The Ultimate Wedding Beauty Prep Guide – Interview Liz Panella

By Hannah Metz, Founder & CEO of Anomalie Beauty Agency

We interviewed Influencer Liz Panella on the top beauty, health & wellness treatments AND pros she’s using to get ready for her big day – And she spilled all of the beau-TEA, exclusively here on “The Edit” by Anomalie Beauty Agency. 

Liz Panella of @lizwaslike www.lizwaslike.com is a beauty, fashion & health and wellness influencer based out of Chicago, IL – And she ALSO happens to be one of our 2024 BRIDES! 

Let’s face it – there is SO much to navigate as a bride in the midst of wedding planning. And while you’re busy booking everything from your venue to your photographer, tasting cakes and trying on dresses, it can be overwhelming – It’s easy for the TLC needed to prepare for your special day to go to the wayside.

As the fastest growing luxury, on site beauty agency in the US, one of the things we notice at Anomalie Beauty with nearly all of our beautiful brides is how many women neglect beauty, health and wellness prep before their walk down the aisle. Although we appreciate the ultimate trust that is put into our hands as your wedding day beauty experts, the truth is that Hair and Makeup Artists aren’t magicians! There is absolutely an emphasis that needs to be placed on pre-wedding prep, from diet, exercise, lifestyle changes, skincare, and yes, beauty routines, in order to ensure your investment with us (or whoever you have booked for your big day!) as your hair and makeup artists.

Today, I sat down with Liz to chat about all things bridal beauty prep, and get some of her tips as a bride to be herself ….(Stay tuned, Chicago & Chicago Suburb brides…there may be some exclusive discount codes included for you as well!)

Hannah: Liz, thank you so much for sitting down and chatting with me today! I am SO excited to chat with you and learn more about everything you’ve been doing to prepare for your wedding next September of 2024.

Liz: Thank you so much for having me!

Hannah: So I want to start with skincare, because your skin is absolutely glowing. I’ve been stalking your Instagram posts/stories and can see that you have been experimenting with a lot of different treatments – Tell us more about what you’ve tried so far, and what you’ll be doing as you get closer to your big day?

Liz: I have been working with a few aestheticians like Jenny Fotsis at Images Med Spa & Emily Clark at The Fitz Chicago (say my name “Liz Panella” when checking out for $25 off your first service) to help create a customized skincare plan to help get my skin to look its absolute best! As you can see, since it’s July of 2023, about 15 months out from my wedding, we are starting far ahead of time to ensure we can see the results I’m looking for. Skincare is not an overnight success, so starting at least 6-12 months in advance will help you reach your own personal skincare goals! Here are some of the treatments I’ll be doing: 

Wedding Skin Treatment Plan (starting 1 year out)

  • Dermaplane + Hydrafacial
    • Invest in a good dermaplane + hydrafacial!!!! This is my #1 recommendation for brides the week of their wedding (5-7 days before the big day) as makeup will go on SO smooth, you’ll be free of any peach fuzz & your skin will be glowing!
  • Microneedling w/ PRP
    • Series of 3 sessions every 4-6 weeks (best to get done in fall / winter when limited sun exposure)
  • BBL / Moxi
    • Recommended to get these done a few months before the wedding
  • Lighter Peels (as needed)
    • Lactic Peel – Winter
    • Glycolic Peel – Spring

Hannah: I LOVE these recommendations! Are there any other Medspas or Skincare experts that you can recommend to our Chicago friends or fellow brides?

Liz: Yes! Accelerated Aesthetics (LIZ10 for 10% off first service), Images Med Spa (various locations all over Chicagoland), Face Foundrie (West Loop or Bucktown – not a medspa but amazing facials), Nova Skin Studio (Barrington), Emily Clark at The Fitz (Old Town) & Savanna Boda (@thedallasaesthetician – she’s based in Dallas but does virtual skin coaching and shares amazing tips!)

Hannah: Amazing! I know our Chicagoland and Chicago Suburbs clients are going to find these so helpful. So, all of these treatments would be considered minimally invasive, and great ways to give your skin a little extra love as you’re planning for your wedding day. Now, let’s talk about some more invasive procedures, as I know these can be a little more controversial – What, if any of these, are you doing? 

Liz: That’s a great question! While Botox and Filler are still considered minimally invasive compared to surgical procedures, they can be very controversial to discuss and so many celebrities and influencers are very secretive about the treatments they’re receiving. I like to be honest about any “enhancements” that I get done for the sake of setting realistic expectations. So in the spirit of transparency, here are some of the things I’m currently doing and will be keeping up with before the wedding day –

Injectables

I see Mai McKeon @ The Fitz

  • Lip filler (1 syringe)
  • Botox (40-50 units)
  • Cheek Filler – I will be receiving minimal cheek filler to add volume to my face at my next appointment! I’m so excited for this as I have a longer, slim face.

