Wedding Archives - Style&Minimalism

Plenish Juice Cleanse Diary

This post was created in collaboration with Plenish.

In advance of my wedding I decided to try a juice cleanse. I didn’t take the decision lightly as I’ve always been wary that I might just be starving myself, and in the process slowing down my metabolism. Juices and cleanses have come a long way though, and when you’re drinking five juices and a nut milk each day starvation isn’t an option, trust me.

I often have problems with digestion and regularly suffer from bloating. I really wanted to give my digestive system a break from irritants so that on the day of the wedding I would feel more comfortable in my dress. I chose Plenish as they have a great reputation and have been recommended to me on many occasions. Their cold-pressed juices also taste much better than a lot I’ve tried.

I kept a diary each day so I could share my thoughts and experiences with you about their three-day Level 2 Cleanse.

Day 1

I woke up hungry on the first day of my cleanse, not a good sign when you know your day isn’t going to include any solid food (and mentally, that’s what makes me feel full up). I don’t usually have breakfast til 10.30am so I was relieved that the juices were delivered before then and I could get started straightaway. The juices arrive numbered 1-6 so that you know which order you should drink them in. Number 1 is called Lift, a mix of pear, cucumber, romaine, spinach, kale, basil and broccoli. It was not unpleasant and I was surprised to find that I didn’t feel hungry afterwards; I had expected to.

In addition to the cleanse I’ve been working out to the Spotebi exercises most mornings, to get toned before my wedding. This morning it was an arms & shoulders workout. I use the time between sets to catch-up on my emails.

As I didn’t start my juices til 10.30am I found myself drinking the rest almost back-to-back throughout the day, finishing one and then reaching for another within the hour.

By 6pm I was a little bit irritable and not the best person to be around. Wedding pressures, a busy weekend and no solid food all day can do that do a girl. I decided it might be in everyone’s interest to have some fresh, homemade soup. I made it with just a few carrots, beetroot and a clean veggie stock.

Day 2

I started my second day with a cup of hot water and some thick slices of lemon, kindly made by my other-half. This combination early in the morning is great for kick-starting the digestive system and cleansing the liver, it’s also anti-bacterial and anti-viral, whilst tasting good.

My day of juices again started with Lift which I sipped slowly whilst also doing a legs workout from Spotebi. I try to mix-up my workouts so no one area feels over worked and I allow the muscles to rest and rebuild in-between.

Calm, juice number 2 of the day is my absolute favourite for taste; a mix of pineapple, apple, mint and aloe vera. It feels soothing and with a touch of sweetness it kept me going.

I’m quite surprised by Kick, juice number 4, it’s a bit spicy and did actually give me a kick. I was feeling a bit sleepy around 3pm when I drank it and realised that soon after I was running around the house tidying up, not my usual behaviour at this time of the day. I definitely think I’ve found a much healthier option to my usual tea or coffee.

Day 3

I started the day with my usual hot water and lemon but took a break from exercise. It’s my last day of the three-day cleanse and I’m feeling pretty good, I’m looking forward to a proper meal but not as desperately as I thought I would.

I’m going to be running around town for a few meetings today, so it’ll be juice on the run for me. My bag is heavy with the three juices (2, 3 & 4) I’m going to need whilst I’m out.

I’m back home and it’s time for juice number 5, Fuel. It’s not my favourite for flavour as it tastes very green but green is good right!

Everyday I’ve been looking forward to number 6, Build, which is a nut milk rather than a juice. It’s thicker than the juices which makes it feel more substantial. I also quite like the taste, it’s not something for everyday but I’m certainly going to keep this one as a regular thing, maybe instead of dinner on days when I’ve had a big lunch.

With my three-day cleanse over I’m now on a mix of food and juices in smaller quantities. Back to my usual breakfast, porridge made with almond milk, agave syrup and blueberries. The oats are good for lowering cholesterol; almond milk is low in calories and dairy-free; agave syrup has a low glycemic index which means it doesn’t give you a sudden rush of sugar; and blueberries contain anti-oxidants.

