Get the perfect wedding glow
We catch up with Samantha Sargent, leading skincare expert and Australian distributor of AEOS, to learn how to achieve that elusive natural wedding glow
How did you get into the beauty and skincare industry and what motivated you?
My love for holistic health, natural beauty and wellbeing led me to my current profession. Ever since I left school, I have been enrolling in courses related to health and beauty – makeup artistry, skincare and image training; aromatherapy; physical education (fitness); aura-soma colour therapy – as well as being active in yoga, meditation and anything else that helps bring about holistic happiness.
What’s the inspiration behind AEOS?
The following words are from Mike Booth, chairman of AEOS and Aura-Soma Products. “Luxurious, nourishing, soothing: the radiance and the scent of all a woman can be. When you think of AEOS, feel. For what AEOS offers to beauty is more than skin deep. The extraordinary possibility at the heart of this skincare homage to total natural beauty is to experience how what we put on our skin can quicken and reveal the mysteries of beauty within.”
What would you recommend brides- and grooms-to-be do to achieve that desired wedding-day glow?
Prepare your skin and remember to take time to relax and de-stress in the weeks leading up to your wedding day from the inside and outside, so that you look healthy and happy on your wedding day. Ensure hydration from the inside by drinking an adequate amount of purified water and herbal teas each day. Avoid soft drinks, cordial and other beverages that are full of sugar and artificial additives. Consume a balanced, nutritious diet based on organic (pesticide-free) wholefoods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Manage stress by implementing rituals into your daily life that help bring about a sense of calm, whether it is yoga, meditation, aromatherapy or whatever else it is that helps to ease any anxiety or stress.
From the outside, implement a skincare routine a month prior to the wedding, so that your skin doesn’t freak out with new active botanicals that stimulate a detox effect days before the big day. Choose high-quality organic ingredients that work in harmony with the natural function of the skin, such as AEOS, which helps restore and maintain the pH balance of the skin, as well as dramatically improve hydration, softness and smoothness. AEOS products encourage the skin’s natural renewal process and encourage the skin to find its own equilibrium, balancing skin that is too oily or dry.
What’s your favourite skincare routine?
I love to double cleanse with a cleansing oil to effectively remove makeup and environmental pollution using an organic muslin cloth. Then, spritz a beautifully fragrant mist made from organic plant hydrosols and finish with a hydrating serum and moisturiser. Twice a week, I love to gently exfoliate my skin and once a week, apply a face mask, usually on the weekend, creating a mini at-home spa ritual, laying in the bath with essential oils and a salt soak while the face mask is working its magic. Naturally, all products that I use contain only organic plant extracts. I wholeheartedly believe that nature knows best. There is no need for (nor benefit from) synthetics in skincare, just as there is no need for (nor benefit from) synthetics in processed foods.
What’s your number-one tip for couples who are too busy with wedding planning and might not have time to look after their skin?
Let go of the lie that you don’t have the time. Looking after your body and mind is the single most important – and simple – thing you can do. Let go of all the expectations and projections about how your wedding “should” look. The world will not end if the flowers aren’t exactly what you hoped them to be, or if the food isn’t what it was promised to be, or if the hairdresser doesn’t do your hair exactly how it looked in the magazine. I’ve heard it so many times from brides that they were so worried about it going “perfectly” that they wish they had let all that striving for perfection go so that they could have enjoyed their wedding day as it all flashed by so quickly. Remember the reason that you’re getting married and what it’s actually all about, which is the love you have for your partner.
Name a beauty or skincare essential that you carry with you and why.
I’m obsessed with organic hydrosols. It seems the world has gone crazy over essential oils and, yes, I love essential oils, too, but the difference my skin feels when using hydrosols is truly dramatic. I especially love the AEOS Refreshing Hydrating Mist as it combines organic plant hydrosols with crystal essences of amethyst, emerald and quartz.
Weddings take place throughout the year. What skincare tips can you offer for each season?
Gentle exfoliation and effective hydration are my top tips irrespective of the season. However, different seasons call upon different hydrating products for the skin. In winter, you might need an extra layer of hydration and protection from the elements with a rich moisturising cream, whereas, in summer, a light moisturising lotion or serum could be sufficient.
Finally, what was a highlight wedding for you and why was it so special?
My own. Yes, I’m biased, I know. But from the moment I first started to spend time with my husband (before we got together), I knew I never wanted to be apart from him. It just felt right and as if we had always been together through lifetimes before. He asked me to marry him after a week together so, in one way, the wedding was irrelevant as it wouldn’t matter to either of us whether we had an official piece of paper or not but it was fun to be able to celebrate our love in our own special way, so much so that we had three wedding celebrations throughout the year.