Go Green, Get Clean

Medical esthetician Vivienne Talsmat sheds light on organic skin care


Vivienne Talsmat’s client base includes both celebrities and members of the general public, and she has personally trained over three hundred therapists (including beauty therapists, naturopaths and doctors) in the use of her systems, enabling more people to benefit from the amazing results. She says, “While several of my better known clients have mentioned me in newspapers and magazines, I regard the mention as being strictly their prerogative. I have treated casts for Hollywood films, members of the Royal Family, politicians, football professionals and their wives… I have even had models fly to my clinic straight from the catwalk because they didn’t want anyone but me to touch their face. However, unless my celebrity clients divulge it themselves, I never, under any circumstances, give out their information. In fact, all VIP client files come home with me, to be locked away from prying eyes.”

To learn more about Talsmat and her endeavors, visit VivienneTalsmat.com.

These days, going green seems to be the hot thing to do. But what exactly does it mean, and is it really true that one person can contribute to a cleaner environment?

As residents of Mother Earth, it is our responsibility to help protect the environment. Just Google the phrase ‘go green,’ and you’ll get millions of websites about eco-friendly ways to be good to the earth. But the green way of life isn’t just about the environment—it’s also beneficial for your body and your skin.

Vivienne Talsmat, a medical esthetician and well-known clinical nutritionist, is in favor of saving the environment… and your skin. Talsmat, who is the founder of Cellular Day Spa in the United Kingdom, has witnessed firsthand the tremendous results that come from using organic skin care products. Having blended her own organic products years ago—when the term organic was virtually foreign—Talsmat is a firm believer in using what Mother Nature gave us.

SKIN sat down with Talsmat to learn more about the healthy effects of greener, cleaner skin care.

SKIN: How long have you been using organic skin care products, and what brand do you recommend to your clients?

Talsmat: I’ve been using organic skin care for over 10 years. When I started, there was a complete lack of good products on the market, so I mixed my own organic blend using argon oil, shea butter, pure aroma oils, rose, frankincense and lemon. As a medical esthetician, I was aware of the cocktail effect of chemicals and toxins in our food, water and air. Additionally, skin care products like deodorant and heavy metal-based makeup contained harmful toxins that only added to that effect.

Organic skin care generated enhanced results on the skin from the outside, but still lacked the ability to make dramatic changes in skin quality when faced with accelerated aging caused by sun damage and the passage of time. After 30 years of trying every product on the market—and ultimately rejecting them all because I was unhappy with the results—I was excited to discover the CosMedix range. Its purity, combined with powerful active ingredients, inspired a new passion in me to move forward with the treatments I offer my clients. The changes to their skin, in terms of texture, lucidity and appearance, have been staggering.

SKIN: What are a few ingredients to look for on skin care labels that are good for your skin and the earth?

Talsmat: Favorite ingredients that I always look for are alpha lipoic acid, copper peptides, L-retinol A, fruit-based exfoliating enzymes, spin trap and shea butter. Even more important to me, though, is the delivery system; AGP Complex and liquid serum systems work with the skin’s own matrix. I found both of these in CosMedix’s Emulsion and (incredible) Eye Believe products.

SKIN: Green spas seem to be turning up more and more. Do you think it is beneficial for all spas to eventually go green?

Talsmat: I find it impossible to say no to this question. Sustainable, natural resources are limited, yet spas use so much of them (i.e. wood, electricity and water). If solar energy was widely utilized in the countries where spas are most dominant, it would be beneficial for both the spa employees and the clients, providing them with a relaxing environment that is free from the immune-depleting effects of electromagnetic stress.

As far as products are concerned, some companies are less than authentic in their support of a “greener” approach, with their efforts aimed more at increased profit margins via crowd-pleasing. However, any steps taken to support Mother Earth’s uphill struggle will be advantageous to all.

SKIN: What do you feel is the biggest misconception about organic, all-natural products?

Talsmat: The biggest misconception about organic products is that they can change your skin. If you are fortunate enough to have perfect skin and great genes, then organic products will maintain your beautiful complexion; nonetheless, they act more as a neutralizer.

Organic products must contain powerful active ingredients to really regenerate and change any skin that suffers from profound problems. With many organic skin products, the problem lies in the density of the cream base, which prevents skin cell respiration, especially around the eye area. I had never used or recommended eye creams to clients until I was introduced to CosMedix’s Eye Believe, with its peptide-active and antioxidant cascade.

SKIN: Can skin still experience irritation when using all-natural products?

Talsmat: Yes, definitely. In order to create an active ingredient, items like aromatherapy oils must be incorporated; the critical component that people don’t realize about oils such as these is that they can be picked up by the bloodstream, traveling through the body and the kidneys. Unless a therapist knows every single condition a client is suffering from, there is the possibility of an adverse reaction. There are certain oils that cannot be used during pregnancy, but the client may not be aware she is pregnant at the time. Natural oils, such as ones that are nut-based, can cause reactions in clients with allergies. And, non-absorbable natural ingredients, without an appropriate delivery system, can sit on the surface of the skin and create havoc.