Stay Cool - Literally! - at your Summer Wedding

Be a cool beauty on your wedding day, regardless of the unseasonably warm weather! Take abreath, sip something cold, and chill out with these easy-to-follow tips.

Start cool and stay cool

Just say no to a steaming hot shower or bath, which can dry out skin as well as get

you sweating before you even put on your dress! Keep the water lukewarm and as soon as you step out, treat your skin to a lightweight moisturizer. Try to use one without a heavy scent, since warm temperatures tend to makes smells stronger.

Chill it, baby!

Store wedding-day makeup pencils, lipsticks, lotions, and fragrance in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Pencils and lipsticks will hold their shape better and take longer to melt in your handbag (or your maid of honor's). A spray of chilled scent such as a citrus or tropical spray is a refreshing pick-me-up.

Yes, you WILL need sun protection

Even on your wedding day, protection from the sun is important – especially if you are having an outdoor wedding and your shoulders will be bare. The last thing you want is a sun burn in your late afternoon or evening wedding photos and certainly not on your honeymoon! Sunscreen manufacturers have picked up on the fact that most brides do not care to smell like sunscreen on their wedding day. Never fear! Options abound when it comes to light lovely smelling sunscreens. Apply sunscreen well before you need to hop into your gown to allow the lotion to be absorbed into your skin.

Keep fresh as a daisy... or a lemon, if you are a citrus kind of girl!

Choose a fragrance that’s light and invigorating. If the scent comes in a bath collection, all the better. Apply the scented body powder before getting dressed to keep you feeling dry and the scent lingering on your skin longer.

Ban oil

Prep your skin to keep shine and oil to a minimum. If you’ve got normal or dry skin, use an oil-free moisturizer. If you’ve got oily skin, use a mattifying lotion.

Natural is nicer

Less is more should be your motto when applying makeup on a hot day. Pro makeup artists recommend minimal foundation, if any. Try using only concealer on spots, around nose and under eyes, if necessary. Rely on translucent face powder to subtly even out skin tone and keep shine at bay. Blot and repeat

During the day, particularly before formal photos are taken, give yourself a quick check in the mirror. If you’re starting to really shine, don’t add more powder, which can start to cake and look messy, not to mention settle into laugh crinkles. :) Instead, use blotting papers to absorb oil and reduce shine. Keep hair simple

Don’t plan on wearing an elaborate hairdo. You’ll only find yourself battling with sweat and humidity. Instead, ask your hairstylist about a simple style that enhances your hair’s natural texture and movement. Remember that soft, touchable hair is sexy.

Dance ‘til dawn – comfortably

Before you step out the door, give your soles a quick dusting with a foot powder specially formulated to keep feet cool, dry and comfortable. My favorite is Botanical Foot Powder by Spa Sentiments. When the dancing heats up, spritz a little of your wedding day fragrance near your ankles for an instant lift.

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