Bridal Beauty: How A Beauty PR Prepared Her Skin For Her Wedding Day

A wedding is the perfect excuse to splurge on your skin, but we get that it can be overwhelming. There are a lot of treatments and not a lot of time. That’s why Gritty Pretty introduced Bridal Beauty, a section dedicated to word-of-mouth bridal beauty tips from those in the know.

In this edition, we’re taking you behind the pre-wedding beauty routine of Maz Coote, the founder of beauty and lifestyle communications agency, Coote Connex, and one of the best in the beauty business!

Malyon ‘Maz’ Coote, now known by her married name, Maz Barnes, wed Brett Barnes in the most iconic place in Sydney: Icebergs! The couple wed at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar in Bondi. 

“We live locally and it was my husband’s thought—that it would be wonderful to be able to walk past and relive the wonderful memories. He proposed on the Clovelly rocks also.”

Maz wore a Galia Lahav wedding gown and her makeup was by Michael Brown. She was one of the very few brides in history to have her wedding hair done by renowned Sydney-based hair stylist, Anthony Nader, who has a rule that he doesn’t do bridal! It’s a rule he chose to break for Maz, who does his salon’s PR. “I was incredibly lucky,” Maz admits. “We have worked together for many years, and I would have let him do my hair with my eyes shut! I trust him, so we didn’t even need a trial!” 

Here, she breaks down exactly what she did to get ready for her wedding day.

“I had regular facials leading up to the wedding. The two I alternated were O Cosmedics Facial at The Parlour Room and the Fairy Dust Facial at Bellameres, using red light therapy.”

“I used BioEffect Body Intensive and Anti-Aging Body Firming Serum—for your limbs! It is expensive, but a beautiful product and highly recommended for the lead up to special occasions.”

“I go to the RAW [by Anthony Nader] salon fairly regularly for cuts and colours. We planned this timing to a tee though! With a fresh cut and colour two weeks out from the wedding, on Anthony and his team’s recommendation. One of our first stops though was to buy an edit of clip-in extensions, for a little extra volume. Not just any clips-ins though! Anthony took me to Soho Wigs, and hand-selected the pieces of hair that were then sewn into clips. They were then toned and groomed. Quite incredible and delivers the most natural result! Treatment-wise, in the lead up I regularly used Davroe Rebuilder Protein Hair Reconstructor and Split Ends Therapy Balm and Joico Brightening Shampoo and Conditioner.”

“I actually injured myself in a fall eight or so months ago—and am still working on getting my wrist strength back, so I was a little limited! I started walking a lot more, signed up for Fluidform [Pilates] and I pretty much totally cut alcohol out of my day-to-day (and have actually continued this on—going on six months!).”

“I had my teeth whitened with the Zoom protocol at FY Smile two weeks prior to the wedding (to let any sensitivity settle).”

“I had a spray tan with the team at The Parlour Room. I had a trial about a month before.”

“I had a beauty disaster and used something on my skin that it did not like!! I ended up in the office of leading dermatologist Dr Shreya Andric assessing what turned out to be a kind of irritation-induced eczema on my eyelids!

When in doubt, see the experts—within days I was back to myself!”

“I woke up with my Mum at the Park Hyatt, had tea and toast in bed—and spent the morning with Michael Brown and Anthony Nader (photographed below) who looked after my makeup and hair, and who I consider good friends. It was absolute bliss, and incredibly relaxed. I honestly just said I wanted to look natural and myself —they just did what they do best, and I was so happy with the result.”