It’s the nightmare that doesn’t end once you become an adult: a big event is on the way and bam! you wake up with a massive pimple. Although my skin is generally pretty good, it has a nasty habit of flaring up before a big event. Couple that with my doubly nasty habit of being unable to leave a pimple, blackhead or scab alone and you’ve got a recipe for bridal disaster.

In my quest to finally end that nightmare and give my skin the attention and care it deserves, I spent an hour on Amanda of the International Dermal Institute in Toronto’s table for a treatment and to talk all things skincare. The good news: you only need three to six months to fix up your face! Keep reading for her top tips + the products I’ve been using to whip my skin into shape!

I’ve always tried to be consistent with my skincare but it never quite stuck until my treatment & consultation with Amanda at Dermalogica. I think it was the absolute glowing state of my skin when I hopped off her table that convinced me to keep it up – girl knows what she’s doing! I’ve never had a better treatment and boy was I relieved to hear I could turn my skin around in 6 months or less. Click through the slides below to learn how to put your best face forward for your big day!