Environ Explained: An Expert’s Guide to Environ

When it comes to your skin, knowing where to begin can often feel like the hardest part with the overwhelming amount of information available.

There’s no shortage of products or advice, but what truly makes a difference is understanding what your skin needs, and choosing a routine that supports it properly over time.

That’s exactly where Environ takes a different approach.

Developed by Dr Des Fernandes, a world-renowned doctor, surgeon and scientist, Environ is built on decades of research into how our skin functions and what it needs to stay healthy.

At its core, Environ is defined by a level of care and consideration that runs through every detail.

So why Environ?

• Formulated by a globally respected doctor, surgeon and skincare pioneer (voted one of the top 5 plastic surgeons in the world)
• Built on science-led thinking, not marketing trends
  
• Designed to support long-term skin health, not short-term results
• Structured routines to simplify skincare
• Professional-grade formulations, developed with precision
• Originally made for his patients until compelled by popular demand for the public 

There’s a quiet confidence to Environ, one that comes from knowing exactly why each formula exists and how it supports your skin over time.

Why Vitamin A is the cornerstone of Environ: before you dismiss this as ‘just another ingredient’ 

With so many ingredients at our fingertips, all claiming to do a list of benefits for our skin, knowing what to use can be overwhelming. Making it easy to overlook vitamin A (also known as retinoids or retinol). 

But within Environ, it isn’t just another ingredient following the latest trend. It’s the foundation upon which everything else is built upon for your skin.

Vitamin A is considered one of the most important molecules for healthy skin, helping to support how your skin functions on a daily basis, not just how it looks on the surface.

And yet, it’s also one of the most common deficiencies worldwide.

"You could say that the skin is constantly in need of Vitamin A", Dr Des Fernandes.

As vitamin A is light sensitive, it is destroyed every day in our natural skin and is the main reason we develop photoaging.

Unlike other brands' forms of vitamin A, Environ's clinical level of approach to vitamin A cannot be packed into conventional cosmetic glass jars.

The more depleted your skin becomes, the less equipped it is to defend itself against:

• Visible signs of ageing
• Uneven texture and tone
• Environmental damage

Which is why replenishment at the core of your skincare routine matters.

The step-up system explained (Skin EssentiA AVST) 

From this ingredient, the Skin EssentiA AVST Moisturiser system has been carefully created to help your skin gradually acclimatise to increasing levels of vitamin A for lifelong skin health, simplified.

Step 1: AVST 1

Your starting point with low concentration. This is where skin begins its vitamin A journey and starts to build tolerance.

You should use up 1-2 bottles of this step until your skin is completely comfortable. Our experts will be able to advise you along your journey when you are ready to move on to step 2 safely. 

(One bottle should last 3 months).

Step 2: AVST 2

Once skin is comfortable on AVST 1, you move to the next step for a gradual increase in vitamin A. This medium concentration is also recommended to be used for 1-2 bottles.

Step 3: AVST 3

A further step up, continuing to support skin health and visible improvement. This medium to high concentration of vitamin A should also be used for 1-2 bottles to acclimatise your skin.

Step 4: AVST 4

A more advanced stage for skin that has already adjusted well through the earlier levels. This high concentration of vitamin A should be used for 3-6 bottles for your skin to fully get used to it. 

Step 5: AVST 5

The final step in the Skin EssentiA system is designed for long-term daily use. This is the highest concentration and is made to serve your skin onwards.

Why starting lower is actually the answer to better results 

It can be tempting to think stronger means better. In reality, starting too high with vitamin A can work against your skin rather than with it.

Skin needs time to acclimatise. If you introduce too much vitamin A too soon, you may experience what is often referred to as a healing response. This can include:

• Redness
• Dryness
• Sensitivity
• Irritation
• Unsettled skin

That does not mean vitamin A is wrong for your skin. More often, it means the skin has been pushed too far, too soon.

Environ’s step-up system is designed to avoid that, so you can get the benefits of this nutrient safely. Starting lower allows skin to build tolerance steadily, which is often the real route to stronger results over time.

What makes the Skin EssentiA AVST formulas so unique? 

Dr Des does not engage in the concentration game of marketing with the percentage of the vitamin included. Environ see this as meaningless and deceiving to you, the customer. Here's why...

Vitamin A is measured in international units (i.u) per gram. So, put as simply as possible (bear with us here)... 

The recommended effective dose is between 500 i.u and 50,000 i.u.

Environ products include clinically proven levels of vitamin A (each batch is independently tested) so they are certain of effects even at the lowest of the AVST step

So that 1% is not a meaningful reflection of the true measurement of vitamin A.

What else?

• Environ formulas are not just based on concentration, but also give them the ability to penetrate your skin better, too.

Why such a short shelf life is actually better 

A drawback? Not quite. Fresh, active and used at its most effective, this is vitamin A at its best.

A shorter shelf life can sometimes make people hesitate, but with Environ, it is part of the benefit. Environ does not add preservatives to its formulas. That means every product is created with freshness and ingredient integrity in mind.

Rather than extending shelf life unnecessarily, the focus is on keeping formulas active and effective for you.

What happens when you reach the final step?

Vitamin A will always be an essential nutrient and should be applied daily to replace any loss in the skin for healthy and radiant skin that combats the signs of ageing.

The final step in the step-up system is recommended for long-term daily use. Now that you have built up to the top strength, you can forever enjoy the benefits of this core ingredient at its top strength. 

Why do I need to stick to Environ products for the best results? 

This is a question many people ask, and the answer is simple: Environ’s ranges are designed to work as a complete system.

All skin types need to follow the same vitamin A step-up procedure, as we all lose this essential nutrient from our skin daily. The Skin EssentiA range has been carefully designed so that each formula complements the next, helping your skin adjust properly and get the most from the routine.

How to actually use the step-up system  

It's a common misconception that vitamin A should only be used in the evening. However, the step-up system vitamin A is designed to be applied both in the morning and in the evening to protect the skin.

Preparing the skin is just as important to ensure your skin is ready for the ingredients.

1. Remove eye make-up
2. Pre-cleanse
3. Cleanse
4. Tone

You are then ready to apply the step up moisturiser in light upwards movements, including the eye area.

What about the Youth EssentiA step-up process? 

For those looking for a more advanced route, Environ also offers the Youth EssentiA range.

This is considered the more premium option and usually involves a greater investment, but it also offers a more potent form of vitamin A from the beginning.

Like Skin EssentiA, it follows a step-up process, but it is designed for those who are ready for a stronger approach.

Can you move from the Skin EssentiA to the Youth EssentiA process? 

Yes, you can move at any time to this range. Environ recommends the following strength swaps across ranges of where to begin:

• AVST Moisturiser 1-2 move to C-Quence Serum 1 and Defence Crème
• AVST Moisturiser 3 move to C-Quence Serum 2 and Defence Crème
• AVST Moisturiser 4 move to C-Quence Serum 3 and Defence Crème
• AVST Moisturiser 5 move to C-Quence Serum 4 and Defence Crème

Why is SPF important?

SPF is essential to round off any skincare routine. Environ focuses on SPF15-20. Most people are used to being told that the higher the SPF, the better the protection. So seeing SPF 15 or 20 can feel low. Here's what to know...

• There is less than a 5% different in UVB protection between SPF 15 and SPF 50. Yet SP15 and SPF20 are much safer as it contains much lower levels of chemicals that can be dangerous to the skin.
• SPF should also offer UVB and UVA protection.
• Environ users using topical vitamin A add as much as an SPF 20 to their protection.
• With an antioxidant approach to sunscreen, it leaves the skin soft, unlike mineral sunscreens leaving the skin dry.