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.
An essence should always be used after cleansing and toning, and works best when applied before additional products, such as moisturizer. When used as a part of a regular skin care routine, an essence can help you maintain soft, hydrated, and protected skin.
So, experiment. If your skin's happy with serum alone, you can skip moisturizer. But only a lucky few with normal and super oily skin can get away with this, in my experience. So, don't be too disappointed if your skin needs both.
"An essence often has similar benefits to a serum, meaning it will have a lower molecular weight than a moisturizer and will, therefore (when formulated correctly) penetrate the skin more deeply," Felton explains.
According to her, it's okay to skip moisturizer when you don't need it, such as when you're in a humid environment that's already full of moisture. "You don't always have to use a moisturizer, especially if you have oily-prone skin or if you've just used an HA serum that helps moisturize," Dr. Cindy explains.
'Essences combine the various elements of a skincare routine in one step: they hydrate and re-balance the skin whilst also using highly concentrated levels of active ingredients, enabling a deeper penetration into our skin barrier.
Essence, however, gives back to the skin. It hydrates with a humectant, almost instantly leaving skin a bit plumper. And we don't know about you, but the dry, chilly winter-weather is already doing enough stripping of our skin, so ditching toners in favor of essence's hydration is pretty much a no-brainer.
Most companies recommend using an essence first, after cleansing and toning, and following it up with a serum. However, it's not totally necessary to use both an essence and a serum, says Erum Ilyas, MD, a dermatologist at Montgomery Dermatology in Pennsylvania.
“Moisturizing your face helps to protect the skin's barrier from irritation. It also helps to reduce the development of dryness, or helps you to revive your skin from dryness,” says Marmur. Moisturizer creates a barrier between your skin and the climate, including cold, dry air that can further dry out skin.
An essence provides that, but minus the grease and excess lipid layer that a cream would. So, a lot of people with oily skin can get away with just using an essence to moisturise with. This is why an essence is a skincare product worth trying!
No, emulsions and moisturizers are not the same. Moisturizers are usually heavy and tend to sit on top of your skin making it oily and dull. On the other hand, emulsions are light-weight and quickly get absorbed into your skin. But both of them aim to moisturize your skin.
Because of their concentrated levels of hydration, oily skin types might be hesitant to reach for an essence, but that shouldn't be the case.
Essence should be used on a daily basis and in morning and evening routine. Essence is a light product with almost water like texture. Serum is a more concentrated product which will give your skin an extra boost. It often has a thicker consistency then an essence.
Yes, most definitely! The beautiful thing about essences is they are light and easily absorbed so it's extremely easy to layer more than one essence at a time. You can use more than one essence at a time; some skincare gurus use up to seven in a row!
Toner is best used after cleansing to remove any lingering residue from your skin, and to hydrate and prep the surface of the skin, she explains. Essence follows this step, and soothes the skin at the cellular level, accelerating natural turnover, and encouraging a smoother, healthier complexion as a result.
Moisturiser cannot by itself make your skin dark or fair . Moisturisers are only meant to give the hydration a skin needs. In very humid climates, it is better to avoid moisturiser as a whole.
The rest of the product then sits atop your face and forms a thin layer of oil, bacteria, and other ingredients. This layer will then clog the pores and whenever cores get clogged, pimples and zits form. So, yes, moisturizer can cause acne but it only typically happens whenever you over-moisturize your skin.
Instead of moisturizer, you can go all-natural, and choose an organic body oil instead. Oils like sweet almond, argan and coconut are great options in lieu of heavy creams. Body oils can get a bit messy, so apply it after a shower, and allow it to absorb before getting dressed.
“In one day, the dryness you can experience is very, very minimal. But your skin can start to look a little flaky in two days, and after three days without a moisturizer, touching your skin can bring about red spots and that uncomfortable feeling.”
To make a natural moisturizer, start with a natural oil, such as coconut, jojoba, or argan oil. Mix the oil with a bit of aloe vera gel, which is cooling and hydrating. If you like, you can add a few drops of essential oil to the mix.
An emulsion is a milky moisturizer with a gel-like consistency. Emulsions are water-based, so you can think of them as a lighter version of moisturizing creams. This makes emulsions a lightweight alternative to traditional creams and face oils, which can leave a greasy, weighed down feeling.
You can use your serum(s) both morning and night. They do not necessarily replace your moisturizer but can boost the hydrating effects of your moisturizer. Moisturizers have a simpler job; they are meant to hydrate the skin and prevent water loss.