Q1: Which Esse products are safe to use during pregnancy?

All Esse retail products are safe to use during pregnancy. We generally recommend avoiding body treatments that have a stimulating effect, so avoid body treatments that incorporate the Body Exfoliator, Detox Body Mask, Hand & Foot Exfoliator and the Hand & Foot Mask, but your trained therapists will advise you of this when booking an Esse treatment.

Q2: Why do you recommend that the live probiotic products are only used in combination with other Esse products?

Esse products are designed to work synergistically. This means that all our products are developed to contribute to a positive shift in the skin microbiome. Other products might contain ingredients that will negatively impact the skin microbiome such as preservatives, alcohol or parfum – all of which will kill live microbes. So, using live probiotic products in combination with other main-stream products may negate the benefits of the live probiotics.

Q3: Why are some Esse products in jars instead of in an airtight pump?

We prefer glass and have formulated our products accordingly. We try to use as little plastic as possible, even if it is approved by EcoCert. In some instances, we have chosen plastic, but this would be where we deem it necessary for the products to be carried around more regularly.

Q4: Is your packaging sustainable?

As a certified organic brand, all packaging needs to meet the standards set by EcoCert. Esse prefers glass because it is indefinitely recyclable, but also does not leach into the finished product as some plastics can. In landfill, glass is also inert. Any plastics we do use are easily recyclable and clean from a leaching viewpoint. We are constantly looking for greener, cleaner options and are trying to reduce the amount of packaging and single use plastic where possible.

Q5: Do I need to keep the Esse range in the fridge once opened?

This is not necessary, even for the Esse products containing live probiotics. The bacteria are stable at 25˚C for 18 months. Refrigeration will increase the life of the product though.

Q6: Are there any differences between the probiotics one can eat and those in skincare?

Yes, there are. Our relationship with microbes is intricate and each one co-exists with us to occupy a specific niche and perform a beneficial function that makes us happy to host them. It is a partnership that must work both ways. Because our gut and skin perform different functions, the microbes that reside in each space are different. In fact, microbial populations differ significantly between different skin areas too. It is a little like biomes on the planet – deserts and forests host completely different plants and animals. The microbes that exist under your arms are very different from those that exist on your hands, and even more different from those in your gut.

Q7: Why does Esse use Lactobacillus?

We use four species that are widely distributed in nature … in plants, soil and in the human body.

• They produce Hyaluronic Acid and Lactic Acid which help to moisturise skin and maintain its acid pH.
• They are tolerant to the high salt and acid pH conditions of skin.
• They produce bacteriocins that are selectively toxic to pathogens.
• They are the first microbes that would normally colonise skin as they are the dominant microbes in the vaginal tract.

Q8: What qualifies Esse as a sustainable natural beauty brand?

Esse is passionate about looking at the bigger picture which is why the range is centred on sustainability:

• The range is certified organic to COSMOS standards by EcoCert.
• The range is cruelty free, administered by Beauty Without Cruelty.
• The range is vegan, accredited by the vegan society in the UK.
• The range is fair-trade in that a very large percentage of the ingredients we used are purchased through programmes that ensure the fair remuneration of rural people for the collection of plant material, as well as sustainable harvesting to ensure an ongoing income and healthy plant populations.
• Esse audits its carbon emissions on an annual basis and offsets any extra carbon load by investing in programs that actively sequester carbon from the environment.
• The range is plastic neutral. We calculate all the plastic we use and then purchase an equivalent or higher amount of kgs back by partnering with Cleanhub. This assists local communities to setup small businesses while removing plastic from our oceans.
• In terms of health benefits, Esse is organic and microbiome-friendly to ensure no long-term health risks.

To find out more about Esse, visit www.esseskincare.com.

WHAT HAPPENS TO SKIN AS WE AGE?

To fully understand how probiotics assist in reducing the effects of ageing, it’s important to first unravel the fundamentals of skin ageing. This way, we can better understand the problems skincare specialists are trying to solve. When it comes to skin ageing, there are four major aspects to consider:

1. Changes in skin physiology

This is looking at the chemical and structural changes of the skin as you age, and how they result in the signs of ageing we all know well. We consider both:
• Intrinsic ageing: the inescapable biological processes that result in ageing; and
• Extrinsic ageing: avoidable external accelerators of the ageing process.

