Facial Essences

Highly popular in Asian skincare routines for years, Facial Essences are still relatively new to many Western beauty enthusiasts. While skincare companies on both sides of the Pacific work harder than ever to come up with new, more potent products that may transform our daily skincare regimens, Facial Essences have lately been garnering more attention than any other product – for good reason.

Below we explore why using an essence daily is one of the best ways of immersing your skin in the goodness of certain active ingredients and taking your skincare routine to the next level.

First things first, what is a facial essence?

Facial essence is a lightweight hydrating liquid that’s just a little thicker than a toner and less concentrated than a serum. You can think of essence as a hybrid between a toner and a serum, a fluid formula that provides a smooth transition between the two.

Facial essence adds another layer of hydration, supports cellular turnover, and helps your skin better absorb serums and moisturizers. It also primes your face for makeup.  

what is a facial essence?

How to use Essence  

Facial essence comes after cleanser and toner, and before serum and moisturizer. It provides your skin with a hydrating layer that properly prepares it to absorb serums, treatments, and moisturizers. Essence is kind of like the bridge between your toner and the concentrated treatments that come towards the end of your skincare routine.

Finding the right Essence

A good facial essence is filled with ingredients that hydrate and nourish the skin. It soaks the skin in vitamins, antioxidants, specific plant extracts, and anti-aging ingredients.

You can think of facial essence as your skin’s daily vitamin. When you make essence a part of your daily skincare regimen, not only will you be providing your skin with a consistent base layer of moisture, but you’ll also be giving it extra nourishment for a soft, healthy look. You’ll be preparing it to absorb targeted, concentrated products.

Like cleansers and moisturizers, different brands offer different options. Some essences are more watered down and others are thicker. Some target dry skin while others target oily or aging skin. To find the right essence for your skin, first, identify your main skin concerns. Is it dry? Fine lines? Unmanageable oiliness? Then, look for a formula that addresses it.  
 
An essence can be amazing, and loved by millions of people from around the world, but if it doesn’t address your particular skin problem, it won’t feel amazing to you or your skin. It’s very important to find your personal favorite – one way to do it is to pay attention to the formula.
 
While hydration is a facial essence’s primary function, they are each formulated with additional benefits. Which vitamins, minerals, and active ingredients are in it and what are its unique qualities? By paying attention to these details, you can find the essence you love, the essence that can thoroughly transform your everyday skincare routine.