The rise of Korean beauty means that our stateside population now has a plethora of options when it comes to finding the best essence for face, with a formula for every skin type, skin concern, and, of course, personal preference. In the decade or so since its arrival, face essences have proven to be key for replicating Korean skin-care regimens, in which “multiple layers of hydrating products are used to achieve more radiant skin,” says Dr. Y. Claire Chang a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY.
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Most essences deliver hydration as a rule, which typically comes courtesy of humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin—but you can often find more potent actives, such as vitamin C and niacinamide, that deliver supplemental perks. “Some products even contain botanical plant extracts that can have anti-inflammatory benefits,” says Dr. Rachel Westbay, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY.
Keep in mind that even the best essence for face isn’t a replacement for other steps in your routine. To that point, “I don’t recommend using essences by themselves, but rather in combination with a thicker moisturizer that will lock in the moisture,” says Chang. With that, scroll ahead for the best formulas guaranteed to elevate the rest of your regimen.
In This Article
Best Overall: CoSRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
- Why We Love it: From a beloved K-beauty brand, this essence is fueled largely by snail mucin, “which can help hydrate, repair, and brighten the skin,” says Chang, who calls it her go-to essence in dry winter months. What’s not snail mucin—which comprises 96%—is a blend of similarly nourishing ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and panthenol. Vogue editors have deemed it one of the best Korean skin-care products, full stop, and stars are similarly smitten: singer Nessa Barrett credits it with helping her acne-prone skin, while Emily Ratajkowski also considers it a key part of her routine.
- Key Ingredients: Snail mucin, panthenol, hyaluronic acid
- Size: 3.38 fl. oz.
Best for Mature Skin: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
- Why We Love it: It’s one of the best known Japanese skin-care products, not to mention an essential for a bevy of A-listers, including Cynthia Erivo and Dianna Agron. (In fact, Iman herself told Vogue that she swears by it.) As the story goes, sake makers in Japan noticed that their hands were preternaturally youthful and smooth. That led researchers to Pitera, the now-proprietary yeast extract rich in vitamins, amino acids, and minerals; it’s similar in nature to skin’s Natural Moisturizing Factors, giving it the ability to support a bright, even complexion.
- Key Ingredients: Pitera
- Size: 2.5 fl. oz., 5.4 fl. oz., 7.7 fl. oz., 11 fl. oz.
Best for Dry Skin: Farmacy Honey Milk Hydrating Essence
- Why We Love it: Essences aren’t typically known for their creaminess, but this has a lightweight yet milky texture for a comforting feel—an attribute only bolstered by its nourishing blend of saccharomyces ferment, ceramides, and squalane. It further offsets any discernible dryness with white honey harvested from hives in Hawaii’s Kiawe Forest, while chamomile extract makes quick work of redness and irritation.
- Key Ingredients: White honey extract, ceramides, squalane
- Size: 4 fl. oz.
Best for Oily Skin: Iope Bio Conditioning Essence
- Why We Love it: This antioxidant-rich essence is powered by saccharomyces ferment filtrate, green tea extract, and niacinamide; the strategic combination of ingredients can help balance, brighten, and protect skin in one fell swoop. Moreover, “it is perfect for the summer, given how lightweight it is and how fast it dries on the skin,” says Chang. Niacinamide can even help regulate sebum production, making this an especially worthwhile option for those prone to shine.
- Key Ingredients: Saccharomyces ferment filtrate, green tea extract, niacinamide
- Size: 5.68 fl. Oz.
Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Shiseido Eudermine Activating Essence
- Why We Love it: Few essences take large pores and blemishes into consideration, which is where Shiseido’s lightweight (yet supremely hydrating) formula stands out. It offers two forms of hyaluronic acid with yuzu extract, which work together to soften skin and replenish hydration, as well as witch hazel to clarify congested skin. Plus, the sleek bottle is endlessly refillable.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, yuzu extract, vitamin C
- Size: 4.9 fl. oz.
Best Exfoliating: True Botanicals Microbiome Enzyme Essence
- Why We Love it: There’s a reason this silky essence is a favorite of both Vogue staffers and celebrities like Lauren London alike. It harnesses a blend of botanical ingredients—among them finger lime, papaya, and pineapple—for their natural supply of alpha hydroxy acids and enzymes, which work in tandem to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and improve moisture retention. What sets the formula apart, however, is the addition of buckwheat ferment, which serves as a prebiotic to balance and support skin’s protective microbiome.
