My Environ and Accumax Journey to Acne Free Skin

Today we have another Guest Blog written for us by Bev who has been travelling on her Environ and Accumax Journey!

My Environ and Accumax Journey to Acne Free Skin

I've always had problematic, acne-prone skin, which took hold in my early teenage years and was ever so determined to make me self-conscious and continuously chip at my confidence. My skin is best described as oily and sensitive, where I constantly have breakouts on my cheeks, chin and forehead (well, pretty much my whole face!). I also had acne present on my shoulders, which is (thankfully) no longer the case, as it was terribly uncomfortable.

Over the years I tried many different types of concoctions and tricks to obliterate my spots. I wanted a quick fix, I was pretty desperate! I was often told that my acne will disappear in my 20s... it did not! I tried many different solutions, such as drinking more water, exercising more and sleeping more, which did help to an extent, but it didn't fully banish my acne curse. So I somewhat put it to rest and convinced myself to accept that my problematic skin was a part of me, even though it was chewing me up inside emotionally.

This time last year, my boyfriend popped the question and the exciting journey to our big day commenced! I met Kathy to discuss wedding hair and make-up. My skin was in quite a state at this stage, being infested with a lot of red, sore-looking spots. I queried if she was able to help with my problematic skin and she reassured me that it had the potential be fixed. She explained the situation that my skin was in and how it was constantly being under attack by free radicals, which involves junk food (my vice!), stress, pollution and exposure to sunlight.

Kathy introduced me to a product range called Environ, created by Dr Des Fernandes, a renowned plastic surgeon who developed the Environ product range to tackle the damaging free radicals with Vitamin A. Some of the key ingredients contained in Environ are:

Vitamin A - which helps improve the collagen, elasticity and increase the natural moisture levels of the skin.
Vitamin C - helps improve skin elasticity, cleans up the the free radicals and brightens the complexion.
Antioxidants - this includes, green tea, rooibos tea, honey bush extract and beta-carotene, which neutralises the damage by free radicals.

I'm now on a great skincare regime using the Environ AVST moisturiser range, which allows the skin to gradually get accustomed to higher levels of Vitamin A, as jumping to high levels of Vitamin A can shock the skin. I have so far completed my two bottles of AVST 1 and have almost completed my first bottle of AVST 2. I have definitely noticed a significant improvement on my skin tone, texture and reduction in pore size on my cheeks. I no longer suffer from acne on my forehead and the spots on my cheeks and chin have reduced in number and size. What's left to tackle is the redness caused by the previous spots, which will hopefully reduce over time.

As part of the regime, I'm also taking Skin Accumax supplements, which is an Advance Nutrition Programme that feeds the skin from within. The supplement is quite effective as it targets the dermal layer of the skin, reducing inflammation, texture, scarring and excessive sebum production. I take these supplements with my meals and have woken up to seeing my skin look calmer each day!

So far I'm enjoying this skincare regime! I ritually apply the Environ AVST moisturiser to my face in the morning and evening. You can even apply make-up over the moisturiser once dried. The only hiccup I'm really having is experiencing dryness around my mouth, but this is solved by applying Environ Intensive Colostrum Gel as it helps hydrate sensitive skin. I'll admit the process is a bit on the slow side, but Environ's aim is to focus on the long term benefits, instead of a quick and temporary fix... so it's definitely worth the wait, as it's the only product so far that I've noticed a significant improvement in my problematic skin!

My aim is to get radiant, spot-free skin for our wedding day in the Summer of 2016, and I believe it's possible with this fantastic skin regime!

Bev

Ginger Tree Christmas Goodies

We have a wide range of beautiful Christmas Gifts at Ginger Tree no matter what your budget.  So if you are looking for a few stocking fillers or a present to splash out on, here are my top 5 gifts for Christmas!

1: The Ultra Regenerative Anti Ageing Facial Gift Box 

£90.00
Contains the Anti ageing cleansing melt and Anti ageing serum + free cloth and beautifully packaged. Special offer - buy this gift box and receive a voucher for a half hour Pinks facial worth £25.00

2: The brand new Pinks Eye Serum 

£56.00
Expertly formulated to include the ultimate anti - oxidant dose to help prevent and smooth fine lines and wrinkles leaving the delicate eye area illuminated. Introducing the anti- oxidant super stars - Buriti, Baobab and Pomegranate. Buriti fruit oil collected from the Amazon rainforest contains the richest known source of beta- carotene a powerful anti- oxidant known to protect from sun damage.

