“Essence Beautys is a Korean product that was created and is still used today.” Vanessa Lee, RN, is a renowned aesthetic nurse, injection educator and founder of The Things We Do Los Angeles. “Essence of Beauty are intended to be a ‘treatment for the skin” and contain a higher amount of active ingredients.
Dr. Ourian says that essences of beauty are used to enhance the benefits of other products in your skincare routine. The active ingredients in an essence of beauty penetrate deeper into the skin to enhance other skincare products, making your whole skincare regimen more effective. It is an essential part of skin health maintenance.
What is the best time to use essence of beauty products in your skincare routine?
If you are following a traditional Korean skincare routine, cleanse your skin first. Then apply the essence of beauty to your skin immediately afterwards. You can use an astringent, pH-balancing or toner to cleanse your skin. However, your essence should be applied first to dry skin. Then, you can continue with your routine (lightest to most heaviest, working towards moisturizer), and then move on to the next step.
Do essences of beauty meant to be layered on top of one another like serums?
Dr. Ourian says that essences of beauty are lighter and more concentrated than serums, so that you only need one essence of beauty per day. Renee Rouleau, celebrity esthetician, says, “The skin cannot absorb too much so don’t layer too much on it as it will waste product.”
What is the difference between traditional and essence of beauty toners (i.e. astringent formulas?
Lee says that toners and the essence of beauty products can be easily confused. They have a consistency that can be watery or light serum-like. However, they should be treated as their own category. Toners are intended to balance skin pH and prepare the skin for the more effective ingredient delivery in the products that follow. The molecular weight of serums is generally higher than that of essences of beautys, and they have more emollients and humectants. It is one of the most important steps in the Korean skincare regimen. Serums are specifically designed to deliver active ingredients in lightweight formulas that can be absorbed easily by the skin.
Dr. Ourian also noted that each product’s application is different. He says that you apply the essence of beauty using your hands, while a toner is applied with a cotton pad. A cotton pad containing beauty leaves a lot of product on it, but not on your skin.
