Civilization has long been associated with a sense of “clean” that requires us to rid ourselves of nature and place ourselves on a pedestal above all other life. We soap down daily, stripping oiliness from our skin, and disinfect to kill 99.9% of all known germs… If we could blitz 100% – no doubt – humanity in general would be pleased.

Are there consequences to these actions?

The answer – A DEFINITIVE YES!

Over the millions of years that humans (and all of life on earth) have existed, we have never done it alone; our very existence relies on thousands of unseen interactions with the microbial world around us. From microbes in our guts that turn amino acids into essential vitamins, to those that work closely with the cells on the surface of our skins in order to balance our immune response, we depend heavily on the microbial world. Even our moods are linked to the chemical messages that exist within our bodies because of microbes.

Science is only clipping the very tip of the massive and complex iceberg that is the microbiome, and what it is fast discovering is that we are successfully destroying the balance that evolution has expertly curated. Through our perception of cleanliness to the processed food we eat and our avoidance of the natural world around us, we’ve either destroyed or lost many of our essential microbe partners. This is evident through the increase in skin disorders such as eczema, acne and dermatitis, and the rise of lifestyle-related illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and depression. By breaking our microbial partnerships, we’ve broken systems that have existed for millennia. Now we will have to work hard to get the balance back.

Esse aims to promote awareness around the value of recognising and maintaining a healthy microbiome and offer the opportunity to Rewild your skin’s microbiome with probiotic microbes so that you can wear your best skin with confidence.

The Bakuchiol used in skincare is extracted and purified from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia, a legume that grows wild in India and China. Care needs to be taken in the extraction process as Bakuchi, the crude oil from the seeds, contains photocarcinogens known as psoralens – compounds for which the plant was named. Bakuchiol makes up about 1.6% of Bakuchi oil. Esse uses a 99% pure Bakuchiol.

Over the last few decades, retinol has become a go-to ingredient for anti-ageing results due its efficacy in addressing a number of ageing skin concerns. Its toxicity and side effects mean that it comes with some risks though. It is unstable in sunlight and can cause dryness and irritation on skin. The key advantage of using bakuchiol over retinol is that these side effects are absent and it is photostable, so can be safely used during the day without risk of instability or toxicity.

Anti-ageing action of Bakuchiol

Based on new studies, there is no statistical difference in improved wrinkle depth when comparing bakuchiol and retinol, with both ingredients tested at 0.5%. The same can be said for improvement in hyperpigmentation associated with ageing. As added benefits, bakuchiol reduces redness and skin roughness – both side effects often associated with the use of retinol.

Bakuchiol has also been shown to protect mitochondrial functions against oxidative stress and also to increase ATP synthesis, which releases more energy for cells.

Matrix Metalloproteases (MMPs) play a major role in collagen degradation and bakuchiol is far superior to retinol at inhibiting these.

Inflammation regulation 

Bakuchiol’s ability to mitigate inflammation is key to both its anti-ageing and anti-acne activity. From an ageing perspective, chronic inflammation eventually exhausts the body’s defense system, resulting in collagen and elastin degradation and the collapse of barrier function. Bakuchiol downregulates many pro-inflammatory genes in skin cells to reduce inflammation.

An interesting side-note … at high concentrations retinol stimulates inflammatory genes but this effect is not seen with the use of bakuchiol.

All in all, Bakuchiol is an ingredient Esse is excited to include in the Resurrect Serum, a launch that has been formulated to actively address ageing in sensitive skin.

What makes this plant different is not in its physical appearance, you might not even notice it if you were to come across it in its natural habitat. For most of its life it looks dead. In its harsh environment it has the ability to almost completely desiccate without dying for up to three years. Most plants die if they lose 20% to 30% of their water content but Myrothamnus is able to completely air dry yet remain alive. It remains in this state until water is available and then, within a matter of hours, it springs to life.

