If your bridal lehenga gets months of Pinterest boards, moodboards, and fittings, your skin deserves the same VIP treatment. We got celebrity skin expert, aesthetic physician, and founder of The Ageless Clinic Dr Harshna Bijlani to break down the actual rules of bridal skin prep—from timelines and trending treatments to SOS hacks for last-minute breakouts. Consider this your no-fluff, science-backed guide to skin that stuns in person, not just on your feed.
Step One: Find your skin soulmate
“Just like finding your dream designer, finding the right doctor is everything,” says Dr Bijlani. Your aesthetic expert should get your vibe, your concerns, and your beauty vision—whether that’s glowing like glass or looking subtly sculpted.
When to begin: Hit the sweet spot
Six to nine months before your wedding is optimal—especially if you’re working on goals like fading acne scars or tackling stubborn pigmentation. “But even if you’re short on time, you can still see impressive results two to three months out with targeted treatments like skin boosters or PDRN (salmon DNA) injections,” she says. The key? A personalised plan, not a cookie-cutter ‘bridal package’. Think of it like a couture fitting: consult first, list your concerns, set clear glow goals, check your timeline and budget, and remember—your skin’s needs should always trump Instagram hype. Pair your professional care with diligent home care; consistency is your ultimate BFF.
Janhvi Kapoor
What’s trending for 2025 brides
The glass-skin glow continues to reign, fuelled by medifacials, PDRN, and brightening lasers. Subtle profile balancing—Botox for a sleek jawline, fillers for symmetry, and a gentle lip tweak—is also on the rise, as is under-eye rescue using PRF, light fillers, and lasers to tackle hollows and pigmentation. For lift and contour, brides are gravitating toward HIFU, Thermage FLX, and micro needling RF. “We’re aiming for skin that feels and looks healthy, not poreless, plastic perfection. Real skin has texture, and that’s okay,” says Dr Bijlani.
The no-downtime essentials
Low-risk, high-reward treatments are the holy grail in the lead-up: resurfacing and pigment lasers for smoother tone, microneedling paired with exosomes or PDRN for that biological glow, multi-step medifacials to hydrate and brighten, and IV drips loaded with antioxidants and vitamins for inside-out radiance. “Exosomes are like messengers telling your skin to repair and act young again, while PDRN is the building block for collagen, hydration, and healing. Together? Skin magic—especially pre-wedding,” she explains.
Rashmika Mandanna
Avoiding last-minute disasters
A few golden rules: no new products or untested treatments in the final days, avoid aggressive heat-based procedures unless you’ve tried them well in advance, and stick to safe, tried-and-tested options at least a month out—gentle lasers, microneedling, or IV drips. And brief your make-up artist on your skin—no heavy, pore-clogging foundations, no harsh exfoliation pre-makeup, and a focus on skin-first techniques using clean brushes and hypoallergenic products.
Your bridal SOS kit
Breakouts? Use pimple patches or prescription gels (hands off the picking). Puffy eyes? Try a cold water dunk, jade rollers, a low-salt/low-alcohol diet, and lymphatic drainage massage.
The night before and the big day
Keep it calm. At night, double cleanse, hydrate, and soothe—skip the actives. In the morning, a hydrating serum, light moisturiser, and SPF if you’re outdoors will do the trick. “Consistency is queen,” says Dr Bijlani. “But if you’re short on time, a well-timed bootcamp with lifting tech, injectables, and glow boosters can still elevate your look—just don’t crash your skin barrier.”
Sobhita Dhulipala
Dr Harshna Bijlani along with more of India’s leading bridal experts will be in conversation at The Wedding Collective