I’m going to be watching what I eat from now until the wedding, so as not to undo all the good my cleanse has done. I was wary when I started but I’m not any more, I will definitely be taking part in another Plenish juice cleanse soon.

My Wedding Day Make-Up Guide

Eyes

**Estée Lauder** Pure Color Envy in 02 Ivory Power* | **Anastasia Beverly Hills** Brow Wiz in Soft Brown | **Chanel** Le Crayon Khôl in Noir | **Estée Lauder** Pure Color Envy in 04 Rebel Metal* | **Sephora** PRO Allover Shadow Brush in Large 12 | **MAC** Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly | **Sensai** 38° Mascara in Separating & Lengthening | **Estée Lauder** Bronze Goddess Summer Glow EyeShadow Palette*

Base

Blush & Bronze

Lips

Three months ago I started to take a vested interest in make-up, with a wedding on the horizon and no make-up artist, I needed to learn what worked for me. I’ve never worn a lot of make-up as I’ve never felt that comfortable with it. Whenever I’ve tried a stronger look I feel ridiculous and I’m convinced everyone’s staring at me when I do. However, my everyday look – which consists of Jouer Luminizing Moisturiser Tint, Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Glow, a couple of subtle MAC eyeshadows and Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner – just wasn’t going to cut it on my wedding day. I needed help!

I met with the team at Estée Lauder, who showed me some new tricks and gave me lots of lovely new products to try. Their Pure Color Envy eyeshadow palettes are quite possibly the best I’ve come across, the shades are natural and work well with my own skin tone. And, their Bronze Goddess Summer Glow EyeShadow Palette is great for a subtle holiday look, with shimmery, fresh shades. Estée Lauder’s Genuine Glow Blushing Creme For Lips And Cheeks is a great multi-use product, it gives a natural flush to the cheeks but equally works well on lips to enhance their colour without looking obvious. At first I didn’t get on so well with their Illuminating Perfecting Primer until their make-up artist Emma showed me how to use it as a highlighter on the tops of your cheeks. Apply a small amount to the soft fleshy bit of your hand just at the base of your thumb (the thumb pad), then rub your pads together before patting it to the tops of your cheekbones. It applies it evenly and not too heavily.

I was struggling to find the right base and was beginning to think that foundation wasn’t for me and that I would never use anything other than a tinted moisturiser for the rest of my days. All the foundations I tried made my skin feel caked in make-up. My skin is naturally a little bit dry and longwear formulas tend to suck up the moisture I do have in my skin, leaving any dry spots highlighted and my pores clearly visible; not a look anyone wants. For this reason, I tend to avoid using powders on my skin most of the time as they have a similar effect. However, if you do prefer to use a powder to set your make-up I have a great tip, spritz your skin with a face mist after you’ve dusted your T-zone with powder. I’ve found Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist is great for this or Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist. It takes away the granny face look you get with lots of powder.

With our wedding day looming I started to worry more and more about my make-up base and asked my friends about what they had used on their wedding days. One friend told me to avoid using anything with a high SPF as it can be quite reflective in photos and suggested trying a mix of Chanel Vitalumière Aqua with their Les Beiges for natural looking coverage. At the Chanel counters I visited in London they either didn’t have a sample suitable for my skin tone or wanted me to book in for a bridal make-up tutorial (at a cost). Another friend suggested MAC Face & Body, a water-based foundation that’s quite light but also long wearing. If I had been a little more confident about my skin and didn’t have a few little dark spots to cover this would have been great. It evens out subtle differences in tone but it wasn’t enough for me to feel confident on my wedding day. I’ll definitely be using it as an everyday foundation going forwards though when I want light coverage.