Rich in essential fatty acids, the building blocks of the skin’s structure that help maintain elasticity and firmness. Pomegranate has been selected, as it is rich in antioxidants, conjugated fatty acids and gentle phytoestrogens. It has been proven to be even more effective than green tea in fighting the free radicals that cause premature aging, fine lines and wrinkles.

The super - fruit Baobab has a rich Omega content, vitamin A, D and E, B1 and B2. The fruit extracts have been shown to have up to 6 times more vitamin C than an orange alongside a mega anti – oxidant content to give it significant free radical scavenging properties. These are also combined with vitamin E and the golden yellow blossoms of harvested Arnica Montana, providing flavonoids and carotenoids while calming the skin and reducing dark circles. An expert blend - anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and deeply nourishing.

3: Ultimate Hydrate Gift Box

£38.50
Hydrating Deep Cleansing melt + free muslin and beautiful gift box. Great for dry skins and a perfect introduction to the Pinks range. 

4. Mavala A Cracking Duo Nail Varnish Sets

£9.00

Available in a range of different colours these gift sets are perfect for the nail lover! There is no need to pull this cracker, simply untwist the top to reveal two gorgeous nail treats.

5. Neals Yard Bee Lovely Hand Cream

£10.00

Care for your hands and help to save the bees with this original Neal's Yard Bee Lovely Hand Cream. Moisturising organic honey is blended with energising orange essential oil to nourish the skin and lift the spirits. And you are giving a little something back this festive period!

The Joys of Aske

Nearly everyone who comes and visits me comments on the beautiful tranquillity of my salon based at the stunning Aske Stables just outside of Richmond. I have worked in a variety of spaces but I picked Aske for my current salon location due to the ample parking, the closeness to Richmond as well as the most beautiful scenery that is on offer.

Aske Stables are based on the Aske Estate which is steeped in history, the hall was referenced in the Domesday Book of 1066! However the Stables were actually built much later on in 1887, the space is now filled with vibrant businesses and it is strange to think of the buildings once being used to house horses!

 The Salon still retains some original historical features, ask me to point them out when you next pop in! The room has plenty of character and I love the old fireplace which would have been used to keep weary stable boys and grooms warm many years ago!

Working on the estate means that I get to see the seasonal changes that are brought on throughout the year. At the moment the Autumnal colours are predominantly featured in the trees and across the landscape but in the Spring the grounds will be bursting with Bluebells and baby Lambs!

I love working here at Aske and I have had nothing but positive feedback from my clients. So if you need a quiet space to relax and unwind, you know where I am!

Guest Blog: James

A few weeks ago I held another successful Environ Taster session where a number of clients came for skin analysis and a mini facial to understand their skin as well as learn what can be done to improve skin health. I was delighted that James came to a session and I asked him to write a few bits for the blog to share with any other males who might think that skin health is not for them! Men, please take note!

Have you ever been to see a Beauty Therapist before? 

I’ve been to get my eyebrows waxed once. It started with going to a party and returning with no eyebrows, once they started to grow back (after a couple of months) they needed something doing to them as were growing in all different directions! That is my only real experience! I do try to look after my skin and drink lots of water but have never been to anything like this!

What made you go to the Environ Taster Day? 

Well, Sarah was pretty adamant that I was going to the taster day. I do suffer with breakouts so after some persuasion I plucked up the courage to go and have a look to see what all the fuss was about.

What did you think of the advice that you were given on the day? 

I thought the advice was great. I learnt things I never knew about skin and it was very informative. I really didn’t know how complex the skin actually was! At the start start I definitely felt uncomfortable walking into a beauticians being a male but all the people in there made me feel very comfortable and at ease.

Did you enjoy the experience? 

Definitely, I would recommend it to anyone. Even if they don’t’ suffer from bad skin, because it’s a good insight into how it all works.

Do you think you will change anything because of the advice and expertise that you were given? 

Yeah I never really had a routine for looking after my skin. After learning about all the different things you can do to help it, I’ve made a change and am using the Environ Sebuwash and AVST 1 moisturiser and have definitely noticed a change.

Guest Review: Pinks Boutique Bamboo and Oatmeal Facial Polish

I have to be honest when I first tried the Pinks Boutique Bamboo and Oatmeal Facial Polish I was disappointed. Bear in mind that I am in the very early stages of educating myself on skin care and in my head a good exfoliator needed to be gritty, in fact I thought the grittier the product the better the results! (Kathy please remember to breathe whilst reading this, I am learning from you, I promise!)