2. Inflammation

It’s no real surprise that inflammation has a role to play in accelerated ageing. When it comes to inflammation, there are two types:
• Acute inflammation – this is the short-term inflammation that your body needs to deal with immune threats.
• Sub-clinical chronic inflammation – this is low-grade inflammation that extends over a long period of time. This type of inflammation accelerates ageing and leads to negative health outcomes.

3. Barrier function

This is a fundamental aspect of the skin, which acts as a selective barrier. When the skin is not providing barrier function effectively, there are far-reaching consequences for our bodies. Compromised barrier function results in a higher level of long-term inflammation and an increased rate of ageing.

4. The skin’s microbiome

The 2007-2014 Human Microbiome Project changed our understanding of the role of microbes in our bodies, impacting the way we see skin at a fundamental level. New knowledge is flooding in, with current studies revealing more and more about the roles that our microbiomes perform in skin.

Commensal microbes are deeply entwined with the way our skin works. The microbiome is a driving force when it comes to maintaining healthy skin that ages appropriately. Because there are such deep and complex relationships between microbes and skin, an unbalanced microbiome has implications for skin health at every level.

At Esse, we look at the ways in which these four aspects impact each other, and we create complex products using biotechnology to target each of them. Our goal is to assist skin in achieving the natural balance that our modern lifestyles have disrupted. One of the most effective ways to improve ageing outcomes is by including Esse’s probiotic-based skincare products in your daily routine. Discover our full range of anti-ageing products: www.esseskincare.com/products/

EVOLUTION MEETS MODERN SCIENCE

Esse takes long-term skin health very seriously, and ageing is a long-term process. Our approach has roots in evolutionary first principles, but we use modern science, employing advances in biotechnology, to help us mimic the conditions we evolved for.

Humans evolved as hunter-gatherers, so we must consider the conditions of this lifestyle as most natural for our bodies. Studies on hunter-gatherer communities have consistently indicated that they are happier and healthier than modern humans. There are elements of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle that we have lost in the modern world. It is well-established that many of the changes brought by modernisation have resulted in detrimental health outcomes.

THE REWILDING JOURNEY

 This is why we want to rewild the skin – return it to the microbially rich and diverse state for which it evolved. Unfortunately, we can’t return to this state in a hunter-gatherer context. There is simply not enough left of the natural environments in which our ancestors thrived.  However, with recent advances in biotechnology, we can mimic these conditions, providing skin with exposure to beneficial microbes and building the diversity of our microbiomes.

We believe that there are many aspects and challenges of modern life that have resulted in accelerated ageing. We seek to bring a truly natural solution to this problem, bringing the wild back to clients, even those in the heart of city life. To do this, we use biotechnology, offering skincare that is effective in the short-term, as well as in the long-term.

Esse is driven by sustainability in all its facets, including sustainability for the client. We want people to address the root causes of accelerated ageing, really improving the state of their skin to look their very best in old age.  We don’t sacrifice long-term skin health for short-term results.

UNDERSTANDING THE SKIN AGEING PROCESS

To fully understand how our products improve ageing outcomes, we need to unravel the fundamentals of skin ageing – we need to understand the problems we’re trying to solve. We pay careful attention and explore the concepts of skin ageing by looking at the effects of four major aspects:

• Skin physiology
• Inflammation
• Barrier function, and
• The skin microbiome

We look at ways in which these four aspects impact each other, and we create complex products using biotechnology to assist skin in achieving this natural balance which has been disrupted by modern lifestyles.

ANTI-AGEING HEROES

Whilst the entire Esse range is formulated and geared for reducing the effects of ageing, we want to highlight two of our ageing heroes and how this approach is proving to be highly effective in treating skin.

1. Probiotic Serum

The Probiotic Serum delivers its most notable benefits with three species of live Lactobacillus probiotics. These are stabilised in a Jojoba Oil base and are activated when exposed to the water on the skin’s surface.

Jojoba Oil contains fatty acids and wax esters that mimic sebum composition and provide a nutrient source for beneficial skin microbes. All three Lactobacillus species in the Serum have been shown to:

• Improve barrier function by increasing the quantity and quality of tight-junctions;
• Protect from pathogens by secreting antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and by competitive exclusion; and
• Attenuate inflammatory responses by reducing production of inflammatory cytokines, and/or by downregulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

During independent studies, the Probiotic Serum has been tested for skin firmness and skin elasticity to show its effects on anti-ageing. Results show:

• An increase in skin firmness by 16% in 28 days.
• An increase in skin elasticity by 9% in 28 days.

