EVERY bride and groom wants their skin to be looking the best it possibly can on their wedding day, so why not start now with your own skin care programme so when the time comes you will not only look happy, but be in great shape and health.

Your skin reflects your state of health, being soft and smooth when well cared for, or dry and flaky when taken for granted. To be the proud owner of beautiful, soft, young-looking skin on your wedding day, you need to take care of it.

Men as well as women will see a marked improvement in their skin if they follow a good skin care plan.

We all need to cleanse our face and neck, morning and night. The accumulation of dead cells, perspiration and make-up mixed with the grime in the atmosphere clogs up our pores and results in a dull and lifeless appearance. After cleansing a toner is used to remove the last traces of cleanser and tighten and tone the pores. Toner leaves the skin feeling invigorated and cool.

Next use a moisturiser. Pollution, sunlight, harsh weather, air-conditioning and central heating remove moisture from the skin. This causes dry and dull skin. Two litres of water daily will hydrate your skin from the inside. You should also add moisture from the outside. A good moisturiser will help prevent your skin’s moisture from evaporating.

As an extra to producing that radiant skin an appropriate exfoliant will remove dead cells from the skin’s surface. This speeds up the production of new cells and improves blood circulation, giving the skin a healthy glow.

Eye creams are designed for the sensitive areas around the eye. Choose one that reduces puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles.

It is better to use a day and a night cream. They have different formulations. This will improve skin elasticity, texture and appearance dramatically. During the night your skin needs a special cream to rehydrate and rejuvenate skin cells so that you wake up with a refreshed, softer complexion.

In the shower use a soap-free body wash. Apply a cream, or spray on, body moisturiser to your whole body after showering.

Follow these tips and the end result will be beautiful skin on your wedding day and for the rest of your life.

This is the advice of Cheryl Haining, a skin care and nutrition coach whose mission statement is to ensure all members of the bridal party are at their optimum body shape, size and condition on the wedding day. If you want more advice and tips, go to www.radiantbride.info