So, when I first used the Oatmeal Polish in the shower I was disappointed by the lack of a good scrub and felt that it wasn’t doing much for my skin. Yes it smelt absolutely yummy (as all Pinks Products do) and it had a nice creamy texture which felt smooth on my skin but I wasn’t particularly sure if it was clearing out my pores and removing any dirt.

Because I wanted to give the product a fair chance I thought I would up the usage, Kathy had recommended that I use it twice a week on my face in the shower. Well, I ignored the golden rule of listening to the expert and started using the polish every day, well I didn’t want clogged up pores did I?!

Fast forward a few weeks and I decided to attend the Environ Taster Facial day. I was very surprised when the Environ expert looked at my skin and told me straight away that I had been over exfoliating. I have learnt that the skin is used to protect us from toxins and bacteria and as I had been scrubbing away at this on a daily basis my skin was over compensating to try and repair the damage. In fact the Environ Specialist said that they did not believe in exfoliating (in the standard accepted way) the face at all!

I was shocked to learn that something that I had been doing to try and look after my skin was damaging it and it made me re-evaluate the Oatmeal Facial polish. Maybe an exfoliator didn’t need to be gritty?! Maybe, the Facial polish was gently and quietly removing the dirt and clearing my pores without my face being assaulted by salt and grit! I had previously used Clearasil as an exfoliating product and was comparing the Polish to this, a completely unjust comparison.

With this shock revelation in mind I started using the Oatmeal Facial polish twice a week and actually read up on what an exfoliator should do! A good face polish should gently help the natural regeneration of skin cells as well as maintaining clear pores and softening the skin.

I now love using the polish and look forward to the days when I can use it on my skin, I have realised that a gentler scrub actually does the job it needs to do without damaging healthy skin and I feel that the creaminess helps replenish any moisture that may be lost in the scrubbing process.

After a bit of an educational journey I now adore the polish and I have even brought a pot for my mum, I hope she loves it as much as I do!

Sarah

xxx

Environ Taster Facials

A new event to Ginger Tree – Environ Taster Facials on Monday 9th November, 11am-6pm.

This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the Environ range, understand and see what it can do to improve the health and appearance of your skin.

Perhaps you have a particular concern – pigmentation, sun damage, anti-aging or problematic. Environ can help. The cost is £20, refundable on purchase of two or more products, plus you will be able to have a make up consultation and application completely free.

 It’s a fun and informative event in a stunning relaxing environment. It’s also an opportunity to learn more!

Christmas at Ginger Tree

Christmas is my favourite time of the year and I have lots of lovely events coming up to celebrate the season, find out more below:

Xmas Glamour Night

Tuesday 17th Nov 5-9pm is the first of my make up events. I’ll be demonstrating two looks Glamour and Smokey.

This is your chance to have your make up applied professionally and receive tailored advice. Fizz and yummy chocolates from Mocha will help us have a lovely relaxed evening soiree.

Xmas Fair Low Gingerfield

Sunday 22nd November I’ll be at the lovely Low Gingerfield Farm just outside Richmond for their annual Christmas Gift Fair. Come along and see my lovely stall and other great suppliers, including Hedgehog Furniture from Catterick who made my salon furniture.

Christmas Facials

Christmas is coming and it’s party time, plus the weather has truly turned – cold, wind, rain, the central heating and fires are on, we tend to eat more carbohydrates, sweet treats and alcohol – all this takes its toll on our skin.

So during November I’m running an offer on Environ and Pinks Facials. Book and pay for 3 facials in one month and you have the opportunity to receive a free manicure or pedicure worth £25.00 using the gorgeous Pinks Boutique body and nail range. You can also take advantage of the buy 5 get one free facial package and during November get a Lash Lift treatment at half price £15.00.

Pinks Christmas Specials

Pinks Boutique have launched their Christmas specials and new Eye Serum.  I am testing it over the next month and will let you know what I think soon!

Look forward to seeing you in the salon soon. Take care everyone.

Autumn Update

Well November is here, leaves are falling, the weather is windy and getting colder plus we switch on the central heating or light the fire and start to eat more carbohydrate comfort food. I love Autumn and Winter with cosy nights in, but our skin can pay a high price. In this blog let’s look at a couple of things to think about.

