As Told to Ashley Breeding

Spring and summer weddings call for soft makeup and whimsical locks. But creating a natural look that will stay put takes some work. Here, the team of experts from Sherif Zaki Salon & the Oasis Spa share their best style tips for getting pampered and pretty on your Big Day.

Get the glow

You want to exfoliate and brighten skin before the Big Day, so have a cleansing facial 10 days before the wedding, advises esthetician Catherine Walsh. Need your eyebrows or upper lip waxed? Now is the time to tackle that appointment, too. The Oasis Spa offers a Pampered Bride Package, including a three-step SaltFacial treatment that sloughs away dullness with organic sea salts, deeply hydrates with hyaluronic acid, and evens skin tone and restores

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collagen with LED lights. It can be repeated two days prior to the wedding. Whatever you do, avoid trying new products at the last minute, adds Walsh. “They might lead to breakouts—and you don’t want that.”

In the buff

The season’s subtle, romantic hues will pop on a silky canvas. Makeup artist Bruce Pabon likes to accentuate a dewy complexion with a nude eye, bronze cheek and peach lip. “Try a nude lid with a wash of champagne shimmer,” he says. “A hint of pink on the apples of cheeks and a satin peach lip color” spell romance, while wispy false lashes complete the look. For brides (and grooms) with deeper skin tones—or who just want a more dramatic effect—lead makeup artist Joel Crossan recommends pairing a bronze eye shadow with a coral pout. Both agree that you should do a makeup trial run ahead of time, so you know your shades and can be confident you’ll look your best.

Maybe she’s born with it …

Or maybe she has a great colorist. Stylists Lisa Challenger and Lauren McDevitt are the masters at making tresses look like they were kissed dirty blond (or golden brown, strawberry, pale ash or whatever your shade) by the sun. Have hair highlighted a week prior to the wedding, McDevitt says, “since color often hits a sweet spot after a week.” Haircuts, though, are a different story: “The condition of the hair matters most, and longer is not always better for updos,” she says. Long locks should get a trim three or four weeks before the wedding, and stressed strands might need another trim a few days before the final ’do.

Tress to impress

Humidity plays an important part in deciding how to wear your hair on your wedding day, Saunders says. For an outdoor summer celebration, she suggests sweeping hair up, or at least half up. “This is especially true for brides whose hair is frizzy or has lots of texture.” While classic styles never fall out of fashion, the “undone” ‘do is making waves this season. “Loose, tousled curls can work well on hair of all lengths,” Saunders adds, but you’ll need the right styling products—like an anti-humidity barrier spray—to keep tendrils smooth and bouncy. (She likes KMS’ Hairstay). If you’ve gone with a simpler ensemble and your hair is where you want to add flair, try a crystal-encrusted barrette or even pinning petals to your crown. “For trendier brides, she says, we can even foil pieces of semipermanent color that will wash out soon after the wedding,” Saunders says. 

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