Articles Top 10 - Health and Beauty Tips

10. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep - and you can't get too much of it!! I know this sounds boring but you also need to start getting lots early on, so begin by getting into a routine a year before the Big Day, and get at least 8 hours. You'll really see the difference. Honest! 9. Water, Water, Water - you can't get too much of this either. Drink at least 8 glasses a day for that fresh dewy look. 8. Skin - plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Make up fresh fruit smoothies for a delicious way to get your daily quota. 7. Hair - trim regularly to keep in good condition. There are plenty of great products out there. Try Charles Worthington Big Hair Body Beautiful, £3.99, if you feel your hair is fine and needs some extra body, or St.Ives Swiss Formula Hair Thickening, £3.45. For great curls try Alberto Vo5 Gel Spray Curl Booster with John Frieda Ready to Wear Gloss and Groom Hair Wax. For that sleek, shiny look try Salon Selectives Nourishing Mousse and Tec Ni Art Gloss Shine Spray. Take a mini hair spray with you on the day (with your mother or bridesmaid). Try Pantene Pro-V Flexible Firm Hairspray, £1.49, for a good hold without feeling too stiff. Or Schwarzkopf Supersoft Final Touch Glossing Hairspray, £1.39, for a firm hold with added shine. 6. Body - scrub to get rid of dry patches and dead skin cells, which make skin look dull. It helps lotions to be absorbed more easily and also helps stimulate your circulation. Massage legs, bottom and upper arms in a circular movement. Avon Body Smooth Surface Exfoliating Gel Cleanser, £4.25, or Superdrug Purite Gentle Exfoliating Body Scrub, £2.49, mild enough for sensitive skins. 5. Face - it pays to up-date your make-up as there are always new and better trends on the market. Tailor what's new to your own style and what suits you best. Spend time getting the right colour for your skin tone (you need to test on your jaw line) and blend. Moisturisers are vital to any beauty routine. Use a moisturiser with a good sunscreen - daylight has a damaging effect no matter what the season! If you're getting married in the summer, perhaps a tinted moisturiser would do if your skin is in tip top condition. Try Bobbi Brown Essentials SPF 15 Tinted Moisturiser. To help your make-up last all day think of anti-shine face gels. Try Lancôme T Control, £20, to give a smooth finish, or Clarins Instant Shine Control Gel, £14, to help on nose and chin where shine is more likely. For a lovely iridescent glow Chanel and Guerlain have water-based face gels to smooth over your face under foundation for a lit-from-within skin. Foundation sticks are all the rage - try Laura Mercier Foundation Stick, £28, for the smoothest finish. To keep cool in summer try Cool Sticks, £6.75, in Bronze and Shimmer, created for Tesco by Barbara Daly. Two-in-one foundations and powder are popular - try Almay Clear Balance Compact Make-up, £8.50. Also, Dior Teint Poude, £21.50. For a light coverage use with a dry sponge and for more coverage use the sponge damp. Light-defusing foundations that make light bounce off shadows and lines are the latest trend. Look for one that also includes skin-rejuvenating ingredients. Try Guardian Issima Anti-Ageing Crème Foundation, £28.50, or Christian Dior Teint Diorlift Smoothing Anti-Fatigue Foundation, £21.50. Also Oil of Olay Total Effects Time Resist Foundation, £9.99. For a flawless and long-lasting finish powder off. Use a velour powder puff (much better than a big brush). Use loose at home - this will last the longest - and take a pressed powder to touch up. Try Mac Face Powder, £13, or Christian Dior Translucent Powder, £24.50. Blushers give a radiant glow, don't go without one. Try Revlon New Complexion Powder Blush in Wine With Everything, £7.95, or M & S Classics Damson Blusher, £4, if you don't want pink. 4. Eyes - the most delicate part of the face, always treat with great care. It's never too early to start using eye cream and this needs to be dabbed on rather than rubbed. If you have very pale lashes use a very fine eyeliner brush and just dip it into your mascara and line the roots of your lashes. Lots of great mascara on the market - try Helena Rubinstein Generous Mascara, £15.50, or, now back on the market, Maybeline Great Lash Mascara, £3.99. Use 3 eye shadow shades - light (for all over the eye area), mid shade (blend on eye lid) and darker, for crease line on eye socket. Tone your eyes with lips and cheeks using either all warm or cool tones. 3. Lips - should be slick and subtle to keep soft and smooth. Try Nivea Lip Care Rose, £1.29, for the days up to the wedding. For a fuller and rounder look try Ultima 11's Volumising Lip Balm, £15, not cheap but good. Use a lip-liner all over lips to last all day. Try (a classic) Mac Spice Lipliner, £8, then your lipstick on top. Don't be afraid to mix lipsticks together on your lips, spend time to get the exact shade you want. Long-lasting lipstick - try No 7 Ultra Colour Lock in Almond Blossom, £7. Stay-on, try Ruby and Millie Lip Colour in Pink, £10. 2. Hands - everyone will be looking at your hands, close-up and personal, so make sure they are in tip-top condition. Hand cream is a must no matter what your age. For special needs try Nivea Hand Age Control, £3.99, or Skin Confidence E45 Hand and Nail Cream, £2.69. To step up your zinc intake eat plenty of fish, eggs, pulses and nuts to strengthen weak nails. Buff your nails to help circulation and smooth the nail surfaces. File gently and push cuticles back. Try Sally Hansen Problem Cuticle Remover, £2.69. Lots of lovely shades about but you can mix nail polish too to get your exact tone. Try Lancôme's Chrysalis, from £10. 1. Spots - If your worst nightmare happens you're allowed a 2-minute panic (but only 2!). Here are a few remedies. To correct the redness of spots use a green colour corrective base. Apply with cotton bud and blend outwards from centre of spot - try No7 Rosy Tone Colour Control, £7. Another effective trick is to wrap an ice cube in a clean tissue and hold against the spot to reduce the redness and swelling. Touch up with a spot of medicated concealer - try Rimmel Clear Complexion Cover Stick, £1.79. Also, though don't overdo this or you'll dry out your skin, just one dot of eyedrops reduces the redness. Concealers are always good to keep handy. Try Estee Lauder Disappear, £13.50, or Almay Amazing Lasting Concealer, £5.95. We wish you great happiness (and great looks) on your special day! [Back to articles]