Prepping for a wedding is stressful enough to begin with, but if you’re a bride who has to plan the event during this year’s lockdown…well, Beauty Director Chloe Hall understands exactly what you’re going through. “It has been such a roller coaster of emotions,” says Hall, who with her fiancé, decided in the end to push her wedding date to next year. She says that doing so switched up her priorities in a positive way. “It has been helpful to ground and remind myself that the sole purpose of this wedding is to celebrate the love my fiancé and I have for each other,” Hall says. “And not get caught up in the details.”
She has now shifted her checklist away from table settings and itineraries to self-care and beauty rituals. If you’re looking for ways to recenter your body, mind, and spirit while prepping for your big day, Hall has a few suggestions.
Find a Fitness Routine That Works For You
Hall’s fitness routine centers around balance. “I still want to feel good in my dress, but that also comes with making healthier decisions and not putting so much pressure on myself,” she says. Her workouts include a mix of morning runs (with the Nike Run app), 305 Fitness cardio classes, and Yoga with Adriene.
Hall is big believer in finding a workout that works for you. “I like the balance between high and low intensity workouts,” she says. “It feels a lot more natural than failing at bridal bootcamp workouts!”
Complement Your Workouts With Emsculpt Neo
Hall believes the Emsculpt Neo has complemented the visible results of her workout. The in-office treatment involves high-intensity electromagnetic energy and radio frequency heat that, according to the brand, helps eliminate fat and builds muscle. “Radio frequency is what targets the fat and heats it up, which actually kills the fat cells,” says New York City-based dermatologist David Goldberg, M.D. “Once you kill the fat cells, they don’t come back.” (Maintaining a healthy diet can help keep them from being replaced.)
The treatment is done in-office, where a technician places a large applicator on your target area. It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and a full treatment cycle consists of four weekly treatments.
Hall had tried the original Emsculpt, but says she likes the Emsculpt Neo even better. “That’s no shade at all to the original treatment,” says Hall. “I just really liked the added heat.” While the original Emsculpt device focused solely on toning muscles, the new, radio frequency heat component of the Emsculpt Neo provides a more well-rounded approach that also kills fat cells, according to the brand.
“If you’re holding onto a little stubborn abdominal fat, which tends to be most of us, you’d be a good candidate for the Emsculpt Neo because of its ability to simultaneously tone muscle and melt fat,” says dermatologist Melanie Palm, M.D., who helped evaluate the product during its development stages. “Because the original Emsculpt doesn’t have the ‘fat-melting’ technology, people who are already in really good shape or are using it for maintenance are better candidates for that device.”
Hall goes on to say that the Emsculpt Neo treatment feels like an intense stretch or crunch. “The 30 minutes went by really quickly,” she says.
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If you want to try Emsculpt Neo prior to your big event, schedule your appointments far in advanced to see optimal results. According to a clinical trial (which was presented at this year’s American Society for Dermatologic Surgery meeting—a series of virtual sessions discussing advances in the field) 40 of the 48 people who tested the product showed what the brand considers “optimal results” in three months. “Across all the studies we’ve done with Emsculpt Neo, the results have been very consistent—there was a 30% increase in fat loss, 25% increase of muscle tone, and some even showed a 5 to 7 centimeter loss in waist circumference, which can be a dress size or two,” says Dr. Palm.
Edit Your Skincare to Priority Products and Treatments
Hall’s pre-wedding routine is based on just four mainstays—the Dr. Barbara Sturm Cleanser, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, and a vitamin C serum by SkinCeuticals—with good reason. “I’m trying to keep it really simple because I’ve been the queen of maskne lately,” she says. While her wedding isn’t until next year (and hopefully mask-free!) paring down your skincare routine is generally a good idea to avoid breakouts or irritation prior a big event.
To up her glow prior to her big day, she uses retinol by SkinCeuticals weekly, and plans to get a chemical peel closer to the event. “I have some hyperpigmentation and dark spots,” she says. “They’re subtle and mostly on the sides of my face, so I want to get a chemical peel to address those before my wedding.”
If you are looking to get a peel before your big day you need to schedule it properly warns James Y. Wang, M.D., Los Angeles-based dermatologist and founder of Metropolis Skin warns. “A general rule of thumb for achieving your best glow for that anticipated day is to have a superficial peel two weeks prior to ensure that any redness, discoloration, or peeling subsides.” he says. “It may be wise to trial a peel ahead of time to know exactly how your skin responds.”
Start Your Hair Prep (Far) In Advance
Planning out your hairstyle in advance not only ensures it will look its best, but guarantees your strands will be thoroughly prepped for any heat styling you decide to do on the big day. Hall isn’t decided yet on her wedding hairstyle, but is already strengthening her hair in preparation. “I’ve been doing a lot of hair masks and treatments with the Ankh Monarch Hair Oil.” Both masks and treatments can up the moisture in your hair, making it feel more resilient and look stronger. “I think I want to have big wedding weekend hair, so it’s really important that I make sure my hair is really healthy in order to take the potential heat styling.”
Meditate Often
Hall starts each morning with a meditation session using the Headspace app. “I’ve been really focused on my mental health,” she says. “I’m working on meditating every day.” Her fiancé and pug often join her for this moment of calm.
By beginning her busy days in a calmer state, Hall finds it easier to appreciate the small moments of joy between hectic deadlines and back-to-back meetings. “Self-care can be done in so many different ways,” she says. “Even things like sitting outside with a cup of tea and listening to the birds can be so relaxing and nice for my mental health.”
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