I Just Got Engaged—This Is the Foolproof "Marry Me" Skin Routine I Did for 6 Months

Photos of editor Ana Escalante and her skincare routine and progress photos throughout her engagement skincare process.
(Image credit: @balencianas)

Can I confess something a little vulnerable? Before I even set foot in a jewelry store or meticulously curated my Pinterest board (which, yes, has well over 500 pins dedicated to floral arrangements, dress details, and color palettes), there was one very deliberate priority I put above all else: my skin.

If you really know me, you know that skincare isn’t just a routine—it’s a form of self-love, a daily ritual, and honestly, a bit of armor. My bathroom shelf isn’t just cluttered; it’s a carefully assembled gallery of potent creams, serums in frosted glass bottles, and exotic treatments I’ve researched obsessively. I see my aesthetician religiously every month, and I’m no stranger to laser sessions, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion—whatever it takes to keep my skin not just looking good but truly healthy and resilient.

But as I stood on the cusp of one of the most pivotal chapters of my life—my engagement and the wedding that would follow—I knew I had to take it to the next level. This wasn’t about vanity. This was about feeling confident and radiant in my own skin on the day I said yes to forever. So I committed myself to what I called my “aesthetic bootcamp.”

My skin had its own story to tell. Fungal acne had been a quiet, persistent companion; dark spots and uneven hyperpigmentation painted chapters of past struggles and sun-soaked summers. There was a dullness that no amount of concealer could mask—a tiredness I wanted to replace with glow, clarity, and the kind of luminosity that comes from true skin health, not filters or heavy makeup.

Photos of editor Ana Escalante and her skincare routine and progress photos throughout her engagement skincare process.

(Image credit: @balencianas)

After a month of trying to solve my skin issues on my own—cycling through products, second-guessing every ingredient label—I realized it was time to call in a true expert. Enter Elizabeth Grace Hand at Ställe Studios, a quiet gem tucked away in SoHo, known as the go-to spot for models, creatives, and even Jennifer Lawrence. I’d heard whispers of her magic touch and figured why not invest in someone who could see my skin not just as a surface problem but as a complex story?

I threw caution to the wind, swiped my credit card, and booked my first session. From the moment I stepped into Ställe, I felt like I was walking into a sanctuary rather than just a treatment room. Hand’s approach wasn’t about pushing Wholesale Replica Bag trend or aggressive fixes—it was about listening deeply, tailoring every treatment to me. She took the time to understand my skin’s history, my lifestyle, and my goals. It felt less like a transaction and more like the start of a partnership.

Over the course of six months—October to April—Hand and I worked together to transform my skin. It's a technique she's perfected called "Marry Me" skin, a nod to the several clients who got married or proposed mere weeks after sitting on her treatment table. The process included a customized routine made for my skin and a series of in-office facials and at-home self-guided treatments aimed at improving my texture and hyperpigmentation. Spoiler alert: While it was slow and steady progress, it worked.

Photos of editor Ana Escalante and her skincare routine and progress photos throughout her engagement skincare process.

(Image credit: @balencianas)

During our facial sessions, Hand and I focused on improving a few key problem areas. We incorporated deep facial massage to sculpt and de-puff—her fingers working in rhythmic, intentional motions that seemed to lift my cheekbones back into place and coax life back into tired skin. To address the leftover reminders of past breakouts—those stubborn, dark acne scars and enlarged pores—we incorporated targeted laser treatments. Clinical peels also played a large part in my progress, with Hand slowly working up the strength of each peel to improve and even my skin tone.

Photos of editor Ana Escalante and her skincare routine and progress photos throughout her engagement skincare process.

(Image credit: @balencianas)

Like most skin transformations, the real work happens at home. While my sessions at Ställe were undeniably instrumental, the most meaningful progress unfolded not under the glow of a treatment-room light but in the stillness of my own bathroom, often late at night, hair tied back, city noise humming in the background.

It was during that first session with Hand that we built a hyper-customized routine—a regimen rooted in intention, not overwhelm. No 12-step maximalism, no throwing trendy acids at my face and hoping something stuck. Instead, we chose each product with surgical precision: targeted actives for my breakouts and pigmentation, paired with calming, reparative layers to support and strengthen my skin barrier. I was no longer just using products—I was understanding them.

The lineup read like a who's who of quiet luxury: Bioeffect for its featherlight EGF serum that somehow plumped and brightened overnight; Auteur, whose formulas felt like haute couture for my face. Sachi came in to gently tackle inflammation and uneven tone with its Ayurvedic-meets-clinical precision, and Retrouvé provided the rich, occlusive comfort my skin craved at the end of a long day walking around in the New York City polluted air.

Photos of editor Ana Escalante and her skincare routine and progress photos throughout her engagement skincare process.

(Image credit: @balencianas)

Over the last six months, I became my own project. Every serum, every moisturizer, every treatment was a carefully considered step toward something greater than skin deep. I learned to listen to my skin’s subtle signals and gave it the nurturing it deserved, even on days when I was tempted to cut corners. It wasn’t always easy—there were moments of frustration, days when progress felt slow or invisible. But with every tiny improvement, I felt a little more ready—not just for the engagement photos or the wedding dress fittings, but for the next chapter of my life with all its beauty and uncertainty.

This routine wasn’t just about prepping for a moment in time—it was about honoring myself, the journey I’ve been on, and the woman I am becoming. And if my skin could shine on the outside, maybe, just maybe, it would help me feel that light on the inside too.

When the day finally came that my then-boyfriend got down on one knee, after texting my parents and friends, there’s one more person I had to text: Hand. A testament to our progress. Sure, the ring was beautiful and the moment was unforgettable, but what made it all feel even more real was knowing I had already committed to something just as meaningful—myself. And that glow? It was hard-earned and well-deserved.

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Ana Escalante
Associate Features Editor

Ana Escalante is an award-winning journalist and Gen Z editor known for her sharp takes on fashion and culture. She’s covered everything from Copenhagen Fashion Week to Roe v. Wade protests as the Editorial Assistant at Glamour after earning her journalism degree at the University of Florida in 2021. At Who What Wear, Ana mixes wit with unapologetic commentary in long-form fashion and beauty content, creating pieces that resonate with a digital-first generation. If it’s smart, snarky, and unexpected, chances are her name’s on it.