The single most common mistake
A client books in three weeks before their wedding asking for "the works." A holiday. A milestone birthday. A 40th anniversary photoshoot. The brief is always the same: I want to look my best.
I love this energy. I also have to be honest about what is and isn't possible in three weeks. Good skin takes time. The right plan, started at the right point, makes the event-day result far better than any last-minute rescue.
Six months out: the structural work
This is when meaningful change happens. Treatments that remodel skin from within — Profhilo, polynucleotides, courses of peels — need months to deliver their visible result. Six months is the ideal window to start.
A Profhilo course. Two sessions four weeks apart, with peak result at eight to twelve weeks after the second session. Started six months out, you peak with three months to spare for any refinement.
A skin booster course if there are specific concerns. Jalupro, Sunekos, or NCTF as relevant.
Optimised home skincare. Started now, the result by event day is dramatic. Started three weeks out, it does almost nothing.
Three months out: the targeted work
Now the structural foundation is laid. This is the window for treatments that need shorter timelines or pair with the foundation.
Botox. Treatment three to four weeks before event day. If it's your first Botox ever, I prefer to do a trial three to four months out to make sure you tolerate it and like the result, with a touch-up closer to the event.
A course of peels. Lactic or glycolic, two to four weeks apart, finishing at least two weeks before event day.
Microneedling. Best three weeks out from the event to allow full settling.
Three to four weeks out: the final polish
The last big chance for meaningful treatment without risk of unsettled results.
A final Profhilo touch-up if relevant. A gentle lactic peel for an immediate luminosity boost. Botox refinement if you had treatment six weeks before and want a final touch-up.
What I do not recommend in this window: filler in visible areas (lips, mid-face) where minor bruising can still be visible. Aggressive resurfacing. New treatments you haven't tried before.
One week out: leave the face alone
No new injectables. No new treatments. No aggressive facials. Hydrate. Sleep. Stick to your tested routine. A gentle hydrating facial or LED session is fine. Nothing more.
The day before: the basics
A gentle exfoliation if your routine includes one. A hydrating mask if you tolerate one. Eight hours of sleep. Plenty of water. Hold the wine.
What I quietly do not recommend last-minute
First-time Botox in the week before the event. First-time filler in the month before. Any peel stronger than a gentle lactic in the two weeks before. New skincare introductions in the month before.
The pattern: the closer to the event, the less you want surprises. Trust your routine. Trust the work you started months ago.
Booking a consultation
If you have an event in your calendar and want a tailored timeline, the best step is a free consultation. The earlier we plan, the more we can do. Three to six months is the sweet spot; less than three weeks is mostly damage limitation.
