Skin Care

Essential Bridal Skincare Products For Dry, Normal, & Combination Skin!

Pause and breathe. Let your skin talk on your big day!


Written by Manal Yahya

On May 8, 2023 – 15 minutes read

Essential Bridal Skincare Products

For those of you who are preparing for your vows in a hurry, you need to slow down, you should focus on your skin, if not already. Your skin on the Big Day demands to be perfectly flawless with that wedding glow. You are going to snap God knows how many pictures [not to mention your bachelorette and pre-wedding party] and those pictures are going to be on the nightstand and walls of your house for good. Stock up your skincare collection with the best of bridal skincare products!

Essential Bridal Skincare Products

In your pre-wedding months, you dream of being on your couch sipping your relaxing cup of coffee while ticking off your checklist. Or coddle your face with a face mask while talking to your wedding planner. But as a bride-to-be, you will be out on the streets for hours and not in your house, let alone on the couch. With a never-ending list of shopping in your hand, most of your time of the day will most likely be spent in the sun. Hence there is a high chance of you getting suntanned and harm your skin without proper skin care routine. Dry or normal or oily or even combination skin type, skin care is as indispensable as vows.

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The time gap between “Yes!” and “I do” might, for some women, seem long with longer days of waiting. But for most of you out there, it might feel like time is on a marathon and you are behind every vitally important priority. It is pretty normal to feel that way. Set your priorities straight and you might vaguely feel planned, prepared, and ready. There are things you should start taking care of beforehand.  

Prep Yourself

First things first, start pampering your body before months! Not a few weeks before the wedding day. Keep a few minutes of your day reserved for treating your skin in the right way with the right products, daily. With the number of products you see in the stores and blog posts, your head will blow with uncertainty. Which one to choose? Not to mention the skin type. Some might have dry and flaky skin while on the other hand, some might have oily and clogged skin. Different types of skin require different kinds of pampering. Also, different products. You have to be extremely careful of what you use on your face and body as you cannot risk it. With dry skin, you have to be extra careful as you don’t want to break your skin with the use of harsh products.

Pamper Your Skin with These Bridal Skincare Products

I have come up with a few essential bridal skincare products every bride with dry, normal, or combination skin types should try. Start using these with a few months to spare and you are good to glow!

Scrub Away the Dullness

There is nothing more important than a good try of exfoliation! For other products to work magic, your dead cells should be sloughed away. Having dry skin means dead cells all over the body. With time these dead cells may start to stay on the surface of your skin which in turn will increase the number of clogged pores. And any amount of moisturizer or serum or any skincare product you use won’t be as effective as it should be. 

There are two types of exfoliation; chemical and physical. Chemical exfoliators contain ingredients like glycolic lactic or salicylic acid(1) to clear out pores and give you smoother skin. Physical exfoliators are made from tiny granules that scrub away the dead skin, like sugar scrubs. 

Bridal Skincare Products for Dry Skin

You should exfoliate twice or thrice a week for dry skin. But remember to be gentle and moisturize after you are done. 

For your face: L’Oréal Pure-Sugar Scrubs Smooth and Glow

This scrub is a combination of three different, 100% naturally derived sugars with a light gel texture that melts right into the skin. There are other scrubs for other skin types too, each customized with different ingredients and textures. With crushed cocoa, cocoa butter, and coconut oil to nourish, this scrub is recommended for dry skin. It is gentle to the skin so you can use this thrice a week, not just on your face but chapped lips too. This is a must-have bridal skincare product.

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For your body: Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub 

Body exfoliation is often put aside like a chore. But with hydrating body scrubs, exfoliating the body has never been easier! It is always better to use a hydrating scrub for dry or normal skin and this amazing scrub from Caudalie works brilliantly. The crushed grape seeds and brown sugar will slough away the dead cells and will tighten your skin with the presence of organic lemon and rosemary essential oil in it. The nourishing grape seed oil (2) will keep your skin hydrated long enough.

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Normal Bridal Skincare Products for Oily Skin

For your face: St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub

Don’t let the price fool you, this is really effective! You can have the closest facial experience with this scrub leaving an apricot scent after you are done. Removes dirt and oil, minimizes the appearance of pores, and leaves your skin polished and so smooth-to-touch!

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For your body: Dove Exfoliating Body Polish

It can nourish your skin as it exfoliates leaving you with soft and smooth skin. This gentle scrub has a velvety, whipped formula, and rice milk fragrance.

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Bridal Skincare Products for Combination Skin

For your face: Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser

Combination skin can make any product “not good enough” as the hardest part about having combination skin is having your T-zone oily while cheeks dry and looks like in desperate need of exfoliation. Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser has a powerful ingredient; baking soda.

