While you’re planning your dream wedding day – booking a reception hall, ordering cake, picking out a dress – plan ahead to have luminous Wedding Day skin by taking steps now to ensure you’re blemish-free and photo-ready when the big day arrives. By starting an effective skin care regimen six months or more before your wedding, you give the skin time to reap the full benefits of the products you use and even out the skin’s tone and texture in plenty of time to walk down the aisle.

The first thing to do, if you haven’t already, is determine what skin type you have (oily, dry, combination, prone to breakouts or acne, etc.) and choose products that are tailored to your specific type. If you are unsure what your skin type is, a dermatologist or facialist can take a close look, ask some questions and help you determine.

The basics of a good skin care regimen include an effective but gentle cleanser to remove makeup, dirt, oil and debris; an exfoliating scrub to remove dead skin cells and get skin deep-down clean; a good daily-use moisturizer appropriate to your skin type to keep skin hydrated and sunscreen if your daily moisturizer contains no SPF. Sunscreen is your single most important product, as many of the signs of aging like wrinkles and age spots are directly related to sun exposure. In addition to these core products, anti-aging and skin strengthening serums can be added as well if you are an older bride and still want to retain that youthful glow.

If your skin is on the oily side or you deal with acne on a regular basis, you’ll want to try to get that under control before your wedding day photo sessions. Start now by cleansing daily with an acne control cleanser like DERMAdoctor Ain’t Misbehavin’ aha/bha acne cleanser, which has a soap-free, pH balanced, creamy base to dissolve and exfoliate pore-plugging debris, curb bacteria growth and control oil production. It contains the highest level of salicylic acid (BHA), an approved treatment to unplug pores and treat acne, as well as Witch Hazel, a time-honored astringent thought to target bacteria, and Allantoin, a botanical extract thought to have healing and anti-irritant properties.

The T-zone is often “ground zero” for blackheads and acne breakouts because this area, across your forehead and down your nose to your chin, has more active oil glands than other parts of the face. Keep your T-zone under control with DERMAdoctor Tease Zone oil control gel. This lightweight gel goes on over moisturizer, disappearing instantly and leaving skin smooth and dry (but not too dry), creating a perfect “matte” look. It’s also great as a foundation primer, allowing makeup to glide on smoothly and not “mingle” with existing oil. Use it leading up to and on the big day for a flawless face.

If you’re still worried about blackheads, target them at their source with DERMAdoctor Ain’t Misbehavin’ intensive blackhead treatment. This biphasic formula provides both rapid and long-term impact. Potent astringents provide rapid improvement in the appearance of pores. Long-term relief is achieved as this intensified medicated therapy deeply penetrates pores, eliminating trapped dirt, oils and pore-plugging debris.

Speaking of pores, when they are clogged, they can look enlarged, making us feel like we have moon craters on our faces. Get camera-ready with DERMAdoctor Picture Porefect pore minimizing solution. This silky soft serum is great for all skin types, but especially oily and acne-prone skin and immediately reduces the appearance of pores as well as significantly reducing the appearance of acne over time.

If you have issues with facial redness or rosacea, start evening out your skin with DERMAdoctor Calm Cool and Corrected anti-redness tranquility cream. Calm Cool and Corrected aggressively (yet gently) and effectively targets blemishes, oiliness, redness or sensitivity, AND diminishes visible signs of aging. This top-selling treatment is free of common rosacea irritants like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and retinol.

You don’t want to have your first kiss as a married couple with dry, cracked lips. Begin “lip therapy” early to ensure a smooth, sexy pout. Try nourishing with Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Therapy SPF 15, a delicious way to revitalize and protect dry, dehydrated lips, infused with antioxidants to fight free radicals.

Nothing is worse than being dressed in a wedding gown, standing under lights being photographed and breaking out into an uncontrollable sweat. Keep dry with a few dabs from one of DERMAdoctor’s MED e TATE medicated hyperhidrosis control wipes. A single swipe of this handy towlette (individually wrapped for easy, on-the-go purse stashing) on the neck, face, palms, underarms and even your cleavage will keep you soft and dry no matter how nervous you get. It’s a must for outdoor weddings in the summer. Give one to each of your bridesmaids as well.

One final tip – the week or day before the wedding is NOT the time to try out new skin products or undergo any radical treatments that could leave skin red, irritated or cause any allergic reactions. Stick with what you know and just remember; nothing is going to make your face light up like a beautiful smile. Enjoy every moment of your big day and let the joy show on your face.