I have to start with apologizing for the fact that this post took me a week longer to post than I had originally promised!
Since my Environ Radiance+ Overview went live I have been receiving queries (almost) on the daily and I really wanted to get my ducks in a row before consolidating this blog post. Pigmentation is the skincare concern on everyone’s mind these days. Good grief, our mind is pretty much the only part of us that pigmentation can’t affect!
Starting off; what is pigmentation?
Simply put, pigmentation is the discolouring of our skin. Pigmentation and skin pigmentation disorders affect the melanin productivity of the concerned cells and this, in turn, affects the “colour” of your skin be it in little patches or all over the body.
You will hear the same notion time and time again from local ladies, but our South African sun is SO incredibly harsh and we really do have to take greater care than what you would in other parts of the world. SPF will always be the most NB step in your skincare routine. This needs to be kept top of mind no matter what your skincare concerns are.
How to treat pigmentation?
There are a few options at hand to target and treat pigmentation. Apart from the obvious – and you should be doing this anyway – AVOIDING the sun and any sun exposure, you can undergo cosmetic procedures (including peels, laser, etc) and using the correct skincare regime. Today I will be chatting about the skincare regime side of things.
Assuring your chosen skincare regime is jam-packed with Vitamin C is your number one priority when looking into treating your pigmentation concerns.
There are a few fabulous brands who can assist you on your journey with treating pigment problems. I will be focusing on including the Radiance+ range from Environ in this post as this is the range I am currently using and have been using for almost two months now. It damn well THRILLS my skincare loving heart to be able to report back on a range with the feedback I have on the Radiance+ range. I am full-blown OBSESSED.
That is a strong statement to make, yes, but I have truly truly truly seen incredible results with the correct use of the three Radiance+ products. I have struggled with dark spots in between my eyebrows as well as above my eyebrow area (surely the oddest place for pigmentation to appear?!) for months now and these dark patches have all but completely evened out. I say this because I recently developed one small patch of discolouration and scarring two or so weeks ago as an after-effect of a pimple. Apart from this, the previous discolouring has completely evened out.
Side note: I think/know that the strange area that I struggle with acne in is due to A) hormones and B) sunglasses!
However, as fabulous as my results are, treating pigmentation is not a once-off thing. There is will never be the guarantee that the concern will not return. Everything from hormones, age, medication can and will affect how your body produces melanin and creates pigment. This also means that you may never struggle with pigmentation issues (aren’t you the lucky one!). But what with living in South Africa, it will likely affect you at some stage.
Defence is the best form of attack!
When it comes to skincare then yes, I live by the above quote!
One cannot expect to slap together a skincare routine and cross your fingers. Your best bet would be to know what you are dealing with and target treat from there. This may include a visit to the dermatologist (honestly, not as pricey as you are thinking – and SO worthwhile!) to really learn and understand your skin’s needs. Identifying your skin’s triggers is half the work done.
My recommendations to alleviating pigmentation concerns are as follows;
- Sunblock. Sunblock. And sommer throw on some more sunblock.
I’m sure you have seen the memes about sunblock’s place in a skincare routine but it could not be truer. If you are to apply a single skincare product, let it be sunblock. The SPF in your make-up, unfortunately, does not count. It is an absolute necessity to use an SPF30+ sunscreen on the daily. You will apply this as the final step in your skincare routine, before applying make-up.
Again, I must stress that this will not diminish or affect the signs of pigmentation. However, it is the best starting block to help alleviate further pigmentation developing. - Your at-home products and skincare plan is where the hard work lies. Yet it is SO EASY. Consistency is key. Investing in an at-home regime which specifically targets pigmentation is your easiest and most user-friendly option to help deal with current pigmentation woes as well as build the skin’s defence against future issues.
I spoke about the three products that make up the Radiance+ range in the previous Environ blog post so you can click here for a recap on that. Essentially the system is made up of a lotion, serum combination and a Vit-C and Vit-E rich cream.
You have your Mela Prep Lotion to spot target. I like to apply this with either a cotton round or my fingertips. You follow this with equal amounts of the Serums (A & B) mixed together. Your final step of the range would be to apply the Intense C-Boost Mela-Even Cream. As it is with most skincare routines, you have to follow all of these steps religiously if you want to see significant results. I have been following the steps correctly 98% of the time. Then I’ll use products from all sorts of other ranges for the rest of my routine (cleanser, toner, SPF etc).
I am tremendously happy using the Radiance+ range. I really cannot say much more than that. It delivered desired results and I see myself continuing with purchasing from the Radiance+ line.
Over the weeks that I used the line, I only had one facial. This facial was hydration based and not pigmentation targeted so it would not have effected the results.
If you have any queries or comments concerning pigmentation or other skincare concerns, please leave them below. Alternatively, send me a message on IG and I will get back to you.
Rayne XX
*This post has been sponsored by Environ. All opinions are my own.
