Holistic Bridal Beauty Prep: Hack For Happiness & Radiance

Don't we all want to be the best version of ourselves on our wedding day?

Besides getting fit, looking after your skin, getting healthy shiny hair and beautiful nails there is one more element to my bridal beauty prep. And this is possibly the most important for me: MEDITATION and self care. I want to feel happy and relaxed on the day, I want to be patient with my family and my partner. I want to feel comfortable in my skin, I want to be healthy and filled with energy. Marriage is a new exciting chapter in life and I want to feel ready for it.

In my job I have seen many brides that have burnt themselves out in the lead up to the wedding. Which so upsetting to see. Brides with severe breakouts, flu, colds, anxiety, stomach issues or anger and emotion overload, deprived of sleep and feeling anything but beautiful.

Just as important as our beauty routines are our thoughts and beliefs. We all know that stress can cause breakouts and other problematic skin conditions, therefore it is super important to take time out for little self love rituals along the way. Take a deep breath and take my advice: You can not afford NOT to do this. Meditation will change your life for the better. Taking only a few minutes a day it's the quick fix you have been waiting for. The benefits are even scientifically proven,just in case you are skeptic.

Benefits for the physical body:

Lowers high blood pressure Lowers the levels of blood lactate, reducing anxiety attacks Decreases any tension-related pain, such as, tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint problems Increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior Improves the immune system Increases the energy level, as you gain an inner source of energy

Meditation is probably the easiest and most amazing way to prevent stress from manifesting in your body. If you have trouble quieting your mind it can be a good idea to exercise prior to meditation. This is a great way to release tension first so that you can really relax during your quiet time. Another perfect time is first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. Meditation truly improves your stress related skin issues and overall helps to find your true and positive self image.

Mental Benefits of Meditation

Anxiety decreases Emotional stability improves Creativity increases Happiness increases Intuition develops Gain clarity and peace of mind Problems become smaller Meditation sharpens the mind by gaining focus and expands through relaxation A sharp mind without expansion causes tension, anger and frustration An expanded consciousness without sharpness can lead to lack of action/progress The balance of a sharp mind and an expanded consciousness brings perfection

In my freelance schedule it can be tough to take time out for myself, so believe me, I know it is a big commitment when you are busy, but it will serve you and save time in the long term. I found out that I just simply can't sign up for any regular classes, as my schedule changes often with very little notice. I signed up for an online yoga channel, which is genius. I can practice whenever I want, right here in my living room, which works extremely well for me. They also have great meditations and overall info on their website. I am sure there are many great similar sites, this is the one we are using: Gaia. Yes, my man uses it too. :)

If you are happier to join a live class, do a little search in your local area and ask around for recommendations. There are also some great guided meditations online for free or you can buy some audios by teachers that speak to you. You can also simply sit in stillness by yourself without any guidance, but most beginners find that a little tricky to start of with. Have you tried meditation yet? Feel free to share your experience.

Create a Beauty Ritual

photo taken inside my bathroom cabinet by Liv

Do you have a beauty ritual? Do you look forward to your daily skincare routine? Do you absolutely love how your products smell and feel on your skin? If you do you are much more likely to keep up and you get to relax and have fun in the process. I believe that the pleasure of using products and to create a little self-care ritual around your routine is actually very beneficial to your skin and most importantly to the way you feel. I am so grateful I have recently connected with a fellow skincare lover and expert, the lovely Misty who is the inspiring woman behind the skincare line BLOOM. We send long long emails back and and forth chatting away about skin & health, I feel we connected in such a great way that I just made a new friend on the other side of the world. Created by a holistic nutritionist with a deep understanding of whole body health, this line truly felt different to all other natural skincare lines I have ever used. You can tell that it's not just another skincare line but rather one carefully researched and crafted with a holistic approach. Can you tell, that I am a bit of a fan? Within one week of using the products exclusively morning and night and having so much fun with the ritual in the meantime, my skin has transformed. The few blemishes I had healed quickly without leaving scarring or redness, my skin is smooth and even toned and very well hydrated. It glows, so that I even completely skipped wearing any foundation for a few days. I received my products after one really long and exhausting day a few weeks ago and I fell in love immediately, from the moment I received the products which came in the prettiest colourful wrapping.

I am of course a little picky when it comes to skincare, as I receive so many samples and constantly get to work with new and different products in my job, and I have to say: These products are different to anything I had ever tried before.

I took the skin type test on the website as all three steps in this skincare routine are uniquely created for a specific skin type. The test decided that I would fit best into the Combination Skin Type. I think the combination skin choice was spot on, as my skin is taking really well to the new routine. The smell of my Nourish Serum is very relaxing and grounding and I can feel all the muscles in my face relax immediately. Step 1: GLOW and POLISH Glow is a wonderful botanical oil blend, that you can use as eye-makeup remover. Within the beauty ritual you then mix it with Polish to create a wonderful deeply purifying facial cleanser. Polish is a powdery consistency, it buffes away impurities but isn't not harsh like other scrubs. It also contains natural lactic acid to brighten and soften, from organic whole milk powder. You can use turn your cleanse into a weekly face mask by leaving it on for 10 minutes before rinsing. And it feels incredibly nice! Step 2: HYDRATE and NOURISH Spritz your face liberally with HYDRATE and you will want to use it all day long! It's a lovely hydrating spritz packed with essential nutrients that will allow your next step to really lock in that extra moisture. Then you follow with a few drops of Nourish. I really love massaging the Nourish serum into my skin and personally love the smell so much that I inhale a few times to get the most out of the aromatherapy effects. If you are feeling dry, apply NOURISH directly to your skin after using POLISH. Step 3: RESTORE Apply a small amount of RESTORE to the area around the eyes and elsewhere on the face, as needed. The area between the eye brows and the "laugh lines" next to the mouth are especially nice. It's a very concentrated potent little balm that my skin loves.

All products are 100% Natural, Crueltyfree, All BLOOM formulas are vegetarian or vegan, gluten free and preservative + toxin free and only contain with the freshest, safest, most luxurious ingredients for your skin type. The line does not use any fillers (including water) and as such a little goes a very long way.

I am hooked on my luxurious beauty ritual! Please check out the BLOOM website which now offers a generous $20.00 shipping flat rate to Australia.