WHAT EXACTLY IS AN ‘ESSENCE’?
Hailing from the Far East, essences are a pivotal part of many Asian women's skin care rituals. Sitting halfway between {toner} and {serum}, these slippery elixirs are brimming with hydrating, soothing and anti-inflammatory extracts to help maintain moisture levels and support your skin's barrier function - keeping 'good stuff' in and 'bad stuff' (pollutants etc.), out.
Unlike toners - which are used to eliminate residue and re-establish skin's pH - essences have a marginally thicker, plasma-esque consistency (they're typically less water-y) and behave like a daily prescription; think of them a little like a multi-vitamin for your complexion, delivering a concentrated dose of antioxidants, moisture and minerals.
Application is unusual as well. These aren't swept over skin with a cotton pad - instead, you pat them into your complexion, tapping 'til absorbed. Because they're so lightweight, they're able to penetrate quickly, providing skin cells with an energising 'boost', before following up with a serum to address specific concerns.
Omorovicza's stunning {Omoressence} contains a cocktail of amino acids, polysaccharides and silicium to support water-retention, quell blemish-causing bacteria and promote collagen synthesis for increased resilience. It's a truly stunning formula and will dramatically enhance the efficacy of your subsequent skin care ritual.
If your skin is chronically thirsty, try Su-Man's delicately-scented {Rehydrating Toning Essence} - a potent source of hyaluronic acid, which attracts up to 1000 times its own molecular weight in water, to 'swell' skin cells and exhibit an instant line-lessening effect.
And if your skin's deficient and looking lacklustre, Blithe's {Vital Treatment Pulp Essence - 8 Nourishing Beans} is enriched with 'beads' of vitamin E, which burst on application to intensify the free radical-fighting, skin-conditioning effects. Just as juice with 'bits' is better for you, this 'Pulp Essence' is more nourishing - enhancing your skin's 'bounce' and restoring an enviable, supple dewiness.
Cult Beauty’s Content Editor and a Cult Beauty OG, Verity loves nothing more than the marriage of language and lip balm. A quintessential Libran, she’s a self-professed magpie for luxury ‘must-haves' and always pursuing the new and the niche — from the boujee-est skin care to cutting-edge tech. Balancing an urge to stop the clock with her desire to embrace the ageing process (and set a positive example for her daughter), Verity's a retinol obsessive and will gladly share her thoughts about the time-defying gadgets, masks and treatments worth the splurge...
