Are essences the secret step we’ve been overlooking? Can they truly stand shoulder to shoulder with moisturizers in terms of importance, especially right after cleansing? To get to the bottom of this, we turned to skincare experts. They shed light on how essences work and discussed whether incorporating them is a step worth considering for all types of skincare enthusiasts.
Meet the Experts
Sunday Riley , CEO, founder and product formulator
Ava Shamban , M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Five clinics
Perry Romanowski , a cosmetic chemist and co-host of The Beauty Brains podcast
What Is an Essence, Anyway?
The simplified way to describe an essence is a lightweight, watery fluid that delivers a high concentration of active ingredients deep into your skin. “The primary purpose of an essence is to prime your skin to absorb better the other products that follow in your routine,” explains Sunday Riley, CEO, founder and product formulator.
How Is It Different From Other Products?
An essence is commonly mistaken for micellar water, serum, moisturizer and toner, so, understandably, it is hard to differentiate essences from the pack.
Essences look a lot like water, and they kind of are, but they are not the same as micellar water. “In many instances, the base of essence is purified water, structured water, or coconut water,” says Ava Shamban, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Five clinics. However, micellar water is made up of mild surfactants that get rid of dirt and makeup.
Essences are “meant to have similar benefits to a serum with a lighter molecular weight than a moisturizer to penetrate the skin faster, deeper, and more effectively,” says Shamban. These essences have multiple combinations of actives and botanicals to support skin conditions and address specific concerns, like dull or dry skin.
Let’s look closer at Pink Drink, Firming Resurfacing Essence by Sunday Riley. This peptide-infused essence resurfaces, balances, and firms the look of your skin (while drenching it in advanced green tea, antioxidant support). Fermented honey, pink yeast filtrate, chlorella, and kelp act as prebiotics to support and balance the skin’s natural microbiome. Two skin-firming peptides, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9 and Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11 work synergistically to create a firmer-looking, younger-looking skin surface. Vitamin-rich apricot and cucumber extracts refresh the skin, while EGCG (a super-powered antioxidant from green tea) fights future signs of skin aging. Finally, ceramides nurture the natural moisture barrier, so your skin is left renewed and soft.
“What I really think powers the Pink Drink are these firming peptides that sculpt the face. Those peptides are very small and really fragile. Usually, when peptides are in moisturizers and creams, they can be really thick and difficult to get into the skin. I like to put a peptide into a watery product. It makes it so much easier for your body to reach it,” Sunday says. “Spray and firm your skin in just two spritzes!”
Essences aren’t a replacement for your usual moisturizer. “A moisturizer will have occlusive agents and emollients that give you longer-lasting moisturization,” says Perry Romanowski, a cosmetic chemist and co-host of The Beauty Brains podcast.
Their closest cousin might be the toner, but toners usually include alcohol, like ethanol, while most essences are alcohol-free.
An essence is a lightweight, watery fluid that delivers a high concentration of active ingredients deep into your skin.
How Do Facial Essences Work?
Imagine putting moisturizer on a dry sponge — it would just sit on top without really absorbing. But if you moistened the sponge first with water-binding humectant ingredients, it would be primed and ready to absorb anything. “The same theory applies to your skin,” says Shamban. Hydrating and rebalancing allow for the best absorption and deeper penetration to the skin barrier. A facial essence prepares skin for the highest efficiency absorption in any formula in the second half of your skincare routine. That’s why you apply essence after you clean your face to nurture your moisture barrier and before any other serums.
Essences are best for those with dry skin. “An essence for dry skin would be packed with moisturizing agents like hyaluronic acid and ceramides — important humectants,” says Shamban. For dull-looking skin, you would want to look for essence with brightening, exfoliating ingredients like rice extracts, pearl pigments, niacinamides, or fruit acids, she adds. “As a result, often, people will see and feel the effects of plumping and hydrating immediately.” If aging is a concern, this added moisture boost can alleviate fine lines and prevent wrinkles.
A power drink for your skin, Pink Drink is a peptide-infused essence that resurfaces, firms, and balances (while drenching the skin in botanical and antioxidant support). It contains prebiotics to support the skin’s natural microbiome, skin-firming peptides, vitamin-rich apricot and cucumber extracts, EGCG (a super-powered antioxidant from green tea), and ceramides.
Another popular ingredient in facial essences is fermented honey. “It is a hydrating prebiotic that supports the skin’s natural microbiome,” says Sunday Riley. “Pink yeast filtrate is my other favorite; it’s rich in minerals, amino acids, and vitamins to nourish the skin.”
How Do I Use It?
“Since essences are water-based and therefore thinner, they would go on right after cleansing and toning,” says Sunday Riley. “Wait for them to absorb and then add a layer of the thicker products like serums or moisturizer and SPF.” Pink Drink goes right after Ceramic Slip Cleanser and before Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid treatment. It can be used twice a day, misted directly on the face or palms of your hands, and then massaged into the skin. It’s great for all skin types.
Treat an essence like a serum when it comes to application. Instead of soaking a cotton pad (you will lose a lot of product that way because of its watery consistency), apply a quarter-sized amount of the essence into your palms and pat it gently into your skin,” explains Riley. “I also use this throughout the day on top of my makeup. This is something that I use all day long. It’s on my desk when I need a pick-me-up. It also smells so good. It’s like a watermelon from watermelon. We don’t use synthetic fragrances in our skincare, so everything you smell is because that’s what’s in there.”
IN YOUR AM ROUTINE
HOW TO USE
- Cleanse with CERAMIC SLIP.
- After patting your skin dry, mist PINK DRINK onto your face, massage it into your skin, and let it dry.
- Follow with 1-2 pumps of GOOD GENES to the face and neck.
- Next, apply 2-3 drops of C.E.O. GLOW to your face and neck, followed by 1-2 pumps of C.E.O. SERUM (or mix them together and apply as a skin cocktail).
- Apply C.E.O. AFTERGLOW to face, neck, and décolleté.
- Pat 1-2 pumps of AUTO CORRECT around the eye area, starting under the eye and continuing to the outer corners (in the crow’s feet area). Then apply under the brow bone, for a lifting effect.
IN YOUR PM ROUTINE
HOW TO USE
- After patting your skin dry, mist PINK DRINK onto your face, massage into your skin, and let dry.
- Follow with 1-2 pumps of GOOD GENES to the face and neck.
- Next, apply 1-2 pumps of A+ SERUM to your face and neck, followed by 3-4 drops of LUNA (or mix them together and apply as a skin cocktail).
- Using your ring and middle fingers, lightly tap a pearl-sized amount of 5 STARS onto the eye area and massage outwards around the outer crow’s feet, under the eye, and between brow bone and eyebrow.
Before bed, massage in ICE onto the face, neck, and décolleté to lock in moisture.
Is an Essence Worth It?
Like any product, consider your skin needs. If dryness is a concern, your skin will drink up the extra hydration and nourishment from an essence. An essence can give the other products in your routine superpowers. “It is a good tool to have in the skincare arsenal and can certainly be an added hydration, brightening, or balance bonus when used daily,” says Riley.
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