The Essence Edit
Essences are some of my favourite products of all time. At any given point throughout the year, it’s not uncommon to find me with about 4 or 5 different essences being used simultaneously within my routine. They’re pretty much a culmination of everything I love in a skincare product: lightweight on my skin, packed with highly effective, concentrated ingredients and layer-able.
Essences are very unique in that they’re almost exclusively produced by East Asian skincare companies. They haven’t really caught the attention of the Western consumer yet, and therefore Western routines tend to rely largely on toners to deliver the high impact results commonly found as a result of using essences. Consequently, one of the most common questions I come across is ‘What’s the difference between toners and essences?’. And the answer is- not a huge amount, but there are some distinct differences! Essences tend to be much more concentrated versions of a toner. Their job is to target specific skin concerns (dehydration, hyperpigmentation etc), whereas a toner functions largely to balance the pH of the skin, and often has the side effect of also being hydrating or increasing skin cell turnover etc.
If you’re not on the essence train (if such a train exists, and I hope more than anything it does one day), then I’d jump on quick if I were you. I use them in a multitude of ways; I use the same essence in 7 light layers in one routine to give you that ‘just left the spa’ glow, I soak cotton pads in essence to do DIY sheet masks (great for when you have an important event and you need you makeup to look FLAWLESS), and I use multiple different essences in one routine to target my dry areas, my acne prone areas and my hyperpigmentation. They’re a great way to treat your skin, suitable for any and all skin types and there are so many wonderful options out there so you’re bound to find one that suits your skin, and that targets your particular problem area.
Best For Reducing Irritation
These are the essences I use regularly when my skin is red or inflamed. The infamous I’m From Mugwort Essence, which never fails to reduce my skin’s redness, has been a staple in my routine for years now. It has a lightweight texture and works wonders for all skin types. In terms of ingredients, Mugwort is a favourite for calming skin, and this particular essence contains 100% of the stuff! Another favourite is the Artemisia Treatment Essence from MISSHA, a brand that has really cornered the market in terms of creating high effective, much loved cult products that consistently stand up against the test of time. This particular essence is formulated with 100% artemisia extract (a particular strain of mugwort). The herb has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in antioxidants, making it perfect for those dealing with irritated skin. Special shoutouts go to Donginbi, who have harnessed the power of red ginseng extract in their 1899 Single Essence to create one of the most effective essences I’ve ever tried. Although it’s a little on the expensive side, I used this a lot when I was experiencing very bad eczema and this helped hugely in dealing with that. Lastly, ONE THING’s Houttuynia Cordata Extract, which is a relatively new addition to my routine, but already it’s made it’s mark, particularly around my cheek area, where I’ve seen increased redness recently.
Best For Reducing Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation has been a forever battle in my skincare journey! After suffering from acne in my early 20s, I was left with some pretty serious red patches across my cheeks and chin area. Although I was lucky in that my scarring wasn’t ‘pitted’, I did want to do my best to reduce as much as of the physical residue of my acne as possible. And so began my quest to find the perfect product that would brighten my hyperpigmentation whilst not further irritating my very sensitive skin.
One of the very first essences I ever tried, many years ago, was the Snail Mucin Power Essence from Cosrx, and I still use it in my routine to this day. Snail mucin has been hailed across the globe for generations for its anti-aging and brightening qualities, mostly thanks to the antimicrobial peptides it contains. Although the texture of this product is slightly tacky, I find it dries beautifully and has made such a difference to my skin, I couldn’t ever imagine not including it in my routine. Another Essence I feel I’ve been using for forever is another product from Missha, their Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence. The formulation contains 90% fermented yeast extract from Himalayan purple barley, which encourages skin cell turnover, reducing hyperpigmentation and brightening skin tone. Along a similar line, a product that also contains fermented ingredients fantastic for reducing hyperpigmentation would be Dermatology Real Ferment Micro Essence from Neogen. This essence contains a multitude of fermented ingredients including Bifida ferment lysate, Saccharomyces ferment filtrate, and Rice ferment filtrate, all of which promote skin cell turnover, the brightening of the skin as well as delivering intense hydration! Finally the T’else Kombucha Teatox Essence is, in my opinion, a highly underrated essence. It’s formulated with 74% Kombucha Extract, and in my experience it’s been wonderful for reducing my hyperpigmentation as well as clearing up any dullness in my skin.
Best For Hydrating
I have normal/sensitive skin, meaning my skin is not overly dry, nor overly oily, it sits pretty much in the middle. However, during the winter I do experience dryness on certain parts of my skin, namely around my eyes, nose and mouth. In this instance, I like using very hydrating essences to really target those areas to keep them healthy. These essences would be great for those with dehydrated/dry skin to use year round, or for those with oily skin if/when you feel you need a bit of a moisture boost!
Pyungkang Yul is a brand famous for harking back to ancient medicinal practises to produce highly effective products with minimal ingredients. Their Essence Toner is fairly viscous as Korean products go, however it settles really well into the skin, and leaves it feeling super plump and hydrated. The Ginseng Essence Water from Beauty of Joseon is relatively new to the scene, however I’ve really been enjoying using this product. It’s super lightweight, but still packs an almighty punch of hydrating, with the added benefit of being excellent for brightening the skin too! Another product which has a much thicker texture than the typical essence would is the Activating Treatment Lotion from Rovectin. At first I was a little put off by this texture, however I really loved how effective it was at moisturising my skin. Also, despite the high viscosity of the formulation, it leaves no film or residue on the skin, which is a huge plus. Lastly, the Fig Boosting Essence from I’m From is a great option for those who know they'll be exposing their skin to colder or very dry environments, because whilst it’s very hydrating in and of itself, it also leaves a light film over the skin to help protect it throughout the day.
Best For Anti-Aging
Ok so full disclosure, I’m only 26 and I’m not displaying any signs of ageing as of right now (except one sneaky line across my forehead, but I think that’s more from stressing out about the current Global crisis than anything else). However, I’m a big believer in prevention, and so I’ve been incorporating anti-aging products from a very early age (also probably worth noting here than my mother is an actress and gifted me my first anti-aging cream aged 12!). I don’t think it hurts to keep your skin healthy and toned, and then to age gracefully and you move through this little life we’re given.
The first product I’m going to mention is a newbie, but one I’ve sort of fallen in love with. CELLBN’s Galactomyces Ampoule 97 contains Niacinamide that helps brighten up the skin tone as well as Adenosine that really helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Ignore that it calls itself an Ampoule, in books, it’s an essence, and a very good one at that! Next up, from the brand that needs no introduction, Amore Pacific is their Vintage Single Extract Essence. The key ingredient in this product is Green Tea, which they produce by fermenting the leaves for 100 days in order to help them achieve ultimate efficiency. Green tea is a powerful antioxidant that defends against external stressors that leads to wrinkles, dark spots and other signs of visible skin aging.
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