Since becoming a makeup artist in 2008, I have been asked countless questions about what a bride should do to get her face and skin in the best shape possible before walking down the aisle. Now there's only so much advice I can give about regimes, products and services so I called on my personal friend to help educate my clients on what to do... 

First things first, I must introduce you to my longtime friend, and super talented woman, Danielle Repetti.
Danielle and I first met at the MAC counter as coworkers. We became fast friends and quickly started traveling together as young 20-somethings do.

​We had an amazing time every where we went, and there was NEVER a dull moment. Between our Vegas trips and  drives down the shore, we were always living our best life...what a time to be alive.

But anyway, I've always admired Danielle's creativity and passion for doing what she loves. After finding out she opened her own Spa and Injectable location called Re:Fresh Skin + Injectables in Valhalla, NY  I knew it would be amazing.
And I was sooo right.

Let me tell you, this place is amazing....

Besides the obvious super talented employees, the atmosphere is Pinterest worthy,  a literal dream.  So without further ado, let's get started.

JB: What is your background? 
DR: My background in this industry started out in the emergency department, where I spent 6 years working as a Registered Nurse. Before becoming a nurse I was a makeup artist, designed swimsuits and went to F.I.T where I majored in interior design and architecture. 

​
JB: How long have you been in the industry?
DR: I have been injecting for 5 years and opened my business in 2018.


JB: In your professional opinion, what is the best way for a bride to prepare her skin before her wedding day?
DR: It is extremely important for all brides to begin a wedding regimen at least 9 months before their big day.
There are several different kinds of medical grade lasers, peels, treatments and injectables that should take place in the months leading up to the wedding. 

Within those 9 months an ideal regiment would look something like this: 

9 months before: A deep cleaning facial to remove all impurities and dead skin.  After cleaning out your skin, schedule a c02 laser resurfacing treatment to completely resurface the texture from the inside out. C02 laser treats fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, texture, scarring and irregularities.  During this appointment purchase a medical grade skincare routine from your esthetician, and begin regular at home use of quality products. 

8 months before:  Begin laser hair removal sessions every 6 weeks to prepare for your honeymoon! 

7 months before: Schedule your Botox appointment and any fillers you're interested in doing. This will give you time to get used to the way it looks, and allow for another round of treatments before the big day. This amount of time also allows for enough time to correct any results you were unhappy with (if any). 

6 months before: Continue using medical grade skincare products and home, and see your esthetician again for another facial at the spa. 

4 months before: It’s time for Botox again and another laser resurfacing treatment (IPL, c02, micro-needling etc).
This is also a good opportunity to do a last round of fillers so that they’re completely healed and settled before the wedding. 

2 months before: Schedule a chemical peel

1 month before: Your final Botox appointment before the big day!
Botox takes 2 weeks to fully kick in so you always want to give yourself enough time, then an additional 2 weeks in case any adjustments need to be made, so that they also have two weeks to kick in before wedding day.  
This is also a good time to top off with any lip filler tweaks. 


JB: Super helpful timeline! (Screenshot that bad boy brides, you are going to want to reference that later) I wish I had that before I was getting married... So who is Botox for and who is filler for, and what is the difference?

DR: Botox is pretty versatile and is almost for everyone except those under the age of 18- over the age of 80, or anyone with muscle disorders or allergies to its ingredients. Botox works to relax the movement of the muscle and inadvertently causes a smoothing effect. It’s important to start Botox “before you need it” - meaning, before you see hard lines settling into the skin. Botox doesn’t fix the lines, but rather stops the movement that causes the lines. When injected, Botox takes 4-5 days to start working and 2 weeks for your final result. The duration of Botox is about 3-4 months, and can be redone at that time.

Filler is best for anyone who is looking to enhance their already existing features (like lips, cheeks, chin) or to restore lost facial volume such as under the eyes or cheeks.  Most times in my practice, filler is used to correct the normal signs of aging, but is sometimes used for enhancements if it’s appropriate. Depending on the area of the face, filler lasts anywhere between 6-24 months once full correction is reached. 


​JB: What are the different types of Botox and is one better than the other and why? 

DR: “Botox” is actually a brand name, and one of the most popular names on the market. Other kinds of toxin companies produce “Jeuveau, dysport, xeomin, and the newly released daxxify”. I use only Botox and Jeuveau in my practice, as I’ve had the best and most consistent outcomes with those products. I prefer Jeuveau as number 1 because it feels the lightest, and kicks in slightly quicker than Botox. 


JB: For someone who has never gotten anything done where and when should they start?

DR: First things first, always start with researching a legitimate medical provider who has similar injection style to your end goal.  It is important to also know the injectors background, if they attend trainings, and their versatility in treating complications and managing poor outcomes.  After you have found a provider that you’re comfortable going to, schedule a consultation. It’s so important to mesh with your injector and to have the same vision for your wants and needs. Next, A consult is the important first stel to figure out a treatment plan. Lots of times clients will come in asking me to fix 1 area, but I end up treating something totally different because of their anatomy. For example: some women want to treat their smile lines, but have a hollow midface/cheek. Most times it’s the lack of volume in the midface that’s causing the heaviness in the smile line folds.  Once we restore volume in the midface, most times it inadvertently corrects or “lifts” the smile lines and they end up not requiring the filler they thought they needed. 