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Aside from being a great cleanser, it can help you exfoliate your dry cheeks and slough off the flaky parts. By removing the junk from your pores, Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser provides cleansing and exfoliation without being drying or greasy. There are few better options than this one among bridal skincare products.

For your body: SheaMoisture African Black Soap Bamboo Charcoal Body Scrub

This can deeply cleanse and gently exfoliate your skin while absorbing excess oil and dirt. African black soap blended with bamboo charcoal will draw out impurities from the skin while organic raw shea butter will moisturize and soothe the skin. You will end up with clean and soft skin.

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Slather Your Face And Body With Moisturizer

Moisturizing and keeping your skin hydrated can help your skin with aging. So, don’t forget to moisturize your skin after a shower while it’s still damp and before bed every night. 

Dry Skin

With dry skin, your aim should be to add additional moisture. 

For your face: Eucerin Dry Skin Replenishing Cream

This replenishing cream from Eucerin contains 5 percent urea which is said to reduce skin water loss(3). It will help you restore and hydrate dry skin with moisture.

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For your body: Ouai Body Creme

For dry skin, you need thick moisturizing, hence a thick cream! Ouai Body Creme is a thick moisturizer that can make your skin well hydrated. With the presence of cupuacu butter, coconut oil, and squalane, the cream will soften the skin and the whipped texture will quickly let the skin absorb the cream. It can hold the moisture in the skin without making it greasy. The bonus part is the scent of citrus, rose, violet, white musk, and spices, which makes it perfect to add to your bridal skincare products.

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Normal Skin

For your face: Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Face Lotion

With a low-maintenance skin type, this is your daily lotion. It is lightweight and the formula is hydrating. Slather the moisturizer on your face daily after the shower while your skin is still damp. And after you are done exfoliating. 

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For your body: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion

This is an all-skin type body lotion packed with hyaluronic acid [for extra hydration] (4), ceramides [seal the skin to keep in moisture], and humectants to keep the skin hydrated. It is widely available at drugstores. 

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Combination Skin

For best results, use more moisturizer where you have dry skin and less in areas that are oily.

For your face: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

This classic is perfect for combination skin as it is oil-free and hydrating as well. A lightweight gel-lotion formula that won’t clog pores on your skin.

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For your body: Suave Soothing with Aloe Body Lotion

It is important to use a moisturizer that is not heavy for combination skin types. Hence, moisturizers that contain aloe vera or cucumber will be great without being too heavy. Suave Smoothing Lotion is light in texture but not greasy.

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Save Your Skin from Suntan

I cannot emphasize enough the use of sunscreen every time you step out to the sun. Protection from harmful UV rays is necessary for healthy skin and the body. It therefore should be an essential part of your bridal skincare routine. Before buying one, consider your skin type as a sunscreen suitable for oily skin might not be good for dry skin. Always look for a sunscreen that does not clog pores and has an SPF of 30 or more(5). Higher the SPF, the better the magic. 

Dry Skin: Neogen Dermalogy Day-Light Protection Sunscreen SPF 50+

A light-weight sunscreen that won’t make you feel heavy and can finish without a greasy finish. It can protect your face effectively from the harmful UV and UB rays while moisturizing and hydrating the skin. Neogen Dermalogy has a formula with rich antioxidant and ECO-certified ingredients(6) that provides the benefits of pore care. Add this one to your collection of bridal skincare products.

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The main ingredients are vitamin E, beta-glucan, Gentiana extract, rose extract, and blueberry extract. You can always benefit from a moisturizing sunscreen for dry skin with ingredients such as ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and honey.

Normal Skin: Activated Sun Protector Water-Light Lotion for Face and Body

This is an ultra-light sunscreen with a cooling, water-like texture for the face and body. Formulated with sun-filter technology and vitamin E, this sunscreen with antioxidant protection helps defend skin from UV rays and free radicals.

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It is non-comedogenic and water-resistant for 80 minutes. Apply it 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply at least every two hours. 

Combination Skin: Supergoop Glow Stick Sunscreen SPF 50

This is an amazing travel-friendly and portable glow-boosting sunscreen that you can simply throw in your bag, wallet, or car. Glow sticks are used on the face, chest, and shoulders and are totally mess-free. This sunscreen is hydrating but not too hydrating either, which is perfect for a combination skin type. Completely clear and invisible, it leaves a dewy finish without an oily residue.

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It is packed with oils such as buriti and tamanu oil that are specifically chosen to provide glow without clogging pores or weighing down skin. Use generously after your moisturizer is locked in hydration. You can apply this over tattoos to keep them from fading in the sun. 

