Environ Skin Care is celebrating 35 years at the forefront of professional skincare innovation, a legacy of scientific firsts that has reshaped how the world understands and treats skin. Founded in December 1990, the business began when plastic surgeon Dr. Des Fernandes developed a vitamin A cream to support post-operative healing. In doing so, Environ pioneered the use of topical vitamin A in cosmetic skincare, becoming the first brand in the world to incorporate vitamin A into a cosmetic cream - a breakthrough that has since become a global standard. Today, Environ, a South African success story, is trusted by skincare professionals and consumers in more than 70 countries around the world.

At the heart of Environ’s journey is the belief of a brother and sister that they could create skincare that truly supports the appearance of lifelong skin health, guided by their promise of “A Beautiful Skin for a Lifetime.” When Dr. Fernandes first formulated his vitamin A product in his kitchen to aid the benefits of wound healing and skin recovery, he sent a tube to his sister, Val Carstens. She then began sharing it with friends and family as they noticed the visible transformation in her skin, and that early word-of-mouth enthusiasm became the foundation of what would grow into the international Environ Skin Care business.

“Realizing the difference vitamin A was making to Des and my skin, we felt a need, and a responsibility, to share it with people around the world. That’s when we created a team who were truly proud of producing the best skincare in the world,” says Val Carstens, Co-Founder of Environ. “The formulation assisted skin to recover, strengthen and transform its appearance, and I felt proud that we were making a difference to the lives of those we introduced to Environ. The change was truly remarkable in many cases. Thirty-five years later, Environ continues to be defined by science, education and results in the hands of professionals.”

“I wasn’t trying to start a skincare brand. I was simply looking for a better way to help my patients’ skin recover,” says Dr. Fernandes, Co-Founder and Scientific Director of Environ. “What became very clear to me was that when skin gets the right amount of vitamin A, it starts behaving more like healthy skin again. That realization has guided everything we’ve done at Environ.”

35 YEARS OF FIRSTS

Since the early 1990s, Environ has consistently advanced professional treatment standards through a pipeline of scientifically grounded breakthroughs, including:

• Pioneering the concept of ‘step-up’ vitamin A and antioxidant skincare, training skin gradually through increasing levels of essential ingredients to build long-term tolerance and results. ‘Start low and go slow’ is the Environ motto.
• Introducing supplements, namely Resistavit and Envirocol, to help support and protect the benefits of the immune system.
• Developing an Iontophoresis and Low Frequency Sonophoresis machine for skincare professionals to enhance the delivery of vitamin A to the skin.
• The Cool Peel Technology, another first for a cosmetic skincare range.
• Developing the world’s first cosmetic micro-needling device which helped shift professional treatments from the effects of short-term repair toward the benefits of regenerative skin function. 
• Pairing cosmetic needling with vitamin A and antioxidants, creating a new standard for improving the appearance of photo-damage and aging.
• The DF Mobile device for home care.
• Continuing to explore advanced skin science, including antioxidant systems, barrier-support and emerging fields such as neurocosmetic-inspired skincare.

“We’ve seen many trends come and go, but skin biology remains the same,” says Dr. Fernandes. “Our role at Environ is to work with that biology, and to translate what we know into formulations and technologies that professionals can rely on.”

Three and half decades after its founding, Environ continues to push skincare forward through ongoing research, product development and a global network of trained, professional partners. 

“The more we understand skin biology, the more we realize what can be achieved,” says Dr. Fernandes. “The next 35 years will be about working even more intelligently with skin to support its function, stimulate the effects of regeneration and help people achieve the benefits of lasting skin health.”

Environ’s unique skincare philosophy is built on powerful, proven beautiful science and a deep understanding of what skin needs to be healthy-looking and beautiful for a lifetime. Normalizing the appearance and functioning of skin with vitamin A will always be the starting point in the Environ Skincare Philosophy. Healthy-looking, beautiful skin also lays the foundation for effective aesthetic and medical skincare procedures and the best results.

Vitamin A is the cornerstone ingredient in the Environ philosophy. It is an essential skin nutrient that must be replenished every day for skin to appear healthier and more resilient. Environ's range of moisturizers combine intelligent forms of Vitamin A, potent antioxidants and other specialized ingredients, such as peptides, in highly effective doses to promote and support the benefits and effects of:

Environ’s professional skincare formulations and pioneering treatment technologies sets the industry benchmark for Professional skincare. The extensively researched and clinically trialed protocols developed by Dr. Des Fernandes are proven to revive, restore and rehabilitate the appearance of skin and thus continues to inspire the trust and recommendation of Doctors, Estheticians, and Skincare Professionals around the world.

• Effective powerhouse professional skincare formulations based on a deep understanding of skin biology.
• Unique, innovative treatment technologies including Dual Electro-Sonic DF Technology and Environ Cool Peel® Technology.
• Decades of scientific research backing the effective, customizable treatment protocols.
• Skincare Professionals can confidently deliver a results-driven facial like no other.

Environ’s proprietary revolutionary Environ Ionzyme® DF Machine, developed by Dr. Des Fernandes, combines the efficacy of low frequency Sonophoresis (to enhance effectiveness of ingredients) and pulsed Iontophoresis (ionizing ingredients and delivering them to the skin) all through one treatment probe. This scientifically proven Dual Technology approach harnesses the power of both modalities to speed up and intensify treatment results with 40 times more delivery than conventional skincare treatments. The Environ DF Machine offers modernized functionality and features to deliver an enhanced, intuitive user experience and optimized safety for Skincare Professionals and clients.

Environ’s Electro-Sonic Treatment protocols provides effective solutions for clients to improve the signs of aging, photo-damage, dryness, pigmentation, sensitivity, and dullness with a versatile range of 30-, 60- and 90-minute protocols for face and body.

Environ’s safe, non-invasive and an intelligent approach to skin peeling is scientifically proven to assist in reviving, refining, and brightening the appearance of skin. The revolutionary Cool Peel Technology builds on the philosophy of light, gentle repetitive peeling which aims to protect the integrity of skin instead of harsh, destructive peels, which can potentially have serious side effects. This treatment is cool and comfortable for the client, and fully controlled by the skilled Skincare Professional.

Environ Cool Peel treatments are versatile, customizable with no down time and range from a very mild peel to a more advanced treatment protocols providing clients with versatile choices to treat the signs of various skin conditions ranging from breakouts, dryness, aging, scarring and photo-damage. Environ Cool Peel treatments are also safe enough to offer clients all year round.

Environ offers Skincare Professionals and their clients the gold standard of Micro-Needling Technology to fast track skincare results by effectively optimizing ingredient efficacy of powerhouse formulations. Designed to treat all areas of the face and body safely and comfortably, the easy-to-use, at-home use cosmetic Micro-Needling instruments are medical-grade quality, meticulously crafted with surgical-grade stainless steel micro-needles ranging between 0.1 to 0.2mm in length. Environ’s cosmetic Micro-Needling instruments are designed for home use and can easily be incorporated into professional treatment protocols to further enhance results.

Environ’s advanced DF Mobile Technology for home use is inspired by the in-clinic treatment technology pioneered by Dr Des Fernandes. Incorporating DF Mobile into homecare routines allows clients to support their professional facial treatments in the comfort of their home. The revolutionary DF Mobile combines low frequency sonophoresis with pulsed iontophoresis to help boost the efficacy of skincare ingredients by delivering more essential skincare ingredients to where the skin needs them most.