect your skin barrier. It also can soften fine lines and wrinkles, leading to a more youthful appearance.

To keep skin moisturized, use a gentle cream cleanser, hydrating serums, and a moisturizer for your specific skin type. For example, while oily skin types may be able to get away with a lighter moisturizer, dry or combination skin types may need a heavier cream starting in the fall.

Using the right moisturizer and keeping skin hydrated is one of the most crucial steps in your bridal skincare routine at home because it will help protect your beautiful skin.

Use a Non-Comedogenic Sunscreen

You should still be using sunscreen as the big day gets closer, but use a non-comedogenic one. It typically means skipping water-resistant sunscreen. You generally don’t need a waterproof sunscreen this time of year anyway, and a non-comedogenic sunscreen can help your pores stay clear and make it easier to cleanse at night. Choose a lightweight sunscreen. That will help prevent sun damage yet keep your skin looking radiant for the big day without clogging pores.

Don’t Forget Your Neck and Chest

Even if you’ve chosen a high-necked dress, tux, or jumpsuit for the big day, don’t skip your neck and chest. The products and treatments you’re using on your face will go a long way to keep your neck and chest looking supple as well, which doesn’t hurt when you’ll be the focus of so many photos that day. Plus, it never hurts to have the skin on your neck and chest looking just as beautiful and blemish-free as your face!

Other Tips to Jumpstart Your Best Skin for the Big Day

Here are a few other fall skincare tips to help you when you’re creating a bridal skincare routine at home:

Do: Get enough sleep, drink enough water, exercise, and eat healthy. You’ll help reduce low-grade inflammation. Keep your skin looking plump and beautiful for your wedding day by taking care of your body.

Don’t: Go crazy with your routine. If the big day is only a few days or weeks away, this is not the time to be experimenting with new products, go in for a microneedling or pull any other dramatic stunts with your skin.

Do: Talk to a dermatologist ahead of time if you can. Your derm can help you correct hyperpigmentation and even reduce the appearance of wrinkles with professional treatments before the wedding.

Don’t: Book professional treatments the week of your wedding unless you know how your skin will tolerate them. So, for example, if you’ve had a glycolic peel done and it works wonders for you—go for it. If not, wait until after the wedding.

Get Started by Taking Our Free Skin Type Quiz

It’s difficult to develop an effective bridal skincare routine at home when you don’t know YOUR skin type. Get started pampering your skin and looking drop-dead gorgeous for the big day by taking our free skin type quiz—it’s fast, easy, and will have you saying “I Do” in no time!