Bridal Skincare Products to Cleanse Your Skin

A cleanser should be included in your essentials to cleanse your face out of dirt, grime, and excess oils. But with dry skin, they might wash away more than you wish for. They can wash away the hydration your skin needs and during winter, it gets more complicated. Choose the right type of cleanser according to your skin type.

For dry skin, a cleanser with moisture-retaining ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, chamomile, and glycerin can work brilliantly. Avoid cleansers with ingredients of strong acids such as alpha-hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids(7). Moreover, the lesser the ingredients, the better the cleanser for dry skin. But that’s not the case for combination skin types. 

Dry Skin: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel

This is a gentle cleanser that can make your skin stay hydrated long after you wash. It can remove dirt and excess oils and contains hyaluronic acid. This is perfect for dry skin. 

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Normal Skin: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

People with normal skin are really lucky. How easy is it for them to find any product without having to worry about it making their skin too oily or too dry? Cetaphil is a gentle cleanser that can be used for all skin types without stripping off the natural oil of the skin. It is a safe cleanser to consider in your bridal skincare products.

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Proven to be non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic, it can be used on the face, hands, and body without being scared of irritated skin or clogged pores. It is fragrance-free and is a mild soap-free cleanser that can hydrate the skin while cleaning it. 

Combination Skin: Kora Organics Foaming Cleanser

This is the best-known organic cleanser that treats the combination skin wonderfully. It treats oiliness, uneven skin tone, and clogged pores. Its formula contains noni fruit, aloe vera, sandalwood oil, and green tea extract. Kora Organics Foaming Cleanser is an all-natural cleanser that can moisturize, smoothen, and cleanse your skin without feeling stripped.

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Toner

What is a skincare essential kit without a toner! It is essential, after cleansing, to neutralize your skin’s pH and help skincare products to sink deeper into your skin. A good quality toner can clear the dead skin cells that linger after cleaning. 

Dry Skin: Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner

Like always, dry skin needs every product to be hydrating. Because of the number of toners out there, the key is to find a toner that is alcohol-free and has ingredients that are hydrating such as hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, rose water, glycerin. Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner is alcohol-free and has gentle rose fruit extract for toning, rose water, rose flower oil, and hyaluronic acid for hydration. 

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Normal Skin: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

“An exfoliating toning solution with seven percent glycolic acid, amino acids, aloe vera, ginseng, and Tasmanian pepper berry.” Glycolic acid [alpha-hydroxy acid] can get rid of dead skin cells leaving the skin glowing. It can boost radiance, treat uneven skin tone, and refine your texture.

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Combination Skin: Origins United State Balancing Tonic

This formula can add hydration to the areas where you need moisture and de-shine the areas where you need de-shining. Aside from being pH balanced, soy products it protect moisture levels and laminaria helps in oil-fighting. This balancing toner is ideal for combination skin types.

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Take Out the Dirt Using Masks

Dry Skin: Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask

Haven’t you heard that any product with avocado in it is good for dry skin? Well, Glow Recipe Avocado is the moisturizing mask that can help even Sahara-dry skin. 74 percent of the formula is made from four forms of avocado such as avocado flesh, avocado oil, avocado butter, and avocado extracts.

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These will help reduce the inflammation of the skin and restore collagen with antioxidants, oleic acid, and linoleic acid (8). It is an overnight treatment while you snooze the tiring day off. 

Normal Skin: PCA Skin Revitalizing Mask

Packed with natural exfoliants, PCA masks are your weekly skin brighteners. Using this once a week can help your skin glow brighter and even out your complexion. It contains green tea, vitamin E, and honey, which are known for enhancing hydration of the skin, also, serve as antioxidants.

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Natural exfoliants such as papaya, honey, and fruit extracts which help in cell turnover without the harshness of a facial scrub with gritty texture are contained in the face mask. 

Combination Skin

Any mask with clay or charcoal is suitable for combination skin with shiny T-zones. Because both clay and charcoal absorb excess oil from the skin’s surface and draw out dirt from clogged pores. 

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Clean off The Puffiness

Olay Eyes Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin C

Wedding planning keeps you awake at night? Dab on Olay Eyes Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin C to eradicate those puffiness and dark circles of sleepless nights. Dark circles are no fun or pretty on a huge day of celebration.

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With this cream, the light reflecting particles will instantly brighten the skin. Vitamin C, niacinamide vitamin B3, pro-vitamin B5, and vitamin E antioxidant works well to hydrate the skin. As the skin around your eyes is extremely delicate and needs delicate care, dab this cream gently before bed to smoothen the skin. 

