Mint & Needle’s founder shares the secret to great skin—and how to get it before the big day.

By Ashley Breeding

Any beauty expert will tell you that healthy skin is the best canvas for a flawless makeup application. So how do you achieve a glowing complexion before the Big Day? Turns out, the timing is just as key as the regimen itself, says Brandi Gregge, FNP-BC, founder of Mint & Needle in Middletown, Delaware, a medical skin care clinic with an eponymous product collection. Gregge’s mission is to employ science-based treatments to empower clients by helping them look and feel their best. “It isn’t about a new face,” she says. “It’s about highlighting and enhancing your own best features.”Here, Gregge reveals how to do just that—in time for your wedding march.

Courtesy of Brandi Gregge

Your brand philosophy:

Create a warm, welcoming and empowering experience for all, with products and services that are driven by science. We focus on prevention through medical skin care and collagen-induction therapies like microneedling and lasers.

What skin care regimen do you recommend for brides-and grooms-to-be, and how far in advance of the big day?

All skin care should be started six months prior to the wedding. It takes our body several months to get acclimated to skin care and three months for collagen to build. I have my clients with normal or oily skin start our Age-Defense regimen and add the Mini Peel Pads with B3 to keep skin bright and reduce pore size and texture. We also have a [gentler] regimen, Sensitive Skin, and [retinol-based] one for acne. If you have active acne, you should also begin getting chemical peels six months in advance as well.

What skin spa treatments do you suggest during these six months?

You also need regular deep cleanings. Here we recommend the Salt Facial every month for three months leading up to the wedding. This will help reduce acne and texture and improve brightness for a healthy glow. The Aquagold Facial a couple of weeks before is great for that photo finish you want on the Big Day.

Can I try botox or fillers for the first time?

If you’ve had Botox before, it’s best to get your treatment one month before the wedding. If it’s your first time, you should start treatments six months ahead of time to perfect your dosage and start improving fine lines. Many brides like to get lip filler, which should be done a minimum of two months before the wedding. Grooms love getting Botox for their crow’s-feet.

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What is a common skin care problem in the fall and winter months, and what is your remedy?

Dry skin, so you want to increase hydration. I recommend a hyaluronic acid serum, and for extra-dry skin, add an intense hydrating cream with ceramides. In the fall and winter, we do more chemical peels and use the cool peel laser devices, which cannot be used when you’re exposed to the sun.

What’s a big mistake you see clients make?

Many spend a fortune on celebrity skin care lines that don’t have clinical backing. I’ve also had a lot of clients use derma rollers, which can cause microtrauma to the skin’s tissue.

What sets Mint & Needle apart from other skin care spas in the area?

All our providers are trained on all aspects of skin management. Our injectors can manage your skin from products to injectables to treatments (like lasers). We are constantly training to be up to date on the latest education and therapies.