2. Resurrect Serum

This multi award-winning serum is the anti-ageing solution for sensitive skins. The Resurrect Serum makes use of an extract of Myrothamnus flabellifolia, the ‘resurrection plant’, wild harvested in Namibia.

This plant can survive long periods of drought and will revive when water becomes available again. To avoid DNA damage during these desiccation periods, the plant employs a high level of antioxidant protection. The population of Myrothamnus used by Esse has an extremely high content of the polyphenol 3,4,5-tri-O-galloylquinic Acid, which provides this antioxidant activity.

Also included in the formulation is Hyaluronic Acid which provides hydration, reduces inflammation, and improves delivery of other actives. Bakuchiol offers anti-inflammatory activity and reduces collagen degradation. Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) relaxes the muscles under the skin to reduce wrinkles.

During independent studies the Resurrect Serum has been tested for wrinkle depth to show its effects on anti-ageing. Results show a reduction in wrinkle depth of 13% in 28 days.

Discover these two products and the entire Esse Range here

The pioneering brand in biotechnology is driven by recent research, and these newly launched

treatments remain true to this, boasting a number of science-backed benefits. These include:

• Boosting collagen production;
• Soothing stress relief;
• Anti-inflammatory properties;
• Strengthening the barrier function; and
• Restoring the skin’s natural ecosystem.

THE ESSE EXPERIENCE TREATMENT PACKAGES

The Esse Express

A 30-minute treatment targeted at achieving results.

This express treatment is a great introduction for those unfamiliar with the Esse products, or for those who are unsure of what they would like to achieve with their skincare goals. The product selection is tailored to unique skin needs after a thorough skin analysis.

 What are the benefits?

This treatment is ideal for those wanting optimal results in limited time.

The Esse Experience

A 60-minute fully customisable experience.

This is a bespoke facial that harnesses the power of advanced pre- and probiotics to improve the microbial balance on the skin. It’s tailored to address specific skin concerns following a detailed skin analysis, and can be customised to touch and temperature.

What are the benefits?

This treatment soothes and heals stressed or aggravated skin, boosts collagen production, calms

inflammation, and builds barrier function. The inclusion of an Acupressure Facial Massage

relieves stress and tension from the face and unblocks energy blockages while promoting

relaxation, skin health, and homeostasis.

The Esse Live Probiotic Experience

A 75-minute ultimate treatment that takes skin to the next level.

This world-class live probiotic experience includes the application of 5 billion colony-forming units per ml of live lactobacillus probiotics to the skin, followed by the Esse Exclusion Mask. This provides the perfect anaerobic environment for the bacteria to start to colonise.

What are the benefits?

The treatment is designed to reduce inflammation, enhance barrier function, and address signs

of ageing by restoring microbial balance. Rewilding the skin to attain a diverse microbial ecology

is essential for long-term skin health. This treatment includes the Esse Anti-inflammatory or Esse

Lifting Massage, which will further enhance treatment outcomes and promote complete

relaxation.

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

All three Esse treatments can be enhanced with massage add ons, including two signature Esse

massages:

Esse Lifting Massage

This targets ageing skin and uses myofascial release and lifting movements to rejuvenate tired,

dull skin while increasing circulation and releasing tension.

Esse Anti-Inflammatory Massage

This focuses on calming an overactive nervous system and reducing inflammation through an

intense stimulation and activation of the lymphatic system. It’s recommended for sensitive skins

as this massage uses tools and touch to calm the skin. This massage can be used to treat all skin

types and concerns, especially those struggling with inflammatory skin concerns like acne,

rosacea, eczema and dermatitis.

The Esse Experience treatments are an industry-based offering exclusive to professionals.

To enjoy these treatments, visit your nearest Esse therapist (including the Esse Concept Store).

Alternatively learn more about The Esse Experience treatments and our range of probiotic skincare products.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE ESSE ANTI-AGEING PACKS?

