Let's chat to Emma Dobbie, founder of The Face Planner all about Bridal Skincare!

Q1. What was the inspiration behind creating the six product Face Planner plan?

I was preparing for my wedding in April 2022 and as a self-confessed skincare junkie, I wanted to make sure I was using all of the correct products to get that coveted bridal glow. I visited a facialist a year or so before my wedding and remember being handed a list of 25 (!!) products I should buy for my wedding. I knew that simplicity was key and what our skin really needs to be healthy and glow is less products with better ingredients. It was in this moment that I decided to create THE six products that brides-to-be, bridesmaids and mothers of the bride need when preparing their skin for their big day. I teamed up with a dermatologist, Dr. Catherine Borysiewicz, and a fantastic lab in Italy to develop the products and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Q2. What do you find brides-to-be want most from their skincare ahead of their big day? Is it all about the dewy glow?

Brides want to create the perfect canvas for makeup, they want plump, hydrated and glowy skin. It is probably the most photographed day of their lives so they want that smooth, bright look. Brides also just want to feel the best, most confident version of themselves and I find that when you are having a good skin day, you feel most confident.

 

Q3. I see there’s an emphasis on using ingredients from the Mediterranean. Why is there such a strong focus on these?

When developing The Face Planner products, knowing the provenance of each of the ingredients was very important to me. I immediately turned to Italy as the country to develop the products as it is the premium location in Europe for developing cosmetics. The Mediterranean ingredients that we use are both highly effective and gentle for your skin. The Face Planner also has a brand home in Tuscany where we will be hosting retreats to take a 360 degree approach to skincare. Our ingredient sourcing begins at this Tuscan property and has expanded to other surrounding suppliers of excellence.

 

Q4. Can you talk us through the six products please?

We recommend starting each day with THE CLEANSER, our lightweight gel cleanser that includes niacinamide and azelaic acid and following with our liquid exfoliant THE BALANCER, to slough away dead skin cells and prep your skin for the rest of your products. We then recommend our serum, THE SUPER HYDRATOR, one to two pumps every morning patted on to the skin followed by our moisturiser THE PROTECTOR, to lock in all of those good ingredients and protect and nourish your skin. We recommend SPF every day. In the evening we love a double cleanse with THE CLEANSER, followed by a retinol serum if they are looking for something more active to tackle fine lines. We then recommend finishing their routine with THE EYE BRIGHTENER, applied gently to the under eye area and THE PROTECTOR again. We have a super nourishing weekly face mask, THE REVITALISER, which we recommend using up to 3 times per week as you get closer to the big day to boost your glow and moisture levels.

 

Q5. What are your top tips for achieving the most luminous skin for your wedding day? I see you say “monogamy is key” so is there a cut-off point for facials etc ahead of the big day?

I have learnt that patience is a virtue when it comes to skincare results. Too often, we try products for a week at a time hoping to see results instantly, but the truth is many skincare ingredients need months of consistent use to have a real effect. No matter what some products claim, everything your skin needs to glow can simply not be found in one product. You need to start by thinking about your skin cell turnover – which on average is 30 days however this can slow down with age, hormones and stress. Your skin cell turnover is the time it takes skin cells from the bottom layers of your skin to be sloughed away and start revealing new skin cells from underneath. We, therefore, would recommend that brides start sticking to a consistent skincare routine at least 6 months before their big day. This will allow plenty of time for you to notice results from the products that you’ve been using, as these new skin cells are the ones that have been nourished by the new ingredients. Once you have found a skincare plan that is working for you – stick to it! We definitely think that facial treatments with a licensed facialist or aesthetician hold an important place in your skincare routine but we would start these ideally one year before your wedding and definitely not introduce anything new during the month before your big day.

 

Q6. What type of skin is the Face Planner plan suited to?

The Face Planner products have been developed for and tested on all skin types including sensitive skin. We do not use any ingredients that would be stripping or abrasive. All of our products are also pregnancy safe. We are proud that all six of our products are free from silicones, sulphates and parabens, artificial colours, harsh fragrances, animal-derived ingredients, palm oil and unsustainably sourced ingredients.