Hannah: I appreciate your honesty so much! It’s so refreshing – I get botox and I have gotten filler in the past as well, which I’ve discussed in our Skincare Over 30 Guide on The Edit! It’s one of my favorite tips for brides or really any of our clients, as it can really help provide some extra help with fine lines, wrinkles, or adding volume to the face that isn’t possible with makeup. What about skincare, Liz? Any products that you’re loving? 

Liz: Yes! Totally. Because I have struggled with adult hormonal / cystic acne, I take my skincare products very seriously!! While I know medical grade skincare is expensive, I have been using it for years & swear by it! 

Everyone has different priorities, of course, skincare just happens to be one of my top! If these products are not for you, I would recommend heading to dermstore.com for more dermatologist recommended skincare at a variety of price points! While I LOVE Sephora, I will hardly ever shop for skincare there. 

My Current Skincare Routine

Hannah: Are there any other beauty products or treatments aside from skincare that you’re planning on investing in before your wedding? If so, what are they?

Liz: While skincare is a huge point of focus for me, some of my other top priorities are making sure that my hair looks its absolute best, as well as taking proper care of my teeth with regular cleanings, Invisalign, and whitening treatments – This is going to be a day where there are tons of photos of you smiling and having the best day of your life, so you want to make sure you feel confident in all aspects! Here are some of the things I’ll be doing to prep in these areas for the big day:

Haircare

  • Hand-tied extensions from Anomalie Beauty Agency – (*Editors Note – We HIGHLY recommend that all of our brides get at least one row of hand tied extensions for optimal results! Interested in learning more? Click here to get your free online consultation & quote – Scroll down to “Extension Inquiry” and enter in your details!) 
  • Cut & color (“Bronde” AKA the perfect mix between blonde and brown balayage) from my hairstylist

Dental Care

  • Invisalign
  • Zoom professional whitening treatments
  • Dental Bonding (to my front teeth. Dental bonding involves applying a special type of composite dental resin directly to your teeth. This resin can be used to make the tooth look longer, and to improve its overall shape and appearance. Dental bonding is commonly used to make one or two teeth look longer and more even. It also can be used to fill up small gaps between teeth, to correct misshapen teeth, and to cover up stains and other cosmetic issues. It’s a highly versatile treatment.

Hannah: I love how in depth you’re going to prep for the wedding – I wish we could literally give this advice to every single one of our brides! It’s definitely so important to create a beauty, health and wellness routine before the wedding and the further out you start, the happier you’ll be overall with your results. Speaking of health and wellness, anything you’re doing in these categories specifically to prep?

Liz: Definitely! With my wellness routine, it’s not just focused on getting in shape for the wedding, it also focuses a lot on overall wellness and optimal health and stress management before the big day. Here is some of what I’m currently doing

Fitness & Wellness Routine

  • Drink 64+ oz. of water per day
  • Monthly massages with cupping therapy at my chiropractor. Cupping releases scar tissue, reduces painful trigger points, improves circulation, blood & lymph circulation, relieves pain, promotes mobility and range of motion, and decreases toxins.
  • Reformer Pilates 1-2x per week at Clearly Reformer Pilates in Orland Park, IL
  • Additional Chicago Pilates Studios Bodyrok and [solidcore]
  • Yoga classes on occasion
  • Infrared sauna @ Lume Chicago or Freeze & Float Chicago (Use code LIZCECF for $25 off your first service at Lume)
  • IV therapy @ IVWellness Lemont, Lume Chicago, IVME. I like to do IV’s before traveling, after a night out, if I get a migraine, when I’m feeling extra fatigued, or if I’m sick!
  • Therapy 1-2x per month to take care of my mental health, especially during wedding planning! – I’ve been seeing my therapist for over 3 years via Telehealth out of Centered Therapy Chicago. My cousin, Kellie Calderone, also owns a telehealth practice out of Illinois called ACE Counseling & is accepting new patients! To find a therapist that best fits your needs, I recommend using the filter features on psychologytoday.com

Hannah: Thank you SO much Liz for going super into depth and above and beyond with all of these amazing tips! If our current brides or clients would like to follow along with you to see your entire wedding planning process and just stalk you for beauty/fashion/wedding tips, where can they find you?

Liz: Of course! My Instagram is @lizwaslikee and my website and blog can be found at https://www.lizwaslike.com

My TikTok is https://www.tiktok.com/@lizwaslike ! 

& If you’re still looking for your bridal glam, you can use my name for 10% off your bridal services (just click this link & select my name, “Liz Panella”, from the “How did you hear about us?” question)

Thank you SO Much!

«

»

book with us

bridal services

MAKEUP • HAIR • SPRAY TANNING • BRIDAL • MORE

|

our bEAUTY SERVICES include

Explore