The Complexion Countdown
Photograph by Corbis
Unlike New England’s weather, blemishes can be controlled — with some advance planning, that is. Since pre-wedding chaos can leave little time for spa treatments, we asked two top local facialists for their favorite at-home beauty tricks. Brad Duncan of Boston’s Brad Duncan Skin Care and Jane Aransky of La Residencia Spa in Newton offer up these simple tips.
ONE MONTH BEFORE
Eat clean. Avoid excess sugar and processed foods (and yes, those frozen lunches and meal-replacement bars count). Duncan recommends plenty of fruit and vegetables, which have skin-boosting antioxidants and give you a natural glow.
A FEW WEEKS BEFORE
Invest in a good facial brush. Aransky loves the ones by Clarisonic, which work much like an electric toothbrush. Simply top with your cleanser to deep-clean. Product pick: Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System, $195, La Residencia Spa.
THE DAY BEFORE
Duncan advises applying a sugar-based scrub to slough off dead cells and reveal brighter skin on your face and body. Product picks: Epicuren Fine Herbal Facial Scrub, $30, Brad Duncan Skin Care; Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish, $65, fresh.com.
THE NIGHT BEFORE AND DAY OF
Go with a creamy, gentle cleanser. “Don’t use anything harsh or stripping; you want to keep the skin calm,” Duncan says. Try 100% Pure’s Lavender Honey Facial Cleansing Foam, rinsed with a splash of cold water to close pores and firm up the skin. Product pick: 100% Pure Lavender Honey Facial Cleansing Foam, $16, skinbotanica.com.
IN CASE OF A FLARE-UP
Use a mask. Aransky recommends Anna Lotan’s Alodem Myrtle Mask if you’re in need of last-minute soothing. Intensely cooling, it calms sensitive patches and reduces the appearance of broken capillaries in 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water after applying. Product pick: Anna Lotan Alodem Myrtle Mask, $37, La Residencia Spa.
Brad Duncan Skin Care, 530 Tremont St., Boston, 617-482-1700, bradduncanskincare.com; La Residencia Spa, 336 Elliot St., Newton Upper Falls, 617-244-2280, laresidenciaspa.com.