It's a milestone for any brand to turn 25, but with Environ Skincare, it's a measure of real skin-changing success. For founder South African doctor and plastic surgeon Dr Des Fernandes his life's work has been about creating treatments and products to combat the signs of ageing. I caught up with Fernandes on his recent trip to Auckland and here are his words of wisdom to help change the skin from the inside out. By Editor Trudi Brewer.
Dr Des Fernandes with BeautyEQ editor Trudi Brewer.
“You want to put as few chemicals on your skin as possible. A vitamin A oil used on the skin of your body before and after sun exposure will boost protection.”
Here are Dr Des Fernandes skin rules
Beware of false claims: “Many face creams are expensive but lack the right active ingredients in the right concentrations to make changes at a cellular level. When buying moisturisers look for anti-ageing ingredients such as vitamin A, antioxidants, peptides and hyaluronic acid.”
Don’t cleanse in the morning: “Most of us over-cleanse the delicate skin on our faces, stripping it of the natural oils needed to regulate the skin. If you wear makeup, wash it off properly in the evening, and in the morning use just water. Then apply nourishing products including vitamin A creams and those rich in vitamins C and E, and, of course, follow with sunscreen.”
Feed your face: “UV exposure strips the skin of the vitamins that keep it healthy and youthful. Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, and try to incorporate turmeric in recipes, it's a well-known anti-inflammatory. Add plenty of food rich in vitamins A, such as chicken liver, salmon and mackerel to your diet."
Never skip sunscreen: “It’s okay to go in the sun for a short while, to get a dose of vitamin D. However any longer than a few minutes and you need sunscreen. Use an SPF of between 15 and 25 and never more than 30. There's little difference in the protection that an SPF 30 offers to a sunblock of SPF 100. You want to put as few chemicals on your skin as possible. A vitamin A oil used on the skin of your body before and after sun exposure will boost protection.”
Embrace skin needling: Known as derma rolling, Fernandes has pioneered a skin treatment that uses tiny needles to puncture the surface of the skin. “The needles damage the blood vessels, stimulating the body's natural defence mechanism, which promotes increased healing and skin regeneration, The little holes in the skin's surface made by the needles will allow any products to penetrate the skin easily and ensure they work more efficiently." All Environ skincare clinics offer this treatment and Fernandes recommends a course of six over six weeks for best results.
If you are over 30 take a supplement: "I recommend taking vitamins, A, C, D, beta-carotene and green tea extract, zinc and vitamin E specifically to tackle the signs of ageing."
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