- Key Ingredients: Finger lime extract, papain extract, buckwheat ferment
- Size: 4 fl. oz.
Best Antioxidant: Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence
- Why We Love it: Reformulated in 2023, this time-tested essence was among the first to introduce fermented ingredients to the skin-care realm, using kombucha—technically, saccharomyces ferment derived from black tea—to drench skin in protective antioxidants. It’s flanked by hyaluronic acid and artemisia extract to plump and brighten the complexion. Together, they help repair and defend skin against early signs of aging.
- Key Ingredients: Saccharomyces ferment, hyaluronic acid, rose flower oil
- Size: 1.5 fl. oz., 5 fl. oz., 8.4 fl. oz.
Best for Redness: SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Essence Mist
- Why We Love it: Redness can arise for any number of reasons, be it an aggressive in-office procedure, exposure to allergens, or innately sensitive skin. To treat it, this refreshing mist sets out to quell inflammation on contact with a two-pronged approach. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin (two potent humectants) help draw water into skin, immediately hydrating it. Meanwhile, a blend of soothing botanicals—cucumber, thyme, olive leaf, and rosemary extracts among them—work to dial down the flush. All the while, it’s gentle enough for even the most compromised skin.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, cucumber extract.
- Size: 1.7 fl. oz.
Best Clean: Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence
- Why We Love it: Immortalized as one of the best clean beauty products on the shelf, this garden-inspired essence is brimming with botanicals grown on Harper’s sprawling Vermont farm. Lavender water, rose water, and beet root extract help smooth and soften skin, while two forms of hyaluronic acid work to hydrate. It’s also multifunctional: You can use it to refresh skin and set makeup, which might explain how it earned a place in model and food expert Padma Lakshmi’s beauty routine.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, rose water, beet root extract
- Size: 1.7 fl. oz., 4.1 fl. oz.
Best for Fine Lines: Tatcha The Essence
- Why We Love it: The ingredient list for this essence is delightfully simple: It’s a concentrated formula that primarily consists of the brand’s signature (and proprietary) complex of Japanese superfoods, comprised of green tea extract, twice-fermented rice, and a brown algae harvested off the waters of Okinawa. The product also claims to be as effective as retinol at improving visible firmness—an assertion that might raise eyebrows, but also just may smooth the resultant forehead lines, too.
- Key Ingredients: Green tea extract, rice ferment filtrate,
- Size: 0.8 fl. oz. 5.0 fl. oz.
Best Brightening: Guerlain Abeille Royale Double Clarify & Repair Essence
- Why We Love it: While the elegant bottle may make one think that this offers more style than substance, that’s not the case—in fact, the formula houses active ingredients that are more often found in potent face serums. Take the vitamin C derivative and white honey; the two work within the skin to help boost radiance and even out skin tone. Meanwhile, alpha hydroxy acid works from above, helping skin shed dead, pigment-laden skin cells.
- Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, white honey, alpha hydroxy acid
- Size: 5.07 fl. oz.
What is an essence?
A face essence is a lightweight hydrator that you apply to skin between cleansing and moisturizing. “The primary function of an essence is to provide deep hydration to the skin,” says Chang. “It prepares the skin to better absorb subsequent products, such as serums and moisturizers, enhancing their efficacy.” Think of skin as a sponge; dampening it first theoretically helps it better accept and absorb other formulas applied to it.
Who should use an essence for face?
In short: Practically everyone can benefit from a face essence. “All skin types can use an essence,” says Dr. Westbay. “It just depends on what type of skin concerns you have.” Chang, for her part, has found that essences can be especially beneficial for those with dry or dehydrated skin, as well as people with a weakened skin barrier. For that reason, “I like to recommend adding this step in the winter when the air and your skin can be drier, she says.
It’s also helpful for those with mature skin. “Because an essence has a very hydrating formula, it can deeply hydrate your skin barrier and increase luminosity and elasticity, which is why those with fine lines and wrinkles may want to use it,” says Westbay.
What to Look For in an Essence?
The exact ingredients to seek out depend on your skin type and concerns. Since they’re meant to hydrate skin, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and panthenol are easy to find, and a good option for most people. “For those looking for skin brightening and anti-aging, I recommend looking for additional ingredients like niacinamide, licorice root extract, arbutin, and vitamin C,” says Chang.
