Upkeep’s Wedding Treatment Timeline: Skincare Edition

For the most photographed day of your life, you’ll want to look your best. Especially when it comes to your face–a skilled makeup artist helps a lot, but a beautiful canvas for said makeup artist is even better! This means you’ll need to develop a game plan with your aesthetician so that you can address your skin concerns well in advance of the big day. Here’s a timeline specifically for facial treatments that we recommend:  

A year out: start with monthly Hydrafacials, extractions

If you’re experiencing acne or breakouts, the sooner you can start to combat that, the better. Don’t wait until the wedding is just around the corner; it takes time for acne treatments to work. If acne is your main concern, you can’t go wrong with gentle facials like the Hydrafacial and focusing on extractions. Even if acne isn’t your main concern, consistent facials will keep your skin in good shape. File it under “it can’t hurt” preventative maintenance. 

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8 months out: start Morpheus8

If you’re looking to tighten your skin and/or dramatically improve it, start a course of Morpheus8 treatments about eight months before the big day. You’ll need about three sessions spaced a month apart. This innovative treatment combines microneedling with radiofrequency to boost collagen and elastane production, and, at its deepest settings, even remodel the fatty tissue underneath your skin for a firmer, more lifted look. Note: wait until after your Morpheus8 treatments are completed before getting filler, as the radiofrequency heat melts the filler! 

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6 months out: microneedling/chemical peels 

By this point, monthly facials–as well as any other product recommendations your aesthetician or dermatologist gives you–will have helped clear your skin enough for treatments like microneedling and chemical peels. (Microneedling isn’t suitable for active acne; some chemical peels can be.) Microneedling helps with skin texture and tone, creating a smooth canvas for your makeup artist on the big day (and the need for less concealer–yay!) Chemical peels also treat skin tone and texture, removing old dead skin cells and revealing fresh, glowing skin. While you can technically combine these treatments, you probably won’t need to; it’s best to pick one of them based on your unique needs.

Note: wait at least two weeks after any injectables before starting microneedling. 

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2 months out: fillers

Now is the time to get any lip fillers or other dermal fillers, as there’s usually a little swelling after getting filler, and you want to give that time to settle. But you also want the filler to be pretty fresh, so your features are at their fullest before your big day. If you end up not liking the look of the filler, you can get it dissolved instantly. 

1 month out: Botox

If you’ve ever had Botox before, then you know that results take up to a week to take hold. In rare cases, you can also have some temporary drooping as the Botox settles. That’s why you want to build in enough time post-Botox to prepare for this possibility. By 4 weeks post injection, your Botox should look settled and still be maximally effective. At the same time, you also don’t want to get Botox done too far in advance–8 weeks out is the max allowance we’d recommend. 

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1 week out: Hydrafacial or Forma facial

By this point, the preparations should be mostly out of the way–so it’s time for you to get some much needed relaxation. That’s why we recommend either a Forma facial or a Hydrafacial before your big day. The Hydrafacial will deliver the perfectly glowy skin you’ll want for your big day, while the Forma facial uses radiofrequency heat to tighten the skin–if you want your face to look “snatched” and smooth, Forma’s perfect for that. 

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All of the treatments we list here can be booked on the Upkeep app, which is the easiest way to book MedSpa services on demand. We also offer concierge booking services for brides–email booking@upkeep.com for help booking skincare treatments well in advance. With Upkeep, you can look your best for your big day without stressing over finding available appointments. 

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