Our skin is influenced by a variety of factors, and we cannot rely on skincare alone to achieve the complexion we want. While a good quality home care regime (customised to your skin’s individual needs) is essential, it’s also important to follow a healthy diet, to get regular exercise, to avoid smoking and to maintain a professional treatment regime.
Professional skin treatments are often the missing puzzle piece in a skincare regime: They can transform “good” skin to “great” skin, and can help treat and solve many of the most common concerns like acne, pigmentation, uneven skin tone and visible signs of ageing.
Skin peels are one of the most important treatments to consider, as they offer intense exfoliation benefits that help increase your skin’s cell turnover rate, brighten the complexion, minimise breakouts and increase radiance.
Our skin sheds dead skin cells daily, but as we age, our cell shedding slows down and the intercellular glue becomes more stubborn. This means that we become more prone to a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. If not removed regularly, these dead skin cells can end up clogging pores (leading to blackheads and breakouts), they can make your complexion look dull and lacklustre and they can even prevent your skincare products from properly penetrating your skin (thus preventing them from doing their job correctly).
One of the most important ingredients we can use for exfoliation is Alpha Hydroxy Acids (also known as AHAs). These are water-soluble acids, often derived from fruits, that have effective exfoliation properties. Some of the most well-known acids in the AHA family are lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid and citric acid. AHAs exfoliate by undoing the “glue” between our skin cells, allowing the dead skin cells on the surface to slough off more easily.
The Vitaderm Fruit Acid Peel contains a “multi-fruit” blend of Alpha Hydroxy Acids, which are certified by ECOCERT as 100% natural origin, derived from bilberry, sugar cane, oranges and lemons. This highly effective skin boosting peel is a blend of natural glycolic and citric acid, with a 20% concentration of fruit acids and a pH of 3.4.
Our editor recently experienced the Vitaderm Fruit Acid Peel at Sorbet in Cavendish Square, Cape Town:
“I only recently found out that Vitaderm offered professional treatments, and once I did I was very interested to try one. These treatments are currently available at nine Sorbet salons in SA (but they’ll be in more, soon) as well as independent Vitaderm stockists throughout the country.
Because I’d never had a Vitaderm treatment before, my therapist suggested that we do the Fruit Acid Peel, which is a gentle introductory peel that has zero downtime or discomfort.
She started the treatment by removing my makeup with Vitaderm’s Pre Cleanse, and followed with a double cleanse using their Mild Cleanser. Both products smelled amazing and felt luxurious on my skin.
Next up was exfoliation. She applied Vitaderm Enzymatic Exfoliator to my face and gently massaged it into my skin, then left it for about 5 minutes before rinsing off. I prefer an enzymatic exfoliator over a physical exfoliator as I find it more effective and gentler on my skin. After this step, we were ready for the peel.
My therapist gently brushed the peel solution onto my skin and allowed it to work its magic for roughly 5 minutes before neutralising. She was lovely and kept checking that I was comfortable and that I wasn’t experiencing any stinging or burning. I didn’t experience any discomfort whatsoever – not even on sensitive areas like the sides of my nose.
My favourite part of a professional peel is always the post-peel mask. This mask felt rich and luxurious on my skin, and was left on for around 20 minutes. While it was seeping into my skin, I was treated to a relaxing foot and leg massage, which almost sent me to sleep.
After the mask was removed my therapist applied the Vitaderm Conditioning Toner, followed by Vitaderm Aromatic Complex and Reflective SunBarrier SPF25 to ensure my skin is protected when I leave the salon.
The peel was extremely enjoyable – I love that it feels luxurious and pampering rather than clinical (yet it delivers professional results). My therapist was knowledgeable and observant and took a lot of care in everything she did.
Straight after my peel, my skin was glowing. It looked bright and plump – just what I was hoping for! The next day I noticed a few flakes coming off on one or two areas where I had a dry patch, but nothing noticeable or uncomfortable. My skin looked and felt smoother and still had that post-peel glow.
Fast-forward a couple of days and my skin still feels soft and smooth and overall, happy. I know peels work best when they form part of a consistent regime, so I think one’s skin would really benefit from having one of these every month, or even every six weeks.
Thank you so much to Vitaderm and to Sorbet Cavendish Square for such an enjoyable treat. I’ll definitely be back for more!”
Anien – Editor
Learn more about Vitaderm’s professional skin treatments here.
