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by Jaclyn LaBadia
If you’re a fan of Korean skincare (notoriously known for its 10-step routine) you’ve probably heard of facial essences. But there’s a lot of confusion in the skincare community about facial essences. Are they toners? Are they serums? Though they’re easily mistaken for both, the answer is actually neither. If you’re wondering if you should add a facial essence to yourskincare routine, you’ve come to the right place. We’re about to break down everything you need to know about facial essences and how they work.
The purpose of a facial essence is to prepare your skin for treatment by starting the skin regeneration process, so that the top layer of the dead skin cells is shed, revealing new skin for a healthy glow. Facial essences are packed with highly concentrated active ingredients meant to intensely hydrate and nourish the skin and prep it for anything that follows. The theory is that new skin cells can more easily take in the active ingredients in the steps that follow, rendering them more effective by creating the best possible environment for the actives to penetrate the skin. Originating from the Korean beauty industry, facial essences combine various elements of a skincare routine in one step. Essences hydrate and re-balance the skin.
Essences, toners, and serums are often used interchangeably, even though there are differences amongst them all. Let’s take a closer look.
A facial essence is essentially used to prep your skin for, and bolster the benefits of, the skincare products that will follow. Because of this, they’re often compared to toners. But toners are more of an astringent, pH balancing, clarifying step. Almost like a second step after your cleanser. While facial essences are liquid treatments that infuse the skin with hydration and actives.
Facial essences are also easily confused with serums because of their appearance and ability to deeply penetrate the skin. But the biggest difference between facial essence and serum is the list of ingredients. Serum is a combination of active ingredients such as vitamin C, AHA, and HCA. Because of these rich ingredients, serums can treat things like wrinkles and dark spots that facial essence can’t. Serums are also effective at adding a layer of moisture to your skin because they’re traditionally a water-based product. An example of this is how a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid can also double as a moisturizer.
Think of a facial essence as an illuminating moisturizer. Essences contain powerful humectants and emollients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. As humectants, these ingredients act as magnets for water, drawing moisture into the skin and trapping it. But each humectant has its own unique benefits. Hyaluronic acid can carry 1,000 times its weight in water and bind water to skin cells; while glycerin molecules are smaller and can penetrate deep within the skin, carrying water into the inner layers of the dermis for mega hydration. As far as emollients, butters like shea and cocoa work to lock in hydration by preventing a natural function of the skin known as TEWL, or transepidermal water loss.
A facial essence can benefit all skin types, but it’s particularly beneficial for dry or dehydrated skin, thanks to its hydrating abilities. If aging is a concern, this added hit of hydration can also help to decrease the look of fine lines and wrinkles. And it can be great for strengthening the skin barrier if you have sensitive skin. Even if you don’t have one of the skin types mentioned above, the added hydration and nourishment facial essences provide will only do your skin good.
The answer is a resounding yes! Facial essence helps to balance the pH levels of your skin. This is important because it helps keep your skin hydrated without being overly oily. A facial essence helps decongest pores, smooth skin, and brighten your complexion. It also helps to keep your skin hydrated. Imagine placing a dry sponge under a flowing faucet. Most likely the water will bounce right off and not absorb into the dry sponge. But if the sponge is damp, it will absorb more water. If your skin’s been prepped and nourished with an essence, it will be more receptive to whatever else you apply next. Always make room for a facial essence in your skincare routine.
Facial essences are one of the most commonly misunderstood steps in Korean skincare. Unlike toners and serums, they are less well known outside of Korea and their purpose is less cut and dry. But these highly-concentrated treatments contain high doses of active ingredients meant to intensely nourish the skin post-cleanse and prep it for anything that follows. If you’re not already using a facial essence, it’s time to up your skincare game!
