25th August 2018
She had me at Pharmaceutical Botanicals, because as I briefly racked my reclining brain that was cushioned in terry towelling, I had never, ever experimented with Pharmaceutical Botanicals. And yet now the opportunity had presented itself with such abundant clarity – why fight it?
This seduction had started during the consultation a week pre-Enzyme treatment. See, I’ve been on a very drawn out and at times hazardous journey to eradicate my pigmentation (Melasma, I’ve been told – a hormonal pigmentation that can never be completely purged but by all means continue throwing money at it). And at this stage of the game, I have had two Fraxels, IPL, several microdermabrasion, Blueberry Peels, lasered within an inch of my life; not forgetting the investment in the do-it-yourself dermal roller to semi-puncture my poor face every night pre serums + moisturiser, Stieva A, Retin A, Hydroquinone with a Tretinoin chaser – oh yes, we’ve done the hard stuff as well.
So, when I heard the soothing words: Pharmaceutical Botanicals – I thought why not try a few non-hurty, non-burning, non-invasive little treatments? I mean everyone else has had a crack. Maybe this botanical bizo will work and I’ll be back to the foundation-free person of my youth, instead of the bitter and resentful high coverage foundation person of my forties?
During the consultation I was told about the clinic’s skin philosophy – remove, rebuild, protect and maintain:
“We can only do so much with the treatments,” said my shiney-skinned beauty therapist in the crisp white uniform. “It really does depend a lot on your at-home care.” Uh-oh. I was still using a night moisturiser from the Sephora Showcase goody bag and was quite content with that arrangement. “So, to really move that pigmentation and to restore your skin, I am going to suggest some products.”
‘Oh, I don’t really want too many products…”
“Well, that depends on how much you want to get rid of your pigmentation, so it’s not really what you want, it’s about what’s going to work,” she said as she proceeded to line up a row of seven products.
“This is what I would recommend for your daily use.” Day? Like in the morning? Like after cleansing, coat myself with a Vitamin C serum, followed by a regenerating gel, then a pigment softening oil, followed with a spritz of herb and mineral spray, then a moisturiser with another spritz of herbal mist and then the sunscreen ALL BEFORE I STEP OUT THE DOOR and take myself to work?
“But I just use sun-screen in the morning and really don’t want anything too tricky.”
“Again, it’s not what you want, it’s about getting rid of that pigmentation.” She then opened the product laden display cupboard and produced another three products to use at night WITH SIX OUT OF THE SEVEN-day proddies, and of course the vitamins because as if using a combination of herbal compound oils, refined glycol amino acids, pigmentation inhibitors and coming in for a 2hr Enzyme Facial every two weeks for the rest of my life was going to work on its own. Don’t be ridiculous – I’ll need a “skin vitamin” to really get that party started.
This really has become some type of joke – my skin. I mean seriously, what a total money pit. While millennials are blowing their house deposits on $22 smashed avos with Persian feta and poached eggs on a Saturday brunch, I have done it successfully by hemorrhaging cash on my face. Am I on drugs? And can I get some that also make Melasma disappear? In what other parallel universe apart from Sydney does one spend this amount of cash and time on skin rejuvenation? Well, it was a no brainer, I was certainly not going to play ball next week for our first Enzyme treatment. No, I would not be coerced into a complicated, ridiculous skin regime. How absurd, seven products in the morning…Puhlease!
Yet here I was, semi naked in a terry towelling cocoon of snugness with our friend doing the hypnotic, serumy circles around the eyes and speaking in soothing tones: “You will really benefit from the deep pore cleanser and micro-exfoliating gel.”
“I already have an exfoliating powder that I’m happy with.”
“You will find unfortunately that it really will not work synergistically with our formulas, and it does depend on how much you want to get rid of your pigmentation.”
No, I wasn’t going to purchase skincare. Because I’m stronger than that. “Would you like a foot or hand massage?” she whispered. And…it was done. Here is my credit card. I would LOVE to slather myself in 6 plus products per morning and then double that at night. Donesky.
To this day, I have had three enzyme facials, have purchased an average of three products per visit, including, of course, the vitamins – as if any of the products will work to their full potential without those capsules stacked full of special essential fatty acids. I’m not an idiot.
I recently made up one of my clients in the skin rejuvenation biz who I have had a Fraxel and IPL with several years ago, and told her about my conversion to Pharmaceutical Botanicals, she grunted, “It’s not going to move your pigmentation.” Well, I explained, I couldn’t possibly do another Fraxel, IPL or laser treatment again.
“No, no, we don’t do that anymore for pigmentation. It’s all about needling.”
Great. Here we go again.
To listen to the dulcet tones of myself and @bynormie talking about this very subject:: https://soundcloud.com/normie-rosales/how-to-win-the-war-on-pigmentation-211220-845-am
Mwah.xx