Luscious lipstick colours abound in Autumn – reds from brick to post box, berry colours from mauve to deep plums, and a range of rusts like falling leaves. But for these colours to look great and stay on we need our lips to be in tip top condition. Our lips don’t have any oil glands and unlike the skin on the rest of the body, lip tissue has no thick, protective outer layer, either. They are also constantly moisturized by saliva, then dried by breathing, which has an evaporative effect. Evaporation also dries out hands (from washing) and feet (from sweating)

Here’s what I do and would recommend ;

• Have a non petrochemical based lip balm in your bag at all times; I love Jane Iredale’s Lip Drink which comes in 3 colours, Sheer, Buff and Crush and has an SPF 15. It’s £13.00 and lasts ages and comes as a stick. A couple of other options are from Neal’s Yard the Bee Lovely Lip Balm in a round tin is £6.50 and Neal’s Yard donate part of the profit to a charity involved in helping to save the bees. They also have a stick version made from Rosehip and Shea Butter at £7.00. All Jane Iredale lipsticks care for the lips with pomegranate oil rather than mineral oil
• Moisturise, moisturise, moisture; I start to include a couple of extra products, Environ’s Hydrating Oil Capsules £ 42.00 and the Revival Masque £50. I give a Hydrating Oil Capsule for client’s to take home after an Environ facial. Pinks Boutique have two enriching balms the Facial Balm £29.75 which is a replenishing balm, that restores moisture and elasticity. The Night Balm £34.50 a rich soothing and restorative balm, suitable for dry, mature and sensitive skins, with Rosehip, Carrot, Calendula and Evening Primrose – these are so rich you only need a tiny amount.
• Supplements; With the skin getting drier think about increasing your Essential Fatty Acids. The Advanced Nutrition Programme skin care supplements to think about are Skin Omegas + “Women lacking in Omega 3 can suffer from dehydration, spotty area, breakouts and general poor skin heath. After a month of trialling Skin Omegas +, our tester said her skin seemed less dry and whole lot more bouncy.” Good Housekeeping May 2015 Edition. Skin Omegas+ is made with premium, clinically researched omega 3 from Epax, a world leading supplier known for its purity, quality and innovation. They hold a Friend of the Sea certificate, so you can be sure the omega 3 is sourced using methods that conserve marine habitats and resources.

Perron Rigot Waxing Training Day

A few months ago I had the chance to go on an update training day for the highly specialist waxing products from Perron Rigot. It was a great day, I never realised there was still so much to learn about waxing. The main things I learnt were that the Perron Rigot hot wax have improved the method of removal and clients have confirmed that the new method has reduced pain and redness.

On top of that they have introduced some new waxes which are designed to help with specific situations;

Visage is the new wax for the face. This definitely reduces redness and even though I always use organic calming lotions and Jane Iredale mineral make up to conceal a client’s face after waxing, being able to use Visage is a great addition, offerering safe, high quality products in your treatments.

Essential Rose is specially designed for those who tend to get hot and bothered, making the skin sweat during waxing, which in turn makes it difficult to remove the wax cleanly. It’s particularly good for the underarms.

I’ll still continue to use the standard EuroBlonde Perron Rigot hot wax when necessary, but if you’ve got very sensitive skin then there is another wax in the range called Pure.

I’m always on the look out for how I can improve your treatment experience and add a little touch of luxury.

Guest Blog: Dealing with skin concerns

I will get this out of the way very early on, I am one of those horrendously annoying people that have never had a spot in my life. I went un-blemished throughout my teenage years, my tipsy student years never resulted in a single spot and I have survived quite merrily into adult life with no spot-concerns.

You can then imaging my utter horror when I woke up this week with not one, not two, but a huge number of angry, bright red, painful spots protruding out all across my face, and even worse, they were multiplying!

I cried, I cleaned my makeup brushes (for the first time ever!) I even cleaned my glasses! I over compensated with moisture and then in desperation I decided to try and dehydrate the pesky things off by not moisturising at all (my poor face!) At this point I decided to go and see Kathy.

Kathy was greeted by a slightly hysterical, spot obsessed person and she took control! Firstly and foremost she didn’t trivialise my problem as I am sure some people would, she empathised with my stress and assured me that we could fix this!

I now have a very new and different skincare regime and I love it!

