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!
And don't be afraid of all those moisturizing ingredients you see in essences. Again, oily skin still needs hydration (otherwise, your pores will start producing even more oil to compensate), and essences use gentle ingredients to keep skin smooth and soft.
Several Korean skincare brands make essences specifically for acne. Products that contain ingredients such as green tea extracts and willow bark extracts are known to work well on acne-prone skin.
1. They may be the only moisturizer you need. Containing high levels of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, "essences hydrate without the waxes and emollients that make creams and lotions thick, so they don't clog pores or feel greasy or heavy," says Wilson.
"An essence includes a lot of great benefits for your skin and acts as a primer for your skincare routine. It makes the active ingredients in your existing skincare steps that much more effective. It provides a ton of moisture deep within the skin, restoring the natural moisture balance."
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.
What's the difference between essence and serum? Ultimately, while both essences and serums contain high levels of active ingredients, they have different roles in a full skin care routine. A serum is generally much thicker and more viscous than an essence, meaning that it works to penetrate even deeper into the skin.
Some people believe that dimethicone is harmful because it's not natural. Others say that since it forms a barrier, dimethicone seals in oil, sweat, dirt, and other things that can clog pores and lead to acne. However, the amount of dimethicone in face and hair products is generally considered safe.
While the addition of a skin essence (for me personally) isn't an essential step in a skincare regime, it certainly can be an added bonus. Many skin essences can help to add in an extra layer of hydration for dehydrated skins and are great for priming the face for makeup," says Felton.
It has been called “miracle water,” but an essence — the beauty product that's considered an integral step in Korean and Japanese skin-care routines — is no water. Nor is it a toner, serum or moisturizer.
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.
You should be using an essence every time you wash your face, especially before bed. Think of your essence as injecting a first round of moisture into freshly-cleansed skin.
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.
Essence is commonly known to be applied after toner and before serum or ampoule in order to hydrate and regenerate the skin, preparing your skin for the next step of the skincare routine.
You should use essence daily, usually twice a day (if you do not use serum or ampoule) right after toner application. The consistency of the Korean essence is similar to a very light gel or tonic, but more viscous and dense in texture. You should apply essence with your hands only.
“If you are more on the oily, acne-prone, congested side, I would say prioritize using a toner, as these will more than likely have a skin-balancing, deep cleaning action,” says Shaw. “If your skin is dry or dehydrated, or you're wanting to step up your skincare game, go for an essence.”
He reiterated that most dermatologists consider dimethicone to be safe for patients with acne, "It is extremely useful in treating oily skin and acne because it does not block the pores or leave the skin feeling greasy," he said.
Dimethicone (also known as polydimethylsiloxane or PDMS) is technically called a silicone-based polymer. More simply, it's a silicone oil with certain properties that make it extremely popular in today's personal care properties.
Won't cause breakouts: Waldorf argues that despite it being occlusive, dimethicone is non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic. Because of these traits, it's commonly used in oil-free formulations to give long-lasting moisturization without clogging the pores.
Essences help to purify, balance and prep your skin for the remainder of your routine. At night, they also work to help balance your skin's pH, deliver antioxidants and restore moisture. We recommend using The Essence both day and night.
'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.
It goes a bit like this: a balm or oil cleanser (1), a foaming cleanser (2), an exfoliant (3), a toner (4), an essence (5), an ampoule or serum (6), a sheet mask (7), an eye cream (8), a moisturizer (9), and then either a thicker night cream or sleeping mask or an SPF (10).