If you’ve been reading All Dolled Up for any length of time you will know two things: that Julia has the least reactive skin in the world and that I have the most reactive skin in the world (I’ve always had a flair for the dramatics). You’d think that I’d be more sensible about managing my rosacea, but I’m just like everybody else: I also get sucked in the clever marketing, and I also believe that the miracle product will work for me. For the longest time I didn’t stick to a particular routine and would just reach for the whatever new product we’d been sent at the time (#blessed), and, predictably, became frustrated when I didn’t see the results I wanted. Combined with this, I had been on antibiotics to manage my rosacea for the better part of a decade, which in itself is quite shocking.
Towards the end of last year, spurred on by my mother (who has the most aspirational skin of all time – honestly, it’s flawless) I decided to get my act together and get myself onto a proper routine. My mother has been using Environ Skin Care for as long as I can remember, so I decided to follow in her footsteps, and promptly booked myself in for a facial at the Environ Skin Care Institute on Bree Street. The aesthetician, Nina, gave me the best facial I’ve ever had, and recommended the products I would need to get started: a cream cleanser, toner, moisturiser, SPF and serum/treatment. Simple, right? Exactly.
The Enivron programme is designed to slowly introduce Vitamin A, arguably the most critical skincare ingredient, through their Vitamin Step-Up System. The aim of this approach is to allow the skin to gradually become more comfortable with increasing dosages of Vitamin A, thereby reducing the risk of an adverse reaction. To read more about the Vitamin Step-Up System and how it works, head on over here.
As I hadn’t used Vitamin A before, Nina started me on the lowest dose, Debut. This moisturiser has a low concentration of Vitamin A, as well as Vitamin C, Vitamin E and a combination of antioxidants to combat those pesky free radicals. This moisturiser is designed to be used both day and night, so Nina also gave me some Colostrum Gel (soothing and hydrating serum) to mix in at night, and the RAD Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF15 to mix in during the day. She also recommended that I use the Revitalising Toner every night to help refine my skin’s texture (it’s a fruit acid toner, so it encourages very gentle exfoliation). I also bought the Gentle Cream Cleanser and the Firming Eye Gel.
So, there I was with a whole new regime and no antibiotics in sight – I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit apprehensive. However I need not have been because my skin has gone from strength to strength, and I haven’t had any rosacea flare ups! Sure, I’ve had the odd hormonal break-out here and there, but nothing that hasn’t settled down and disappeared within a couple of days. The biggest improvement I’ve seen is in the texture and tone of my skin – it looks and feels soft and even, and dare I say, glowing. I know reading that must make you roll your eyes and think I am a conceited cow, but I only say it to emphasise the huge changes I’ve noticed.
I have been having monthly facials with Nina, and under her supervision and guidance, I have now upgraded to the Mild Day Moisturiser and Mild Night Moisturiser, and I have also incorporated the Super Moisturiser+ and Hydrating Oil Capsules into my routine to help alleviate the effects of the colder weather. At the moment, I am using the Super Moisturiser+ every other day, either in the morning or the evening, depending on how my skin feels. The Hydrating Oil Capsules are probably one of the most comforting, indulgent skincare items I have ever used – the oil is thick and luxurious, and feels so pleasurable to apply. I use one capsule every second or third evening, again, depending on how my skin is feeling.
As for the facials, I alternate between the Hands-On Vitamin Therapy Facial, a manual facial, and the Ultimate Vitamin Therapy Facial, a machine facial which used electric current and sound waves to transport vitamins into the skin. The Ultimate Vitamin Therapy Facial isn’t as pleasant as the Hands-On Vitamin Therapy Facial (lots of lovely massaging), but the results are extraordinary. If you would like more information about these treatments, let me know and I will gladly oblige.
I haven’t been paid/sponsored to write this post, and all products and facials have been paid for by me. I am so happy with my decision to move over to Environ – I feel like I’ve made a really good skincare investment, and I am looking forward to progressing through the Vitamin Step-Up System and seeing what further changes/improvements are in store for me.
Are any of you using Environ? If so, what are your favourite products?