I took a break from my search for the perfect foundation and started looking for waterproof mascara. I’m such a softy and anything vaguely emotional can have me in floods of tears (the good kind). I needed a mascara that would stay put regardless of my strong emotions. After a search online I came across a recent report by Marie Claire. One brand that stood out was Sensai, reportedly used by none other than Kim Kardashian. (I have to admit ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ is one of my guilty pleasures, it’s easy watching whilst I workout in the mornings.) Sensai make a mascara called 38°, it only comes off with water that’s at least 38°C. It works in the swimming pool (a bonus for the summer) and doesn’t run when you cry. There are two types, a separating and lengthening one, and a thickening one. I opted for the separating and lengthening one as my little lashes clump quite easily. Whilst at their counter in Harrods I decided to give their foundation a try too – in for a penny, in for a pound. Their make-up artist started with a primer (something else I’ve struggled with previously), Smoothing Water Make-Up Base, she told me it’s always best to use it on top of your moisturiser. It’s without doubt the best primer I’ve ever used on my skin. Sensai follow the concept of make-up Saho which “teaches that anyone can achieve flawless make-up by following a simple rule: “Veil + Colour”. Applying a veil of moisture followed by make-up will help keep your skin protected and beautiful through the long hours of the day, encouraging a healthy, natural radiance“. I then tested two of their foundations, their Cream Foundation felt too heavy so I tried their Fluid Foundation, bingo! This one gets a gold star from me, a first. I bought the mascara, left their counter at Harrods wearing the foundation and wore it for the rest of the day. I rarely make impulse purchases these days and I wanted to be sure it stood up to my needs before spending any money. Within the week I was back for both the Smoothing Water Make-Up Base and Fluid Foundation in two colours, my usual shade and a shade darker for when my skin’s tanned.

Knowing I was onto a good thing with Sensai I spoke to their PR team to find out more about the brand. They very kindly sent me a Bronzing Gel and Gel Brush to try. Once again a product I absolutely love, with a great applicator brush to match. If you want a warm natural glow that you can build up you will love this, it’s a wonderful fluid product with a cooling feel as you apply it with the brush.

For a little while I’ve been using a dark eyeshadow and an angled brush to fill-in my brows, there’s nothing wrong with this but I much prefer Anastasia Beverly Hills‘ Brow Whiz, the effect is much more subtle and easier to build up. I just kept forgetting to replace my old one but with the wedding coming up I had no excuse.

The only thing left to worry about were my lips. I’d read many good things about Charlotte Tilbury‘s make-up and their Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillow Talk was the main product I’d been meaning to try. It imitates the natural colour of your lips, allowing you to create a smooth lip line for use with almost any lipstick (it’s not ideal for red or dark lipsticks). I then applied a little of their K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick in Bitch Perfect and topped it with Beauté‘s Luminous Volume Gloss.

I was really pleased with my wedding day make-up. I’ll share some photos soon so you can see what it looked like altogether. If you’re not sure about what to use I would recommend spending some time trying products and asking for advice from your friends and make-up artists, reading articles and trying to identify which products work with your skin condition, texture and tone. Although frustrating at times, I have found that it’s been beneficial in the long run. I have products in my make-up bag now that I know work for me.

Please get in touch if you have any questions about the products I’ve mentioned or my experience.

Our Wedding Venue, Château de Massillan

I’m really sorry if you’ve been visiting my blog and thought to yourself, ‘nothing new here’. Sorry to disappoint, I’m currently in France preparing for our wedding. I might be a little MIA for a few weeks but if I get the chance I will update you when I can.

In the meantime, I thought I would share some photos of Château de Massillan, the beautiful chateau where we are going to be getting married. It has a courtyard in the centre, a pond with koi carp, a stunning potager (kitchen garden) with chickens, and even a moat! It’s surrounded by vineyards, one of which has sold us all our wine for the day.

Not only is it a stunning location for our big day but the owner Didier Pérréol has a passion for sustainability. Everything from the materials used in its recent refurbishments to the ‘Biologique’ wine they serve, has been chosen for its low impact on the environment. Their exceptional chef, Frédéric de Bourlout uses organic, locally-produced, sustainable, seasonal produce in everything he and his team create in the kitchen. As you can imagine, I’m so excited about our wedding breakfast.

There isn’t much time now until the big day. At the moment, I’m not nervous just super excited to be marrying my best friend, with so many of our wonderful friends and family present to witness and celebrate with us.