Pack 1: Resurrect Serum + Hydro Moisturiser: Suitable for normal / oily, sensitive skin

Pack 2: Resurrect Serum + Nourish Moisturiser: Suitable for dry, sensitive skin

Pack 3: Hyluronic Serum + Rich Moisturiser: Suitable for dry skin

Pack 4: Hyaluronic Serum + Deep Moisturiser: Suitable for normal / combination skin
 

WHAT’S IN THESE AWARD-WINNING SERUMS?

1 .Esse’s Resurrect Serum

A key ingredient is an extract of Myrothamnus flabellifolia, the Namibian ‘resurrection’ plant, which can dry out during long periods of drought and will revive when water becomes available again. To avoid DNA damage, the plant employs a high level of antioxidant protection which is carried across into the serum. This is a hydrating and plumping serum for those with sensitive skin who want to address the signs of ageing without initiating an immune response. BIOME+ level 2 and 3 probiotics, as well as prebiotics in the serum support a balanced skin microbiome, signalling to skin cells to improve barrier function and reduce trans-epidermal water loss.

Research findings:

Research carried out in Bonn, Germany, focused on 20 women who used the Esse Resurrect Serum twice a day. After two weeks, results showed a reduction in wrinkle depth averaging 5.3%, which increased to 12.9% after 28 days. An incredible 95% of the study volunteers noted a positive effect on the skin.

2. Esse’s Hyaluronic Serum

This is an intensely hydrating serum with anti-inflammatory action to slow ageing, provide hydration, and reduce inflammation. This serum contains 1 million inactivated Lactobacillus bacteria per ml (BIOME+ level 3) and an extract of lysed bacterial cells (BIOME+ level 2). These probiotic extracts protect from pathogens and signal to skin cells to improve barrier function and reduce trans-epidermal water loss.

Hyaluronic acid has been shown to hold 10 times its weight in water. It’s intensely hydrating with an instant plumping effect. It also interrupts the inflammatory cascade and boosts penetration of other actives and follow-on products.
 

WHY THESE MOISTURISERS?

All Esse moisturisers contain BIOME+ LEVEL 2 and 3 probiotics and prebiotics to support a balanced skin microbiome. For the Anti-Ageing Packs, we’ve included a selection of moisturisers that are suited to a range of skin types and conditions, pairing each with a serum that complements its activity. This allows you to choose a pack that is tailored to suit your specific needs.
 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PROBIOTICS?

As a bioclinical skincare range, Esse prioritises the microbiome, including probiotics and prebiotics across its product range, providing significant health benefits. Just as you can benefit from probiotics for your gut, so you can from probiotics for your skin.

Probiotics are live microorganisms which – when administered in adequate amounts – confer a health benefit on the host (you). The benefits include:

• Protection from pathogens
• Improved barrier function to block toxins and pathogens
• Manufacturing moisturising factors including hyaluronic acid and lactic acid
• Maintaining skin pH
• Reducing skin sensitivity and correcting immune response
• Slowing the ageing process

In skincare, there are several types of probiotic ingredients, though not all are true probiotics. Some examples include liquid broths in which microbes were grown and then filtered off (BIOME+ level 1), lysates (extracts of probiotic cells – BIOME+ level 2), tyndallised microbes (whole probiotic cells which are inactivated by heat – BIOME+ level 3), and finally, various strains and species of living probiotics, which can grow and divide (BIOME+ level 4). Technically, only level 4 probiotics match the definition of a true probiotic, as they are alive. Check out this video, which explains these four ways to deliver probiotics in skincare.

The mode of action and effect on the skin microbiome can differ immensely between ingredients. The use of live probiotics is the most beneficial – but the most challenging to deliver. Across Esse’s skincare range, BIOME+ levels 2 to 4 are used, delivering tailored and optimised support to the skin.

The Esse Anti-Ageing Packs support a healthy microbiome and promote the strengthening of skin structures. This lowers inflammation and slows the signs of ageing – healthy skin ages slower. The Packs are available for a limited time only from your nearest Esse stockist. To find out more about Esse, visit www.esseskincare.com.

Nanoemulsions contain oil and water droplets, reduced to nanometric size (less than 100 nanometers). This technology is useful in delivering active ingredients more effectively by increasing the penetration of the active compound into your skin. Nanoemulsions are generally recognised as safe, provided that the ingredients that they deliver are safe.

