Pre-Bridal Beauty Timeline: What to Book and When

Most pre-bridal stress comes from leaving things to the last week. Skin needs time to settle after facials, hair colour needs time to soften, and you want your makeup trial early enough to change your mind. Here is a simple countdown you can adjust to your own wedding date and events.

Three months before

• Start a facial routine. Book a skin consultation and begin regular facials suited to your skin type. Starting early gives time to see what works.
• Plan your hair. If you want to grow your hair or change its colour, decide now. Get a trim to remove damaged ends and start regular hair spa or conditioning treatments.
• See a dermatologist if needed. For acne, pigmentation or any skin condition, a dermatologist is the right first step, and treatments take time to show results.

Six to eight weeks before

• Colour your hair. A new colour looks most natural a few weeks after it is done, and leaves time for a correction if needed. Do a patch test 48 hours before.
• Book your makeup artist and hair stylist. Good artists fill up quickly in the wedding season, so lock in dates for every function.

Four weeks before

• Do your makeup and hair trial. Wear a top in a similar colour to your outfit, take photos in daylight and indoor light, and note what you would change.
• Get your final haircut or shaping if you need one, so it has time to settle.

Two weeks before

• Have your last facial. Avoid trying any new facial, peel or strong treatment from now on. If your skin reacts, there is not enough time for it to calm down.
• Touch up your hair colour if your roots need it.

The final week

• Waxing and threading: three to four days before the first event, so any redness has settled.
• Manicure and pedicure: do these before your mehendi, because the mehendi will cover your hands and feet and you cannot redo nails after it.
• Mehendi: usually one to two days before the wedding, as the colour deepens over the first day or two.
• Hair spa: a gentle hair spa a few days before keeps hair soft for styling.

On the day

• Arrive with clean, dry hair unless your stylist has asked for something different.
• Keep a small kit for touch-ups: lipstick, compact, blotting papers, safety pins and bobby pins.
• Drink water and eat something before getting ready. It is a long day.

Book your appointments in one place

Bookwie lets you compare salons, see services and prices, and book each appointment for the date you need. Find salons near you and plan your countdown early.