Bridal Beauty Monday: your best skin with Leonard Daly

Make-up artist Leonard Daly is one half of the elite beauty collective The Beauty Agency. Alongside hairstylist Lydia O’Carroll, they travel around Ireland for private clients, creating bespoke beauty looks.

Leonard has worked at London and Paris fashion weeks, created editorial work for British Vogue and our very own IMAGE and worked with Joan Collins, Nathalie Dormer and the Royal family. Here, Leonard shares his expert bridal beauty tips for prepping the skin to look it’s best ever ahead of your big day.

“Getting your skin ready for your wedding is so important. If your skin is in great condition your make-up will look incredible and last all day. You don’t have to spend megabucks to have great skin, but you do need to invest time and effort.”

Peel It Off

“If you have budgeted for some treatments I recommend having a course of peels done. I go to Nicola in Renew Clinic for my peels and they literally change the texture of your skin. They completely get rid of any dead skin, leaving new fresh skin which has the best texture that you can have. Renew use Image Skincare which has some of the most potent peels on the market. If you decide to have a course of peels you have to use good skincare at home and you really do have to use SPF, otherwise there is zero point in doing them. If your budget does not extend to having a course of peels you can get good results at home by using good products.”

READ MORE: Tried And Tested: The Jet Peel Facial

Get Active

“What you need to look out of is active ingredients that will change your skin. I love the brand NeoStrata, it’s a science-based brand that has great active ingredients like glycolic acid, the mecca of skincare. Their Smooth Surface Daily Peel, €47.20 is amazing. If you don’t like the idea of using active skincare or are more into organic or natural skincare, Trilogy make an active skincare range that all of the ingredients are derived from a natural source.”

NeoStrata Smooth Surface Daily Peel, €47.20

READ MORE: The do’s and don’ts of bridal tanning with celebrity tanner and creator of Isle of Paradise Jules Von Hep

Masking It

“Using a weekly hydrating mask will help with any dryness or dry patches, my favourites are Lancome Hydra Intense Hydrating Gel Mask, €39.50, perfect before applying make-up. I also adore La Mer The Intensive Revitalising Mask, €140, or if you’re on a budget, The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink In Moisture Mask, €22.50, has been a favourite fo mine for years. If you’re using a mask for your skin, please don’t forget about your lips, Clinique Pep-Start Pout Restoring Night Mask, €18 is the bomb.”

From fragrant floral bouquets full of sentiment and heart-warming real-life stories, to genius styling tricks and dreamy destinations fit for a mini-moon, we have everything you need to inspire your own big day and beyond in the July/August issue of IMAGE Magazine. On shelves nationwide now.