The first step of my new regime is skin health. I have started taking Vitamin A. You can get Vitamin A from food, but current thinking and research in Dermatology i.e. Dr Des Fernandes, Professor Malcolm Maden, Dr Rachel Watson, Professor Antony Young shows that Vitamin A is absolutely essential to our diets and it is believed that up to 90% of us just don’t get enough and supplementation makes a big difference to us having healthy skin. It helps improve moisture levels, aids collagen and elastin production, increases blood flow to the skin, plumps up the skin and makes the surface of the skin stronger, regulates the sebaceous glands and helps to maintain a healthy immune system.

The second step is products, there is a wide range of products that I could use but Kathy knows that I love the Pinks Boutique scents and the smell of a product is very important to me (I get that from my Mum!)

I am now using the calming Ocha and green tea cleanser, which smells divine. I use a muslin face cloth to apply this which really makes my skin feel clean and is a gentle exfoliator, I don’t think I will ever go back to cotton wool! I then spritz a Rose and Geranium Flower water onto my face to refresh and apply a night time facial balm which is so smooth and I can just feel my skin gratefully drinking in all of the moisture.

When I have a problem, I need a plan and Kathy provided me with this. My skin is so much calmer and the spots have reduced their aggressive streak, in fact, vitamins, moisture and love seems to be defeating them!

I now have the utmost respect for people who suffer from acne and on-going skin problems. I have found it extremely distressing to feel that everyone is looking at Mount Vesuvius on my chin, simply waiting for it to erupt! I am so lucky that spots and skin conditions have never affected me up until now and I appreciate that now.

I am also very lucky to have a Kathy to call on when a crisis comes calling and I know that she helps a lot of people with acne and other skin concerns across all ages!

Sarah
x

Low Gingerfield Christmas Fair

I know it is only September and we don’t want to start planning for Christmas too soon but I just wanted to let you all know that I have just booked my stall at the Low Gingerfield Christmas Fair which will be taking place on Sunday 22nd November.

Low Gingerfield Farm is a fantastic venue just outside of Richmond, it is run by Gill and is a Bed and Breakfast as well as a wedding venue. In fact my able assistant on the stall, Sarah, will be getting married at Gingerfield farm herself next year!

We will be bringing a range of beautiful Christmassy Gifts along with us to the stall in November from Neals Yard and Pinks Boutique as well as some beautiful nail gift sets, gift vouchers and product samples so make sure you pop along and get your Christmas shopping organised early!

Focus on Pinks Boutique

We are passionate about the products that we use here at Ginger Tree and one of the brands that we use and recommend all the time is Pinks Boutique.

Pinks Boutique specialise in organic luxury skincare and are a British brand set up by Kirstie Allen and Luke Sherriff who first met each other at Oxford University. Luke was a Human Scientist and Kirstie a historian specialising in women and South East Asia.

Their two subjects, although very different, began to overlap when Luke became a professional Rugby player, Luke became interested in organic food around about the same time that Kirstie began exploring organic cosmetics and Pinks Boutique was born!

Pinks Boutique create certified organic products that represent Luke and Kirstie’s love of Asia using unique aromas and exotic ingredients from Indonesia, Tibet, Nepal, Thailand and Japan and believe me, they do smell amazing!

Pinks Boutique offers a wide range of products, from cleansing melts, body oils and hand soaks that are designed and hand blended in the UK . I use Pinks Boutique products in my facial treatments as they help to restore the natural balance of the skin and they promote clear, hydrated and radiant skin from the use of antioxidants, omega acids and plant extracts.

If you would like to try Pinks Boutique and start incorporating their beautifully designed organic products into your skincare regime then please don’t hesitate to ask me on your next trip to the salon, you will be able to see and feel the benefits and the smells are just heavenly!

I am meeting with Pinks Boutique in October to see the new Eye Serum and upcoming Christmas Gift Range so I will keep you updated!

To find out more about Pinks Boutique why not watch their video here:

   

The White Swan at Gilling

Last week Sarah and I went along to the White Swan in Gilling where they are in the process of setting up a regular ladies event. We went along and met some lovely people over some delicious canapés and prosecco!

We will be holding our very own event their on Thursday 8th October at 7pm in the Chill out Zone right at the back of The Swan. If you have never been to The Swan in Gilling before then this is the perfect opportunity for you to come and sample their food and hospitality as well as speak to me about a range of topics.

I will be bringing with me Neal’s Yard and Pinks Boutique aromatherapy products plus some oils and blends for you to try and I will be looking for willing participants to demonstrate head, hand/arm and foot massage. I am planning on it being an interactive event where everyone will get the chance to experience a little bit of the magic of massage.

Look forward to seeing you there!

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