Nanoparticles (the solid version) are widely used in sunscreens and other products with UV protection. They have gained popularity for their ability to block ultraviolet rays while minimising the whitening effect on the skin. The controversy surrounding these insoluble nanoparticles relates to their potential to penetrate the dermis and possibly trigger an immune response. The particles are so small that the immune system can mistake them for invaders and launch an attack. There is also concern that the particles could enter the bloodstream.

Nanoparticles are something we have chosen to avoid as we feel that there are too many unknowns … so why take the risk? In our sunscreen, the zinc oxide particle size is strictly controlled using a series of sieves designed to discard any particle too large or too small. This keeps us safely above the nanoparticle limit of 100 nanometers but avoids the whitening effect. We also coat the zinc oxide particles with wax so that there is no potential disruption of your skin microbiome.

Truly reactive skin is easily aggravated, and is described as environmentally sensitised or vaso-reactive.

Sensitivity is generally the result of an impaired barrier function, which results in nerve endings being more prone to irritation, and a hyperactive immune response. How the skin responds to triggers can include symptoms of swelling/oedema, redness, blemishes, stinging or tingling, itching and dry, scaly patches.

How do you know if you have sensitive or reactive skin?

• Skin might feel dry and itchy for no apparent reason
• Skin might sting and tingle when applying products
• Skin might be reactive or easily stimulated by heat and/or friction
• You may be prone to breakouts and develop rashes easily

Sensitive skin can be greatly improved by following some easy steps that don’t need to be expensive or time consuming.

What can you do to reduce and prevent skin sensitivity?

• Strengthen barrier function by supporting a healthy skin microbiome, choose pH balanced products that do not contain harsh preservatives.
• Supplement your skincare routine with pre- and probiotics.
• Avoid all foaming products – use a cream-based cleanser and don’t cleanse in the morning.
• Avoid fragrances – these are often synthetic and can trigger an exaggerated immune response.
• Avoid synthetic and chemical ingredients – these can harm beneficial skin micro-organisms and are not compounds that skin would be exposed to naturally.
• Avoid alcohols and astringents in products – these act as anti-bacterial agents, disrupting the skin’s microbiome.
• Avoid extreme temperature or climate changes.
• Manage your environment, lifestyle, diet and water intake – skin health is better managed holistically.

All that’s left to do is to head over to our store locator and find your nearest Esse stockist for a free skin analysis.  The time for great skin is now.

Skin health and sleep quality can be strongly linked. Lack of sleep elevates cortisol levels in the body, increasing inflammation and stress levels.

Jessica Krant, assistant professor and founder of Art of Dermatology in New York explains. “Poor sleep can lead to increased stress hormones in the body that increase the severity of inflammatory skin conditions such as acne or psoriasis. This can result in increased itching, which can disrupt sleep. As the vicious cycle continues, skin conditions and sleep quality can increasingly worsen together. In contrast, skin conditions and sleep quality can also improve together. Getting a good night’s sleep will help to clear up skin, which allows sleep to heal and, in turn, will improve skin health.”

Here are six reasons why not getting enough sleep detracts from skin health and your overall health in general:

1. The incidental increase in inflammatory response manifests as increased acne breakouts, increased skin sensitivity, increased allergic contact dermatitis reactions, and increased irritant dermatitis.
2. Increased levels of inflammation in the body lead to an increase in the breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid, the compounds that give the skin its glow, bounce, and resilience.
3. Increased inflammation also throws off the body’s ability to regulate the immune system, which leads not only to getting sick more often but also to flares of immune-related skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema. Psoriasis is not just a skin disease; it’s also an indicator of body inflammation. “Many people with severe psoriasis actually have an increased risk for heart attacks, which is even more reason to keep stress low and get good quality sleep” says Dr. Krant.
4. While you’re sleeping, the body’s hydration levels rebalance. Not getting enough sleep results in poor water balance, leading to puffy bags under your eyes and under-eye circles, as well as dryness and more visible wrinkles.
5. During deep sleep, the rise in growth hormone levels allows damaged cells to be repaired. Without the deeper phases of sleep, this can’t occur, resulting in daily small breakdowns that don’t recover overnight accelerating the signs of ageing.
6. Good sleep patterns help with weight management, which is good for your skin. “Sleep makes you feel less hungry”, Krant explains — recent studies have linked sleep deprivation to excess snacking and calorie consumption.

