Beauty countdown to getting race ready

A day at the races needs more thought and prep work than simply choosing a winning dress and fascinator combo. A head-to-toe beauty routine – kickstarted as early as one month in advance – will leave you properly primped and good to go come race day. In the lead-up to spring racing season, follow this timeline.

Six weeks to go

A pearly white smile can give you instant confidence, but it doesn’t happen overnight. For up to four shades visibly whiter teeth by race day, start brushing your teeth twice daily with Colgate Optic White High Impact White from as early as six weeks before the big day. The toothpaste’s enamel-safe formula contains two per cent hydrogen peroxide to remove both surface and deeply-set in stains. This is the same professional whitening ingredient that dentists use, just in a gentle lower strength formula, which is safe enough for everyday use.

Two weeks to go

Now’s the time to get your skin and hair in order. A facial will help get your complexion on the path to radiant, and will give you a good base for layering nourishing skin care products onto over the coming weeks. A weekly face mask and daily hydrating serum are musts – we love L’Oréal Paris Pure-Clay Mask Detox & Brighten for blemish-prone skin and CHANEL Hydra Beauty Sérum Hydration Protection Radiance for boosting radiance. For glossy, manageable hair in time for your trackside appearance, treat your tresses to a twice-weekly hair mask like Shu Uemura Art of Hair Silk Bloom Treatment.

One week to go

Decided on your race-day makeup look yet? You can never go wrong with a slick of red lipstick. It’s the perfect accompaniment to glowing skin and will give you the biggest impact for minimal effort. Head to a Napoleon Perdis store to find the perfect shade of red that will make your smile stand out on race day. Our pick: Napoleon Perdis Devine Goddess Lipstick in Aphrodite. It’s a beautiful blue-based red (hint: its cool tones will make your teeth look even whiter!).

Two days to go

Finish off your pre-races beauty prep strong by giving your teeth whitening routine an extra boost. Colgate’s Optic White Toothbrush + Built-in Whitening Pen gives you whiter teeth in just two days. The toothbrush has raised polishing bristles to shift surface stains while it cleans, and the handy whitening pen, which tucks away into the base of the brush, contains a whitening gel that can be applied to each tooth for a foolproof whitening effect.

The day before

Time to get your glow on. A good fake tan product doesn’t need multiple layers and days of applying. Jbronze 1 Hour Rapid Tan Mousse has a gorgeous bronze hue and delivers a deep colour after one application. Just apply the day before, leave it on for anywhere between one to eight hours depending on the intensity you want, then wash it off. Come morning you’ll have the perfect sun-kissed tan. Other things to do the day before: a full body scrub before applying your tan, wash your hair and paint your nails (post-rinsing off your tan).

What beauty prep steps do you take when getting ready for a big event? Share with us below.

Main image credit: Getty