Every bride wants to kick up the va-va-va-voom a notch or two for her wedding day, but there’s more to appearance enhancement than a bottle of self-tanner and a set of fake lashes. We spoke with five beauty pros to get the inside scoop on how to bring your look from barely there to bona-fide beauty. After all, looks may be skin deep, but no one ever said that was a sin. So cast your modesty aside and go for the gold—er, glow—you’ve always dreamed of. The best part? No one will ever know.
- I want hair like Carrie Underwood.
Don’t be ashamed. Everyone covets Carrie’s mane, and her look isn’t as hard as you might think to achieve. “We see a good number of brides who come in looking not only for longer hair for their wedding day, but more thickness as well,” says Khloe Sweeney, master stylist and lengthening and thickening specialist at RZ & Company in Madison.
The process at RZ starts with a consultation with two extension specialists, who fill you in on the service, find perfect color matches and go through the cost options. Plan on spending one to four hours for your appointment at the salon, as the stylist will bond the natural hair extensions to your own tresses. After your thicker, longer do is washed and styled, he or she will walk you through your maintenance plan and dish out tips for proper care of your fashionable locks. If you follow the plan, extensions can last three to six months.
“It’s nice as a bride to have longer hair,” Sweeney says. “You can knock off a lot more styles and the options are much more varied.” Be warned, however, that this luxury can take a bite out of your budget. Depending on whether you’re going for length, thickness or both, extensions range from $200 to $3,000, with $1,000 being about the average.
- I want eyelashes like Penelope Cruz.
It’s no secret—every man swoons when Penelope bats those gorgeous lashes. If you feel your peepers fall short, try Latisse, a prescription treatment that stimulates growth of your eyelashes, making them thicker, longer and darker.
“Lots of brides come in looking for ways to lengthen and fill out their lashes,” says Cathy Hagene, general manager at Fox Valley Plastic Surgery and Renaissance MediSpa in Oshkosh. “Latisse is nice because it works remarkably well, it’s easy to use and with maintenance, it’s permanent.”
Hagene recommends that brides start using the product, which you apply like eyeliner each night before bed, six to eight weeks before their wedding day, since it takes about two months to see full results. Available through medical spas, dermatologists and plastic surgeons, a 60-day supply of Latisse costs around $120. Visit latisse.com to find a doctor near you.
- I want lips like Angelina Jolie.
Envied by women around the world, Angela’s pillowy lips are a natural gift, but that doesn’t mean you can’t amp up your own kisser. At Sundara Inn & Spa in Wisconsin Dells, a popular add-on to the spa’s facials is lip exfoliation, which plumps up your lips and diminishes the appearance of fine lines around the mouth.
“The product is made with organic ingredients like rosehips and gingko,” says Carla Minsky, communications manager for Sundara. Estheticians recommend that brides get plumped within 12 hours of the wedding, since the effect is temporary.
Want a more dramatic lip makeover that will take you past your honeymoon? Consider injectables. A doctor or nurse numbs the lip area, then outlines the best shape for your mouth, using the natural contour as a guide. Then, a tissue filler (like Juvéderm or Restylane) is injected into your lips. “It gives you the lips like you had when you were younger,” says Hagene. “The effect can last six months or more.”
Most pros warn that swelling at the injection site is normal for up to 72 hours after the procedure. At Renaissance MediSpa, the service starts at $600.
- I want cleavage like Scarlett Johansson.
Overly ample bosoms seem to be a dime a dozen in today’s silicone-filled world. But a little support can go a long way in boosting your figure. Avoid the big-box stores and work with an intimate-apparel specialist who knows exactly what you need to get the cleavage you want.
Amy Zuelsdorf of Allure Intimate Apparel in Mequon and Brookfield advises women to come in with an open mind. “We spend a lot of time listening to the brides that come in, then we make recommendations,” she says. Some of Allure’s top picks for brides? Silicone inserts—commonly referred to as cutlets—are staples for smaller-busted brides who want a little oomph. For gowns with revealing necklines, Allure stocks a plunge bra that will keep you from falling out, while providing separation and lift.
- I want skin like Cameron Diaz.
White doesn’t look good on everybody, and that goes for more than just the dress. If you’re feeling a little pasty or afraid you won’t show up in your own wedding photos, consider airbrush tanning. While you may be tempted to fake-and-bake after failed attempts with at-home sunless tanning (hello, orange hands and uneven color!), professional spray tanning can give you a natural glow without damaging your skin.
“Spray tanning can be customized, meaning we can darken your legs to match your upper body or even up tan lines,” says Lacy Knoelke, esthetician at GLOW Salon & Spa in downtown Milwaukee.
Beginning with a full-body exfoliation, a professional applies a light mist, which takes about 10 minutes to dry. The full color takes about 12 hours to develop, so what you see when you leave isn’t what you’ll look like on your wedding day. “You’ll have a nice, natural glow for seven to 10 days,” says Knoelke, who says that GLOW tans many brides and bridal parties before their big day. A single spray tanning application at GLOW is $35. Packages are also available.
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