Wedding beauty, hair, makeup, skincare, fragrances and health & fitness

Ban the bloat for your big day

One of the most common digestive complaints is bloating, an uncomfortable, sometimes heavy sensation that can follow after eating a meal that for some, also results in feeling tired, unable to concentrate and having a physically noticeable bloated tummy. Not symptoms you want to endure on any day, let alone on one as special as your wedding. There are many possible causes of bloating, some of which come with additional digestive complaints such as pain, constipation and flatulence – usually an indication of poor gut health. These symptoms are usually referred to as IBS by doctors, but may also be the result of intolerances, allergies or other gut disease. There are however some simple, everyday things you can consider to help reduce that after-meal bloat. County Wedding Magazines' beauty and wellness editor, Kelly Andrews, chatted to Minal Sudra and Elizabeth Andrews from Wedding Wellness to find out more.

The truth about sugar

Celebrations such as weddings are typically marked with something sweet – who would say "no" to a slice of cake? While there's nothing wrong with enjoying sweet treats, excess sugar is inextricably linked with poor health and is the possible cause of issues like inflammatory skin conditions and mood swings. None of which make particularly desirable additions to a wedding day! The trouble is we can't do without it! The simplest form of sugar, glucose, is used by every cell in the body to create energy, so it's a vital molecule helping us to function. According to the NHS, we should be aiming for an intake of no more than 30g of sugar per day. Although, experts say that we unwittingly consume much more due to hidden sugars found in various foods. Such culprits include a myriad of favourites like pasta sauces, dips, ready meals, chilled meats, yoghurts and cereals, as well as carbohydrates including potatoes, pasta, bread and even vegetables like carrots.

Christina Aguilera unveils Xtina, a bold and transformative fragrance

Christina Aguilera unveils Xtina, a bold and transformative fragrance that ignites the power of personal evolution. Bold. Dynamic. Transformative. Christina Aguilera's Xtina is a daring eau de parfum fragrance that invites you on Christina's fiery and fearless journey to move, explore and transform. An intimate nod to her nickname, personal jewellery, and signature red, Xtina is Christina's new fragrance for the modern individual. Feeling free, empowered and oh-so radiantly feminine, tap into the energy and unwavering superstar power of this incredible fragrance. The dynamic floral woody fruity fragrance makes a bold and captivating statement inspired by the indulgent colour of rubies and the passion and empowerment embodied by Christina Aguilera's talent. This fragrance is a testament to the boldness that lies within, encouraging self-discovery.

Your post-summer pamper product has arrived!

Summer is great for spending time with family and friends, whether it's a summer wedding or chilling in the garden, we seem to frequently expose our skin to UV. Skin Republic has a range of face masks and serums for you to add into your skincare routine to help prevent skin damage from sun exposure, allowing for the perfect post-summer pamper! Overexposure to the sun can change the texture and weaken the elasticity of the skin. Collagen maintains skin elasticity and strength by stimulating the synthesis of new collagen, Sun damage can also cause pigmentation which often shows purple, red, or darker marks on the skin.

The Fragrance Shop reveals the best note for every horoscope

Natalia Ortiz, chief commercial officer at The Fragrance Shop says, At The Fragrance Shop we highlight fragrance allowing you to be yourself, which is why it's so great to see that the fragrance we choose has really become a true extension of who we are, how we see ourselves, and how we want to feel. We're also all very in line with our astrological signs and the characteristics we adopt from them, so of course matching scent to our horoscope seems like a no brainer! If you're very in tune with the characteristics you adopt from your astrological sign, matching a fragrance to this can definitely help to make you feel more yourself, but also unique...

Margaret Dabbs’ Top Tips for Anti-aging Culture

Our skin is our largest organ but it's one we often mistreat. Skipping sunscreen, 'forgetting' to take off our makeup and eating a few too many processed foods are pitfalls we're all prone to that exaggerate the age of our skin. We often try to correct the bad decisions of yesterday by investing in handy anti-ageing products. Finnish tech company Revieve gathered data from 4 million global users of its AI skincare tool and found that wrinkles, fine lines and eyebags are top skin concerns for both men and women. It seems we're preoccupied with the effects of ageing on our skin. All skin inevitably ages, but some simple lifestyle switches can help you keep younger-looking skin for longer.

