I'm in need of a beauty boost. A beauty 'spring clean'. It's been a miserable, long, grey winter (apart from my fabulous two weeks in Mauritius!) and I'm a year older and definitely feeling it. Staying at home looking after Alexander is taking its toll on my looks at least age-wise. I used to tell people my age and they would recoil in surprise (in a good way!!) but now I don't seem to get as much of that as I did. It's so depressing.
So, to help with my misery, a little therapy if you like, I've booked in with my favourite anti-ageing expert Dr. Daniel Sister of Dracula Therapy fame for a skin overhaul. He managed to fit me in between his lectures and his teaching - he is at the forefront of his industry and is in high demand so I am honoured even to get 10 minutes!
I'm going for a new generation in chemical face peel and for once I'm excited. I say for once because its the first true peel that I'm going to have. I have quite sensitive skin and the older peels weren't really suitable unless I went for a light one which then wouldn't have been effective, so I've steered clear so far. I'm hoping that all is going to change now. The peel is painless because it doesn't contain any of the traditional peel components in the same concentration as if they were in one single peel but it contains a mix of many in a much smaller quantity- TCA, tretinoic acid, salicylic acid, phenol, vitamin C and a mineral blend - they found that this was even more effective. This is a peel that works after one application and it takes only minutes. Perfect for a busy mummy or busynesswoman! It's also perfect for someone with no patience, that someone being me! Lastly and very importantly it's painless, there is little downtime and you see a significant improvement in just days. What's not to like? For me it's a 'must try'.
Before I set off for my 30 minute session with the charming Dr Sister let me give you the lowdown on my skin. I've mentioned that it's sensitive, I'm also very fair-skinned and along with that, something that often comes hand in hand, it can be a little dry which accentuates fine lines. I have a few freckles but not many and a little redness and discolouration around my nose and chin. Overall, my skin is good. It's clear too and with minimal but visible open pores. I'm hoping that the peel will deal with all of these issues. I am the perfect candidate. The VI peel is also meant to work amazingly on scarring, especially acne and is the first that can be used on African and other dark skin. Lets see. I have heard great things and have high hopes.
Well, we are on day 1. I had the peel today at lunchtime. It took under 10 minutes and was indeed completely painless. I have to say that 7 hours later my face is a little red, as if I'm a bit sunburnt and it is itching a bit. I have very sensitive skin though as you know.
Day 2 passed very uneventfully, then by day 3 I started to peel slowly in the most mobile areas of my face and days 4 and 5 passed with more peeling and less itching. We are in to day 6 now and I still have some peeling to do but I think that I am a slow peeler vs what I have read from others who, by day 6 were back to normal. Nevertheless, I am on the home stretch!
Day 7 is finally here and the last flakes of skin on my forehead have finally fallen off. I am a new woman! Well, at least my face is new. My skin is just how I imagined it would be; clearer, brighter, softer, less fine lines. I look younger and fresher just as if I've had a few layers of skin removed to reveal new skin underneath. Areas of redness around my mouth from spots that had long gone have now disappeared and my skintone is even. Ditto for my forehead where I had light freckling.
I'm really pleased with the peel. I certainly feel as if I've had the spring clean that I was looking for and with no pain and little downtime. The peeling is visible but can be minimised by using the moisturiser provided. Would I do it again? Definitely, just time the peeling process for the weekend for the worst couple of days and it's worth it a million times over. This has done something that no facial and no cream could ever hope to achieve. Pass the sunscreen!