Over and above a great skincare routine, lifestyle habits are often what tip the scales in favour of youthful, resilient skin and good health. Taking care of yourself does not have to be expensive. Simply take a step back and rest after a busy, energetic day and give your body the time it needs to heal.

Have you had enough of hearing how the latest skincare fad is the only thing that will rescue your skin?

What if we told you that, to be at its best, your skin needs trillions of microbes from thousands of species? In the same way that your gut needs good microbes, your skin depends on its microbial partners to stay healthy. Often products that don’t consider the skin microbiome do more harm than good. So, less can really be more. If your moisturiser is not pH balanced, you’re wasting your hard-earned money. If your cleanser leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, you’re stripping it of valuable natural oils. If your eye cream is loaded with bacteria-busting preservatives, you’re disrupting your skin microbiome and opening yourself up for all sorts of trouble.

Here’s what healthy resident microbes do for you:

1 – they protect you from pathogenic bacteria by colonising all the available space on the surface of your skin, leaving no room for troublemakers (this is called competitive exclusion).

2 – many good species of microbes found on skin produce anti-microbial peptides which actively fight off pathogens and strengthen skin defences.

3 – Lactobacillus microbes produce lactic acid, which keeps the pH of your skin right and improves moisturisation.

4 – they maintain the little stitch-like structures that hold your skin cells together (called tight junctions) which physically keep the bad guys out, and moisture in.

5 – some produce hyaluronic acid right on your skin – that’s pretty amazing, given what lengths some of us will go to to get it into our skincare routines.

It might sound as though keeping all of this together might require a load of expensive products, but in reality, it’s often the layers of skin potions and lotions that are responsible for modern skin concerns in the first place – acne, rosacea, eczema and sensitivity are all rooted in an imbalanced skin microbiome. Something has compromised the balance, allowing the wrong sorts of microbes to set up shop and run your skin into a state of chaos.

So, what can you do to restore balance to maintain a healthy state? Firstly, we need to identify what threatens a balanced microbiome:

• Preservatives – are designed to kill microbes. You don’t want to slap on harshly preserved products. The same philosophy applies to preservatives in processed food – they damage your gut microbiome.
• pH – products that are not properly pH balanced set the scene for rogue microbes to flourish. Beneficial skin microbes thrive at a pH of around 5 and easily overcome invader species when this pH is maintained.
• Foam dissolves oil. The oil your skin produces is valuable but (as recent research reveals) it is also high-energy food for friendly microbes. This oil (sebum) is metabolically expensive for your body to make, so in effect, it is you paying some pretty high-end staff to do a very important job for you. It makes very little sense to wash it down the drain.
• Hot water – this might be one of the toughest realities to accept, but hot baths and showers hurt the microbes on your skin. When our ancestors roamed the earth, living as one with nature, a hot bath was very hard to come by and so most of the skin microbes we have formed partnerships with cannot tolerate this modern-day luxury.
• Antibiotics are all too often prescribed for minor ailments but should be reserved for life threatening cases only. Antibiotics kill bacterial microbes indiscriminately. This leaves you vulnerable to secondary infection, with no natural defences in place to ward off future pathogen attacks.
• Municipal water – due to the risk of waterborne disease in urban areas, the vast majority of us have no option but to use and consume treated water. It may be hard to avoid, but be aware that this could affect the skin’s microbiome
• C-section deliveries can put babies on the back foot from birth. Our bodies are cleverly designed to deliver all the good microbes a new-born needs on its journey through the birth canal. Their skins are seeded with the right balance of microbes and they swallow their first microbes in the same journey, seeding their guts in the process. Breast feeding also helps with gut health as it’s now evident that breast milk contains prebiotics to feed an infant’s microbiome, as well as probiotics to seed the right species.

Now we know the things that can cause a microbiome to go out of kilter, it’s a little easier to know what to look for and what to avoid when choosing skincare.

More often than you would imagine, skincare products can harm your skin’s microbiome.  It is our advice that anyone struggling with any sort of skin ailment should start by cutting right back to the basics. Cleanse only in the evening and only if you are removing make-up – otherwise, rinse with water and use a cleansing cloth. Apply a little microbiome-friendly moisturiser and continue in this way for 2 weeks. Our bodies are always working toward an equilibrium, but the only way they can get on with it is if we don’t interfere too much.  You might be pleasantly surprised to discover that your body does a great job of getting back on track; and once it does, you can turn to Esse to get down to the nitty-gritty of great anti-aging skincare – because Esse puts microbes first, always.

