The Facials You Should Never Get Before A Big Day

Whether you have a wedding, a birthday party or graduation coming up, chances are you’re doing everything you can to look radiant on your big day. We say go for it—as long as your efforts don’t include one of these 5 facials that can incite a breakout or worse. To ensure you won’t be a disaster caught on camera for years to come, we tapped facialist Kate Somerville for her precautionary tips.

Save Yourself

"Depending on their goals, I tell my clients to start treating their skin up to two months before a big event. I recommend avoiding facials with heavy extractions since they can irritate the skin, leaving you red and swollen, and in some cases can even cause breakouts."

"Chemical peels exfoliate and remove layers of skin. Avoid them before a big day. Depending on the treatment, your face may peel two to four days afterward, and your skin may purge the bacteria lying dormant underneath the dead skin cells. In other words, you can have flaky skin and serious breakouts."

"I don’t ever recommend microdermabrasion—not just before a big event. It involves abrasive crystals and suction, which can cause redness and broken capillaries, especially for sensitive skin types."

"IPL (also known as intense pulsed light therapy) is a laser treatment that helps reduce the appearance of sun spots, age spots and redness, and minimizes pore size, fine lines and wrinkles. Skin can look red and swollen and peel for days afterward."

"If you're looking forward to an important day, don’t try new products. This is a mistake I see too often with my clients. Stick with tried-and-true products that you're sure won't cause a reaction."