Take a Beauty BreakYOU CAN'T AFFORD TO SACR IFICE REST A ND RELAXATION ON YOUR

WAY TO THE A LTAR . HERE'S W HY. BY CARA BIRNBAUM

FOR A BR ID E DASHING FRO M DR ESS F ITTI NG S T O A

cake tasting to her umpteenth appointment with the florist,taking even a five-minute time-out can feel like a herculeantask. That's a shame, since planning a wedding is one of life'smost nerve-racking endeavors. Prenuptial anxiety causes yourbody to release the hormone cortisol, which wreaks havoc onyour appearance and emotional health, so a break should rankhigh on a bride's to-do list . "When your nervous system is understress, you can get inflammation throughout the body," saysCheryl Karcher, a New York dermatologist. Stress hormonescan aggravate eczema, psoriasis and acne and increase the stor­age of belly fat. In addition, skimping on relaxation can causehair to become thin and dull, contribute to dark un der-eye cir­cles an d exacerbate fine lines. Thankfully, there are plenty ofways to calm your mind while makingyou look your best.

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M A S S A G E

HOW IT RELAX ES YOU Studies show that the amount of cortisol inyour body plummets immediately following a massage. Ifyouopt for an aromatherapy massage, the benefi ts are even better:in one study, subjects reported feeling hap pier and more re­laxed after a rub with lavender oil. And let's not forget the rosyglow you'll have post-treatment. "A massage essentially movesthe sludge out of your blood vessels," says New Yorkdermatol­ogist David Colbert, "and gives your skin a blast of oxygen andnutrients that it might not get otherwise."YOUR PRENUPTIA L RX Carve out time from your busy schedule theweek before your wedding for a massage. Research indicatesthat a rubdown helps boost your immune system as well as lev­els of dopamine, the body's feel-good neurotransmitter. It alsoimproves the quality of sleep, a terrific stress reducer in itself.

BEA UTY

QUICK FIXESPrenuptia l tension getting the better of you? The beautypros give t he ir tips for looking ca lm, cool and capt ivating .

Mak e dull ha ir shine Heat styli ng w ith a b low-dryer, cur ling iron or fl at iron

sea ls hair cuticles, help in g eve n t he most lacklu st er ma ne appea r g lossy,

accord ing to River Lloyd , a styli st at t he Sall y Hershberger salon in New York.

Fin ish wi t h a m ist of silicone-based spray g loss.Ad d vo lume t o tresses If your j it ters are so bad that yo ur hair has begun to t hin,

"a ny co lo r, p re ferab ly wi th hi gh lights, w ill make it look thi cker," Ll oyd says .

W he n sty ling, stick to ligh t spray-on cond itioners, and "w ear yo ur ha ir wavy or

curly," he advises . " Putting it in plastic rol lers and sit ting und er a dryer wo rks

wel l. A nd you can always add hair extensions. They 're easier t ha n ever to use,"

Hide a surp rise p im pl e App ly an o il-f ree pr imer and top it w ith liquid foundation,

suggests Clarins makeup artist Nick Barose. Th en dot a creamy co ncealer

on th e blem ish wi t h a poi nty br ush an d gently press co mpact powder over it.

Mask under-eye circles Barose reco mmends using an eye mask to red uce

darkness and p uffi ness, t he n ap p lyi ng liqu id foundation to t he face, inclu ding

und er th e eyes. "With a medium-sized brush, dab un der- eye co ncea ler over

th e areas t hat require brighten ing ," he says. "Set it w ith a light-refl ecting powde r,"

Fo r more tips on camou f lagi ng under-eye ba g s, see page 66.

FAC IALHOW IT RELAXES YO U "Aswith a massage, a facial involves a lot oftherapeutic touching," says Melanie Edwards, national direc­tor of the Spa at Equinox. "Most of us hold stress in the chestand neck," she explains. "A good aesthetician doesn't just workon the face. She also addresses the decolletage and the shoul­ders and may even work on your breathing in order to relax theentire body." But, Colbert reports, the most exciting news forbrides is that the latest facials combine old-school pamper­ing with high-tech laser treatments, which minimize rednessand flushing; gentle elec tric currents, which firm droopy jawlines; and glycolic peels, which slough away dead cells andleave your skin smoother.YOUR PRE NUPTI A L RX The week before your wedding, skip facialsthat involve pore extractions; they can leave skin looking redand angry for days. Instead, Blake Feeney, the spa director atthe Canyon Ranch SpaClub, in Las Vegas, recommends indulg­ing in treatments that incorporate rich moisturizers to plumpand smooth fine lines. It 's best to start more aggressive treat­ments, like those involving glycolic acid, microdermabrasionand lasers-which are designed to banish lines, hyperpigmen­tation and spots-several months prior to the wedding.

YOGAHOW IT RELAX ES YOU "Even a short session on the mat stops theneurotic inner rattle of 'Are the flowers ordered? Has the ca­terer been paid?' " says Lisa Hedley, creative director for PureYoga, an international yoga center. "The happy by-product isa more peaceful bride." Some experts believe that practic­ing yoga prompts the body to release endorphins-naturalmood-lifting chemicals-while also aiding circulation anddigestion. And as you "om " away yourcares, yoga's slow, controlled movementshelp flatten your belly, tone your armsand improve your posture.YO UR PRENUPTIA L RX Cortisol levels havebeen found to decrease during just onefifty-minute session. To reap the maxi­mum mental and physical rewards, enrollin a class at least six months before youexchange vows; try a core-based one thatworks your abdominal and gluteal mus­cles . For novices, Hedley suggests takingfive private sessions first: "You'll learn thebasic moves and figure out which type ofyoga is best for your mind and body."

C ARDIO A ND ST R E NG T HTRA IN I NGHOW IT REL A XES YO U Once again it 's allabout those endorphins, since your brainproduces more of them when you 're phys­ically active. A Canadian study deter­mined that just th irty minutes of aerobic

exercise five days a week can help alleviate symptoms of de­pression, which also means it can do wonders for a frazz ledbride-to-be. What's more, focusing on jogging for thirty min­utes translates to half an hour that you're not stressing aboutseating arrangements.YO UR PRENUPTIA L RX If you really want to whip your body intoshape, Tracy Anderson, trainer to Madonna and Gwyneth Pal­trow, recommends that you bump up your workout to a fullhour, divided equally between cardio and strength-trainingsessions. To emerge from your routine feeling relaxed andlooking well toned, avoid lifting weights that are heavier thanthree pounds. Next, "get your heart rate up," Anderson urges."Hop on a mini trampoline or treadmill and skip or gallop."

SLEE PHOW IT REL A XES YO U Sleep lowers the amount of cortisol and in­creases the levels of human growth hormone, reports AmyWechsler, a New York dermatologist and psychiatrist and theauthor of The Mind-Beauty Connection (Simon & Schuster)."Growth hormones heal and reduce inflammation throughoutthe body," she says. And remember, lack of sleep can lead tounder-eye circles and leave you looking haggard.YO UR PRENUPTI AL RX Perhaps going to bed earlier seems easiersaid than done, but sleep will help you face those weddingtasks with a clearer mind. Wechsler suggests avoiding caf­feine after 5 P.M., shutting off the TV, computer and cell phoneat least thirty minutes prior to bedtime and then jotting downyour worries in a journ al before turning out the lights. Andhitting the hay just a half hour earlier every night adds up tothree and a half more hours of beauty rest each week-that'San extra night's sleep every other week . x

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