Our skin is capable of many amazing things, but it can also be a real jerk sometimes. It’s almost as if it senses you have an important event (Prom! Wedding! Graduation! Hot date!) coming up and decides at that exact time to have a total meltdown.

If you want your complexion to look extra amazing for your big moment, the key is to have a plan of action in place to predict and correct any issues before it’s too late.

To learn how to achieve super-glowy, clear skin when you’re on a deadline, we spoke to a top dermatologist and aestheticians to find out how to get your skin in tip-top shape in record time.

A MONTH OUT
If you haven’t been using an antioxidant, now’s the time to start. Vitamin C, like the super-powerful and pure molecules in our just-launched Pineapple-C Bright Serum, is pretty much royalty for protecting, refining, clearing, and smoothing skin. You’ll want to give yourself a full month to start using vitamin C, because though it’s famously effective for “improving skin tone and lightening dark spots,” it also “takes several weeks for it to start to exert its effect,” Dr. Josh Zeichner explains. For optimal results, be diligent — try using it at least once a day, in the morning, right before you apply your SPF. For a PM dose of antioxidants, try the Sweet Chef Beet + Vitamin A Serum Shot, which uses vitamin A (aka retinol) to help retexturize skin and refine pores. Beet extract boosts moisture and is chock full of skin-loving vitamins.

TWO WEEKS OUT
Time to make a stop at the hydration station to load skin up with juicy, plumping ingredients. In addition to making skin look and feel silky soft, “hydrated skin looks more radiant as it can better reflect light off the surface,” Dr. Zeichner explains.

Jeannel Astarita, founder of Just Ageless Body and Beauty Lab recommends looking for hyaluronic acid, which holds 1000 times its weight in water. This super ingredient acts like a sponge to pull in hydration to the outer skin layer to plump and can even improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The good news is you can inject hydration into your skin-care routine at nearly any stage of the game. Try cleansing with the Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser and toning with the Leegeehaam Grow Hyal B5 Toner. Finally, keep the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist at your desk for a constant re-up on moisture (trust us when we say ‘constant’ — its sweet smell, dewy look, and soothing feel are downright addictive).

And, while you work on hydration from the outside, try to focus on increasing it from the inside too. “Before a big event is a good time to form better habits about drinking lots of water,” Astarita says.

THE WEEK OF
Now’s the time to bring out the heavy hitters. “A sleeping mask can do wonders,” explains aesthetician Jordana Mattioli, because you’ll want to maximize what you get from your precious beauty sleep. Your best bet? “Add on a gentle exfoliating ingredient to help the skin shed dead cells on its surface,” Dr. Zeichner suggests. “Gluconolactone (a type of polyhydroxy acid) is extremely mild and can be used even on people with sensitive skin.” Find PHA and hydrating avocado extract in the Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask, which is like a cuddly, restorative hug for your overworked and under-rested complexion. Sleepless night and 14-hour days who?

THE NIGHT BEFORE
Basically, just keep doing all of the good things you’ve been doing over the past month — drink lots of water, hydrate the skin, gently exfoliate, and slather on a nourishing treatment. While the temptation to try something new as a boost is strong, resist. You can’t guarantee your skin is going to be positively affected by it and you don’t want to accidentally have a reaction less than 24 hours before your upcoming event.

THE BIG DAY
Time for a sheet mask, of course! Cozy up with our Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Jelly Sheet Mask, which Mattioli recommends storing in the fridge for extra cooling properties.

It may sound like a lot, but event-ready skincare prep isn’t that time-consuming. Just remember: antioxidants, hydration, gentle acids, and sheet masks are your ticket to the coveted, glowing, glassy skin that will make your skin look almost supernatural.