Carmex’s crucial self-care products

During the chaos of planning a wedding, you can lose time for simple self-care. A combination of this and frequently changing weather can lead to chapped lips. Whether you're a stick, balm or tube kind of person Carmex has you covered. Carmex Classic Lip Balm Tube - £3.49 CARMEX Original Lip Balm is the ultimate pocket hero. Containing menthol, camphor and beeswax and the CARMEX trademark tingle we know and love. Carmex Watermelon Pot - £3.49 The CARMEX Watermelon Lip Balm brings back memories of summer fun and contains SPF 15. Carmex Vanilla Premium Stick - £4.19. This fun, creamy scent is unlike anything you have tried from CARMEX before.

Madeline Argy's skincare secret!

Madeline Argy, has just shared her skincare secret to her 4.6 million followers. "When I tell you have snail mucin every last square inch of my flesh this evening, I want you to take that with not even a singular grain of salt, okay!" COSRX representative, Julia Marinkovich, explains the glass-skin look with Snail Mucin, "A tried and tested ingredient in the K-Beauty world, snail mucin has huge benefits. Thanks to the hyaluronic acid in the mucin, it has moisturising properties that support the skin barrier and help lock in moisture." Get that glow with the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence hit of moisture that helps improve skins elasticity.

Revive, restore and cool off!

With the constant weather changes, it will probably take us some time to acclimatise to the sun beams. No need to panic though, with Sephora's products. Stylpro Facial Ice Globes £34.99 Sephora- 2 cryotherapy massage rollers which lift complexion, enhance circulation, reduce eye circles, and drain lymph nodes. revive, restore, and cool off!

Hairstyling solutions

There's no doubt that wedding season is upon us, whether you are a bride, bridesmaid, or guest, everyone wants to look their best for such a special event. The Grow Gorgeous products featured below are designed to thicken hair, add volume, and nourish strands, with ingredients including Caffeine, Hyaluronic Acid, and Red Algae.

The National Beauty Show is due to hit Liverpool this November

One of the newest and most exciting beauty shows is due to hit the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 4th and 5th November, 2023. The National Beauty Show will play host to salon owners, beauticians, nail technicians and beauty fans from across the UK, who'll be able to see more than 200 of the biggest names in beauty, wellness, cosmetics and aesthetics. You can can also expect to enjoy live demonstrations on beauty trends, new techniques, and product launches as well as masterclasses, celebrity guests and podcast recordings from the best in the business. So, if your mind is on bridal beauty right now, you won't want to miss this!

Brighten up your life - with Michael Douglas

When I met with celebrity hairstylist and OGX ambassador, Michael Douglas to mark the launch of OGX's new Colour Retention range, I can say with confidence that I was definitely having colour retention problems. I'd recently taken the plunge with my dream pastel violet hair colour, but my beloved shade was quickly running away from me. Michael very kindly offered to top my colour up, and while he mixed together a stunning new violet for me, I asked him about OGX's new range. "All of the brand's products are PH-balanced with sulphate-free surfactants, which don't bind to anything you don't want them to meaning they're all very gentle on colour," he told me.

Skin deep - with Angela Langford

The idea for Angela Langford as a brand started when Angela was working in a stressful, pressured, corporate job in Gibraltar, from which she was eventually made redundant. She knew she wasn't meant for that world any longer, and set out to create her own business based on her passions. "I was travelling less, which meant I couldn't easily get my favourite skincare from the UK anymore," Angela says. "So, I started making my own products for personal use, with no intention of turning it into a career." But, having discovered a love for the whole process, she did a lot of research and eventually decided to turn her new-found passion into a business, sharing her products with others. She went on to study cosmetic formulation in depth, which in turn opened up a completely new world for her. Beauty editor Kelly Andrews chatted to Angela recently to find out more about the brand and its products, as well as how they can help you feel skin confident for your wedding day, complete with that gorgeous bridal glow.

