Ivy Clinic is a Queenstown specialist, non-surgical skin care centre offering treatments ranging from Botox to facials. Camille Khouri visited the Hawthorne Drive clinic to learn more about their signature treatments.

Inside the Ivy Clinic’s crisply decorated reception area, with its lush velvet couch and Italian stone desk, there is a sense of stepping away from the outside world and focusing on self-care. Soft, contemporary music emits a feeling of calm concentration. The aesthetic in the treatment rooms is a reassuring cross between clinical and day spa –just the right amount of professionalism mixed with relaxation.

Appointments begin with a consultation to discuss current skin routines and issues, as well as health, allergies and lifestyle. Then, a treatment plan is decided on and clientsare invited to nestle under soft blankets on the treatment table while the therapist weaves her magic.

The Ivy A-Zyme is one of the clinic’s specialised treatments and makes use of anti-aging ingredients, Retinol and Bromelain, to refresh and plump skin. The clinic dubs this as an Ivy Skin Workout –it involves a non-invasive peel using natural ingredients, such as vitamin A and enzymes derived from pineapple extract.

“Anyone can benefit from it. You don’t need a skin preparation,” says director, Ebony Hornibrook. “The effects and benefits are widespread. It’s a fast acting, non-invasive skin rejuvenation treatment that improves the effects of aging, UV damage, fine lines, and uneven skin tone and texture. It can help with acne and oily skin and reduce the buildup of dry skin cells. It can also target dryness and dehydration which is a huge factor with our climate.”

The peel is followed with an intensive moisturising treatment. Both the peel and the moisturising element are applied using a specialised ultrasounddevice known as a sonophoresis.

“Peels are a little bit more active than your average facial,” she says. “They basically get results straight away. The A-Zyme is infused into the skin with sonophoresis, which permeates the product much deeper than if we just put it on the skin’s surface.”

After a few days, clients will experience some peeling, but Ebony says this is simply the dead skin cells falling away to reveal brand new, younger looking skin beneath. The clinic recommends beginning treatment with a Luminosity Bootcamp, which is three A-Zymes taken two weeks apart, in order to get the best results.

“Often, when you get a facial, you will leave feeling amazing and the effects will be great, but after a while it will wear off. With the A-Zyme, the results are immediate and last a lot longer.”

The Ivy Clinic is a joint venture between Ebony, who is a physiotherapist and health professional, Kaylie Harrison, who have together developed the contemporary appearance medicine clinic offering  researched the latest researched treatment in a relaxed and indulgent environment.