DNA Protection

The chemical toolkit that the plant uses to protect its DNA through years of complete desiccation is very interesting for anti-ageing skin care.

The key polyphenol that allows oxidative protection during dormancy is 3,4,5-tri-O-galloylquinic acid and is the compound that dominates the polyphenol profile of the Namibian varieties of Myrothamnus, accounting for up to 40% of the dry mass of the dormant plant.

Esse uses Namibian plants to maximise efficacy. Through a process of extraction and vacuum spray drying, we preserve the polyphenols that confer the potent anti-oxidant protection the plant utilises to preserve its DNA for years.

Rapid moisturisation

Esse has conducted independent testing in Germany that shows that this new ingredient is also a rapid skin moisturiser. A neutral gel containing the extract was shown to boost skin hydration for 24 hours after just a single application.

Below you can see the % improvement in skin hydration over a 24-hour period.

Community value

The Namib desert in Namibia is very arid and the people living in the area are nomadic pastoralists dependent on subsistence livestock farming. With the Resurrection Plant being indigenous to the area, its harvest and sale provides communities with an important source of alternative income. A reduction in livestock dependence also results in decreased pressure on the biodiversity of the area by reducing grazing pressure in this diverse but sensitive ecology.

Esse has engaged in a joint venture with the Kunene Conservancies Indigenous Natural Products Trust in a Nagoya-compliant agreement that allows the twelve tribes of the Kunene to share in profits from the sale of Esse products that utilise Myrothamnus extract. Extensive studies have been conducted to show the sustainability of the wild-harvest of Resurrection Plants in the Kunene region of Namibia and continued monitoring ensures a healthy and sustainable plant population in the wild.

Each product is developed to address a specific skin concern, therefore no two products are the same. However, apart from each product’s tailored ingredients, there are two ingredients that are included in all Esse products. These are probiotics and prebiotics. They are the foundation upon which Esse products are developed, and what sets Esse apart from regular skincare brands.

Defining Pre-and Probiotics

Prebiotics and probiotics have a symbiotic relationship. Probiotics are live micro-organisms (bacteria) that have proven health benefits when either consumed or applied to the skin. These live organisms help to restore the body and skin’s natural balance, which is why they are included in food items such as yoghurt, and skincare products such as Esse Probiotic Serum. Prebiotics, simply put, are food for the probiotics, which feed on the prebiotics to remain active and working at optimal capacity.

Internally, these bacteria are collectively called gut flora or gut microbiota. Consuming a balanced amount of both prebiotics and probiotics keeps the gut healthy, preventing a bacterial imbalance by keeping pathogens at bay with their protective functionality.

Externally, skincare products that contain probiotics – either live or inactivated – provide the skin with a defence mechanism that is comprised of beneficial microbes, which increase their population on your skin’s surface, thereby preventing pathogens (or bad microbes) from taking up residence on your skin. These little bacterial soldiers are an essential part of the epidermis, and without them, you are left exposed to any number of potential germs and pathogenic bacteria, which can lead to negative skin reactions, and even illness.

In order to provide the skin with natural treatments that don’t cause irritation or strip the skin of its natural barrier function, we only use approved and certified organic ingredients, so our customers can rest assured that they are not exposing themselves to harmful or toxic chemicals. Natural botanicals form a large proportion of the ingredients that we use, each with their own unique skincare benefits and natural fragrances. These ingredients are selected for their specific skin concern benefits. For example, Esse has developed serums for rehydrating skin. Other skin concerns, such as acne, ageing skin, sensitivity, pigmentation, dryness and oily skin, are also catered for.

So, to answer the question, “What’s in a drop?”, millions of probiotics and beneficial ingredients that serve to treat your particular skin concern, without the harsh additives included in many regular skincare and beauty products. Whilst these may provide short-term results, science and nature provide solid evidence that natural products are far healthier for the body, which obviates the possibility of an allergic reaction or a severe condition that is triggered by harsh synthetics.

In conclusion, a little (drop) goes a long way!