Massage Your Hands and Foot

Natural Bath and Body Lemon Chamomile Hand and Foot Cream

Anyone with dry skin can have rough skin on their hands and feet. Even normal skin women cry for the same issue. The skin might even wrinkle lightly due to the lack of moisturizing. A well moisturized and pampered hands and feet are the biggest relief of a bride-to-be. If you can agree, these bridal skincare products are for you.

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Give a great deal of massaging with Natural Bath and Body Lemon Chamomile Hand and Foot cream to keep them neat without flaky skin. Include this in your everyday routine for a better result. Enriched with more than ten fabulous ingredients, this cream will soften the rough skin smoothly. Use it every night before going to bed.

Massage Your Body with Oil

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Body Oil

Suitable to all skin types, from oily to dry, Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Body oil is an essential bridal skincare product. Being a spray-on, this body oil is mess-free and can treat the uneven texture of the skin.

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To help retain the moisture and replenish the skin’s barrier, the body oil has squalane from olives while it has vanilla and almond for fragrance. It’s ingredients like grape seed oil, vitamin E, and antioxidants to replenish the skin. 

Deliver Vitamins and Antioxidants with Serum

Olay Total Effects Anti-Ageing Smoothing Serum

If you miss a night of moisturizing, you miss a night of pampering, really. Your skin needs all of the pampering it can get. Aside from keeping the face moisturized and not dry, Olay Smoothing Serum fights the 7 signs of aging and reduces fine lines, and smoothes wrinkles. Regular use will even out your complexion by treating the blemishes and dark spots off the face. 

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It has a lightweight texture that will get absorbed easily and quickly into your skin providing intense moisturization to it. Olay does a great job of preventing flaking by keeping your skin hydrated and enhancing the glow. The anti-aging serum, which is ideal for daily use, is suitable for normal to dry skin as it is not greasy and dry. It also comes in travel-friendly packaging. 

Treat Your Lips Kindly with Bridal Skincare Products

Do you know why your lips are primed to be dry and chapped too soon and quickly? Because they have a lower density of oil glands and are in constant contact with saliva that contains alpha-amylase (9) which can break down the skin. To protect your lips from further dryness you need to keep a lip balm handy and dab it on your lips to keep them moisturized.

Maybelline Babylips Glow Lip Balm

You can use this Baby lips balm anytime for any skin type. They do an amazing job of moisturizing dry and chapped lips without making them waxy. I personally prefer the pink “Glow” version as they leave a tint of perfect pink behind along with a noticeable line of shine and moisture. Perfect addition to your bridal skincare products!

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Lip Balms sure are the unsung heroes of the body that helps in keeping the lips moisturized and not so dry that they start to get rough layers on them.

I’ve covered what you need to keep your skin externally hydrated. But keeping the skin hydrated internally is important as well. So, add 8 glasses of water a day to your essentials!

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    https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-16805-0_3
  2. PubChem. (n.d). Nurture, Strengthen, And Protect Your Hair And Skin With Grapeseed Oil. [Online] Available at:

    https://grapeseedoil.com/about/skin-hair-usage/
  3. Elsevier B.V. (2020). Effects Of Water Gradients And Use Of Urea On Skin Ultrastructure Evaluated By Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy. [Online] Available at:

     https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005273613002009
  4. cosmedica-skincare.com. (n.d). 10 Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid. [Online] Available at:

    https://www.cosmedica-skincare.com/pages/10-benefits-of-hyaluronic-acid
  5. American Academy of Dermatology Association. (2020). Sunscreen FAQ. [Online] Available at:

     https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/sunscreen-patients/sunscreen-faqs
  6. Groupe Ecocert. (2020). Natural and organic cosmetics. [Online] Available at:

    https://www.ecocert.com/en/certification-detail/natural-and-organic-cosmetics-cosmos
  7. FDA. (n.d) .Alpha Hydroxy Acids. [Online] Available at:

    https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/alpha-hydroxy-acids
  8. Oncology Training International. (n.d). Linolenic Acid VS Oleic Acid – Which Plant Oil is the Best for the Client with a Compromised Skin Barrier?. [Online] Available at:

    https://oti-oncologytraining.com/2017/07/17/linolenic-acid-vs-oleic-acid-
  9. Aalto Scientific,Ltd. (n.d). Alpha-Amylase. [Online] Available at:

    https://www.aaltoscientific.com/product/amylase/

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Manal

Manal is a lifestyle influencer who has spent years delving into the world of beauty, fashion, and wellness- a pro when it comes to anything woman.

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