Six of the best high summer skin soothers

With temperatures rising and hot summers set to continue, skin can become sensitive, dry and generally hot and bothered! Switch up heavy creams for these six soothing beauty products for cool, quenched skin this summer. Best To Start The Day The Refreshing Way...Zelens Glacier Foam Renewing Cleanser, £48 (150ml), available from www.zelens.com, Look Fantastic, Cult Beauty, Selfridges and Liberty A refreshing, clarifying cleansing foam formulated to effectively remove environmental pollutants, surface impurities, excess oil and all traces of make-up while respecting skin's moisture balance. With a proprietary blend of sustainably derived succinic acid, mild fruit AHA, fermented enzymes and botanicals, this gentle exfoliating cleanser enhances skin renewal, leaving skin clearer, smoother and revived and feeling cool.

Being Sophie - Sophie Stonehouse

Social media sensation Sophie Stonehouse, is perhaps best known for her appearance on the fourth series of Netflix's reality dating show, Too Hot To Handle. Hailing from Brighton, she was the only British cast member and made her mark as the group of risqué singletons were put to the test of abstinence in order to keep their prize money high and stay in with a chance of winning it. Since leaving the villa, she has dedicated her time to producing fashion and style content for her social media followers, now numbering in their hundreds of thousands.

Get ready for summer with Ringana

Summer's finally arrived! Now we need to optimally prepare our hair and skin for the warm weather because the increasingly intensive sun's rays, salt water, or chlorine in swimming pools can damage not only our skin, but also the hair and scalp. Apart from wearing a head covering and sunglasses, and regularly applying sunscreen, the clever folk at RINGANA have some tips for you.

KAYALI's Sophisticated Scents

Want a sophisticated scent to remember your wedding day? KAYALI released a limited-edition wedding collection on the 29th June 2023. This luxury duo for both him and her is designed as an ode to eternal love. The fragrances symbolise two lives joining together, the scents are amplified when layered together, illustrating a soon-to-be married couple. The set includes The Wedding Velvet Sandal 35 and The Wedding Silk Santal 36 and will be available to purchase at Harrods Knightsbridge. Check out hudabeauty.com to shop luxury scents.

ARDELL's altar-ready Eyelashes

According to make-up artist Chiara Salsi, the biggest bridal beauty fear is that crying will make their lashes come off! Weddings come with lashings of emotions and not just if you're the bride, crying from happiness at the beautiful couple, crying of laughter at the best man's speech and just plain old sobbing at the couple's first dance. Weddings come with lashings of emotions and not just if you're the bride, crying from happiness at the beautiful couple, crying of laughter at the best man's speech and just plain old sobbing at the couple's first dance. ARDELL Active Lash and Duo Glue range retain its 3D curl through tears and wedding dancing sweat, while its Duo Active Lash Glue is ARDELL's strongest, longest-lasting adhesive for tear-proof lash holding.

Get a golden hour glow with & Other Stories Illuminating Sticks

Need a highlighter that gives your skin a dewy glow? Want a product with a weightless formula? Step into your summer shine with & Other Stories Illuminating Sticks. You can easily apply to the tops of your cheeks for flawless application. During summer weddings it is important that you don't sweat off your glam, a lightweight highlighter will allow your skin to thrive and radiate, without disappearing. Sunny Peach Illuminating Stick- with blossom tones, perfect for any blushing bride! Visit stories.com to browse the shades or find your ideal combo.

Legology's guide to tan when tying the knot

There's nothing like a bit of tan to make you feel more confident, especially when it comes to attending a wedding. The perfect tan is an even, sunkissed colour, however it can be difficult to achieve. Here are Legology's top tips to the ultimate tan: Exfoliate before going out into the sun- by using Legology Exfo-Lite Stimulating Salts For Legs which contains both Himalayan salt crystals and sea salt, you will remove any dead skin that can block UV light. Avoid waxing and shaving- wait a few days after tanning to prevent removing the top layers of your newly tanned skin. Keep your skin nourished- smooth, hydrated skin assists UV light absorption and intensifies melanin production.