JB: In your opinion what part of the face has the most impact when enhanced?

DR: I think the best “pick me up” when necessary is under eye filler. It wakes up the whole face and softens someone’s entire look making them appear rested and bright. However, Not everyone needs under eye fille𝖱, so in that case a little toxin to soften lines and open the eyes is always the go-to! 


JB: How long do results typically last?

DR: Toxins typically last 3-4 months. This means that it peaks around the 2 month mark and then slowly starts breaking down and wearing off. It is then safe to reinject after the 3 month mark. Filler can last much longer in an area once full correction is achieved. For example- if your mid-face is hollow and requires 4 syringes- it could typically last about 2 years once fully corrected- however, if 4 syringes of volume is needed, but only 1 syringe is used- results will only last about 6-8 months because there was not enough of a correction achieved. 


JB: If a bride had to choose just one thing to concentrate on before their wedding day what would you suggest?

DR: “One thing” is so hard to suggest because each person has different concerns and facial needs. These treatments also go hand in hand and work best in conjunction with one another. It’s hard to say that Botox would be a a “fix all” because if there’s facial volume loss, or congested acne-proned skin I suggest treating both of those issues as well. With that being said- if there can truly ONLY be one area to focus on I would say treat the skin with medical grade skincare and facials so that the makeup on the big day sits nicely on the skin, and the photos look best! 


JB: After the wedding day, when the bride loves her results what is the upkeep like?

DR: Filler is truly an “as needed” type of maintenance- if it still looks good leave it alone.  Botox requires 
Re-treating every 3-4 months. 


JB: If a bride waited too long are there any quick fixes that she can do that will give her a big bang for her buck?

DR: Botox kicks in quick and creates an almost instant smoothing effect, so will def give you the most dramatic results the fastest. 


JB: What can Botox and fillers do that makeup cannot? 

DR: Makeup can only cover discoloration, enhance eye shape and create false contours- however those shapes and contours can be semi permanently created with filler even when you wash your makeup off.  Botox creates that smoothing effect that a blurring powder or primer would give you. 


JB: What are some things a person should be mindful of for aftercare of their procedure? Ex, can’t use any electro device, hydra facials have to wait etc…)

DR: After getting toxin it’s important to remain upright for 4 hours post procedure, and to avoid working out for those 4 hours as well.  After filler it’s important to avoid exercise for 24-48 hours depending on the area treated, avoid saunas and steam rooms for 48 hours, and advanced facial treatments for 2 weeks (microneedling, radio frequency, laser etc) 


JB: Is there any other advice you would like to add?

DR: My best advice is to invest in yourself! Your body is your house and so is your face. If your house needed fixing, painting or repair- you would do it. Treat your face and body the same way. Invest in these treatments while you’re young enough so that you’re not trying to play catch up when you’re older. The statistic says if you haven’t had any Botox or filler by the age of 30, you would require approximately 1 syringe of filler for every decade you’re alive. That would mean 4 syringes at 40 years old! Don’t get lost playing catch up! 


Thank you Danielle! I know your advice will help so many people get ready for their special day. 

Check out more of Re:Fresh and Danielle on instagram, and book an appointment for your next service!
​
@refresh_nurse
@refresh_skininject
www.refreshskininject.com

Hi beauty! It's Jillian again hoping to help you find the best fit for your makeup artist for your wedding day!

It might seem silly to feel like you need to find a good fit for your makeup artist but let's face it, not every professional is for every person. You need to feel comfortable, connect and have a genuine feeling of wanting this person to be around you, up in your face on one of the biggest days of your life.

Hi again! You're back! Yay thanks for stopping in. This must mean you are interested in the rest of my story.
Well as you know, we left off with the start of my dream job at MAC cosmetics. This is where the makeup adventure begins. I was only a little baby part timer, 15 hours a week to be exact. I LOVED going to work and I was hungry for more responsibility and to grow my career. I couldn't get enough of all the makeup, the learning and the artistry.  I finally found my niche, my flow if you will. Going to work didn't feel like work, I enjoyed every second, and that my friends is how you know you found your dream job. Who can say they looked forward to going to work? Not many people. I was so happy and so lucky, but I needed to find a way to become full-time and work my way up the ladder because no health insurance is no bueno. And if I had to hear my mom chirping in my ear about "you need full-time! you need more money" one more time I was going to punch someone.

Hellooooo and welcome to my beauty blog! I'm so happy you are here. My mission in writing this blog is to help anyone I can become more comfortable with makeup. I'm here to help guide someone who is just starting out in the world of makeup down to the most seasoned of artists. I want to help answer questions you might have about product application, purchasing products, new techniques and some fun random stuff in between. No beauty topic is off-limits.... and you can feel free to ask any question that comes to mind!  I believe we all could learn so much from each other so chime in if you want to add anything!