“A change is as good as a holiday,” and who would say no thank you to that?

As 2020 gets underway, we’d like to challenge you to make some changes that will improve the outcomes for your skin (and overall health).  As with anything worth doing, some of the items on the list will require staying power but some are surprisingly simple – all come with benefits well worth the effort.

CHALLENGE 1

Quit the cleanse. Before you cringe, there is good reason to forgo your morning cleanse in favour of a little splash with water and here’s the thinking…
The natural oils that your skin produces overnight are very expensive (metabolically) to produce so it makes sense to assume that they are important; our bodies are not up for wasting energy for no good reason.  Our research has led to the discovery that these skin oils (sebum) are very useful to healthy skin microbes, the sorts of microbes you really want on your skin.  By removing all these good oils, we compromise our skin microbiome and open the playing field to unwanted bacteria that cause all manner of skin concerns from acne to eczema and rosacea.  Esse is all about creating a balanced skin microbiome – all our moisturisers contain prebiotics to feed good skin microbes in an attempt to keep them happy. If you stop to think about it, it’s like your skin makes its own nurturing moisturiser, so why wash it all away? Just rinse with a little water before toning and applying moisturiser. Aside from saving time and making your cleanser last longer your skin will be happier too.

CHALLENGE 2

Pick 1 day a week to go make-up free… no make-up means you can skip a cleanser all together that day. For compromised skin, this is probably one of the most beneficial practices you can get into. We’ve already explained the value of your skin’s natural oil, so give your microbiome a weekend to chill out too!

CHALLENGE 3

Turn towards the sun.  Spend at least 15 minutes in the sun everyday if you can – without sunscreen. Yes, that’s right!  Vitamin D is essential to your health on every level, including skin health. Vitamin D is made in your skin but your body needs unprotected exposure to direct sunlight to make it. For millennia our ancestors lived and roamed the great outdoors, so there is no reason to think we are not made for it.  Most of the western world is vitamin D deficient with known symptoms including auto-immune disorders, cancer, low bone density and depression. If you join the dots, these are the most common ailments affecting modern day humans – perhaps the first step we should take is a step back into the sun.

CHALLENGE 4

Quit sugar. This is probably the biggest challenge we have for you. It does require a lifestyle change but just say no thank you once, twice, three times and before you know it, it will be your natural response. Our bodies are built to seek out sugar and short chain carbohydrates as they represent free, easy energy, but a few hundred years back, these things were very rare and hard to find in nature. Dealing with the large quantities of sugar that are too easily accessible these days hurts you a lot. It’s often difficult to find anything that is not processed or sweet but if you plan ahead a little and have some healthy snacking options on hand, you won’t be tempted to cheat.

CHALLENGE 5

Sweat and breathe. Exercise is good for you, period. It’s also great for skin health. Sweating releases toxins that build up over time and getting your heart rate up, coupled with good breathing techniques increases blood flow to your entire body, skin included. We challenge you to get moving at least twice a week for 1 hour.

CHALLENGE 6

Go rewild yourself! This may sound like we’re encouraging irresponsible behaviour, but there’s nothing rebellious about rewilding. Getting out into nature reseeds your body and skin with an abundance of nature’s best medicine – good microbes. The side effects of rewilding are also great for reducing stress levels, elevating happiness and so much more. The best part is that there are so many ways to rewild that you will never tire of it:

• • Plant a garden – you’ll end up with beautiful flowers or fresh veggies as a bonus
  • Go for a walk in the wild – you’ll get fit and feel energized and inspired
  • Play with your pets – they’re masters at rewilding and will gladly show you how
  • Walk barefoot on the dirt, sit on the grass, go for a swim in the ocean
  • Hang outdoors with children – they also have a knack for it

CHALLENGE 7

Ditch the anti-bacterials. Our one last challenge to you is for the good of the planet as well… expose yourself and your family to fewer toxins – switch to eco cleaning products. A first step would be to reduce the number of cleaning products in your cleaning cupboard; do you really need a toilet cleaner, a shower cleaner and a surface cleaner? A quick search for eco cleaning products will result in a long list of companies making this simple change so easy. Many are even incorporating bacteria to do the job better than the nasty chemicals we have come to innocently trust.