8 best facial essences from the Korean skincare trend

The purpose of an essence is to prepare skin for treatment by kick-starting the regeneration process, allowing other products to penetrate deeper

The Korean heart of skincare should be beating on your #shelfie – here's our top pick (iStock)

“Yet another step in my skincare routine?!” we hear being yelled from the rafters, but hear us out. If you don’t have an essence tucked into your arsenal at present, you might want to read on.

An essence, for those that are unfamiliar, is a concentrated liquid that sits on your skin post cleanse to add an extra layer of hydration while also prepping skin for heavier moisturisers and oils.

The difference between an essence and a toner you might be pondering is essentially the latter is to help any last bits of muck on your skin find its way down the plug hole. An essence however can vary in its ingredients for different uses, but its purpose is to prepare skin for treatment by kick-starting the regeneration process, allowing other products to penetrate deeper.

Leave your cotton pads by the wayside, pop about about five drops in your palm. Activate the ingredients by rubbing lightly between your hands and press onto the skin. Simples.

For all skin types: May Coop Raw Sauce: £33, buttermilkskincare.com

Sometimes the OG is still the mack daddy. Even in a sea of endless and overwhelming choices, May Coop’s raw sauce is arguably the essence that began the craze. Of course being birthed by our beloved beauty educators in Korea.

Made from 93 per cent maple tree sap, the molecules are significantly smaller; aiding towards super swift absorption. This key ingredient is a powerful antioxidant, rich with minerals to protect and soothe stressed out skin while giving fine lines and dryness a good telling off.

It’s a super silky consistency which makes it a joy to apply with a fresh, intoxicating scent. Consistent use saw a difference in the overall appearance of the skin; it just looks and feels healthy. Glow getters in the cold: get shoving this in your baskets immediately and hit the checkouts pronto.

To top it off, raw sauce comes in a handy travel size if you’re looking to test the essence waters without breaking your bank account. A true original never goes out of style.

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For dry and dehydrated skin: Omorovicza omoressence: £64.98, Amazon

The Hungarian thermal water strikes again. Omorovicza’s essence is a pit stop between a toner and a serum; salvaging moisture levels, serving serious dew. Sitting pretty with amino acids and humectants acting as moisture magnets helping to retain the initial effects throughout the day.

Here comes the science bit…Rhamnose polysaccharide prevents bacteria and pollutants from sitting on the skin’s surface. Also with a lactic acid boost, you’ve got an undercurrent exfoliator at work while also being the most hydrating of the acid family.

It’s a comforting addition to the already successful range. With continued use we saw a more supple, more youthful looking appearance to the face. Equipped with a zen-like scent, this is a great attribute for dry skinned beauties.

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For pigmentation: Caudalie vinoperfect concentrated brightening essence: £30, Feel Unique

The French fancy that is Caudalie’s vinoperfect collection is a patented powerhouse geared towards eliminating dark spots, uneven texture and pigmentation issues.

This essence in particular has glycolic acid to wipe off dead cells and clear out pesky pores. Glycolic is more potent than the other AHAs on the market, but is balanced with white peony here and Caudalie's signature grape water to calm and protect.

This is a worthy option for oily guys and gals looking to treat dull, pore-blamatic skin. January Blues? Never heard of them. For the price, it feels suitably indulgent and really aids towards it’s promise of evening out texture. Keep this to night time initially to see how it reacts to the skin due to its glycolic content, and always follow up with an SPF the next day without fail.

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For blemish prone skin: Shani Darden daily toning essence: £44, Cult Beauty

No stranger to Hollywood faces, Shani Darden has worked her magic on Chrissy Teigan and Jessica Alba to just drop a few names. The expert esthetician’s line has docked on UK shores this month and we’re all for it.

This essence is perfect for those wanting to refine pores and give oil slicks on the skin the boot. Sake water softens the skin while sebocytine regulates sebum shedding excess oil production in the process. The addition of green tea acts as a barrier to the the skin. Its antioxidant properties makes this a great option for the morning.

Needless to say, the distinctive lilac packaging is going to be a treat for anyone’s Instagram. Get this if you’re prone to breakouts but don’t want to walk around bone dry. Use day and night for a couple of weeks to start seeing effects. While it might not aid towards getting on the cover of Sports Illustrated ala Chrissy, this mattifying master is a nice runner up prize.

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For the commuter: Zelens Z Balance Prebiotic & Probiotic Facial Mist: £48, Amazon

Now for something a little different; the brains at Zelens have come through with a mist that’s alive with a multitude of medical grade ingredients.

Crammed with both prebiotic and probiotic ingredients, Z balance works in tandem to balance out skin flora, making it a healthier, happier and stronger place for your products to pitch themselves. Great if you’re particularly sensitive to free radicals and unavoidable daily dirt. Underground commute anyone?

Shiso leaf acts as a key antioxidant in a super delicate spray whilst amino acids work to maintain moisture levels throughout the day. Keep this treat in your bag and spritz during the day if you feel like you need a perk up too. We noticed a comfortable tightening effect on the skin without being too taut. This sits nicely over makeup too without making a mess. A lovely multitasker for every skin type.

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For Uneven Texture: Huxley Essence brightly ever after: £38, Oxygen Boutique

Another from the holy land of beauty, Korean brand Huxley has produced an essence to stamp out pigmentation with this signature prickly pear infused addition. This essence is more milky upon first inspection and absorbs quickly on the skin without a fuss. The bottle is paired with a dropper, which is always helpful for not wasting any product as you only need a few drops in the palm of your hand. Less is more.

Niacinamide brightens while black mulberry fruit extract works to combat uneven skin tone. It’s a luxe, non sticky texture suitable for all skin types. A great option for traditionalists from the Eastern essence kingdom.

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For Splurgers: Kat Burki advanced anti-aging goji essence: £160, Cult Beauty

If you want to go green, literally in this case, with highly effective, non-compromising products – this is the one for you. This goji wonder not only works as an essence in the primary sense, but also has a 5 per cent lactic acid formulation which works to clear out the skin as a gentle exfoliant. It’s a terrific accompaniment if you don’t already have an AHA go to as the balance of superfoods and acids is gentle enough for daily use.

It’s freshly fragrant without being overpowering. Plus it's airtight, heavy duty packaging will resist light pollution, prolonging the lifespan of the active ingredients. It’s a multi-talented buy for avid beauty lovers that could take the top spot on your shelf by cutting some of your other steps out. Prepping, exfoliating and balancing all in one. And for such a spenny investment, we’ll take everything we can get.

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The ultimate all-rounder: Allies of Skin molecular saviour probiotics mist: From £36, Cult Beauty

This has all the things in it for the coined "multi-hyphenate", so if you’re a “full time-work hard-party harder-force of nature” this might be for you. As with all Allies of Skin products, there’s an emphasis on multi-angled efficacy without sacrificing any of the active ingredients. This mist is a great example of their ethos.

It’s chock full of active ingredients including super fruits, colloidal silver, probiotics and amino acids to name a few. Translation: hydrating, anti-bacterial, moisture attracting goodness. There are apparently "anti-evaporation" molecules embedded in the spray to create moisture buckets on the skin, we're sold. The nozzle isn’t very good, we’re not going to lie. The spray isn’t fine enough so can feel like you’re being hosed down. Spray a few pumps into the palm of your hands and press into the skin instead.

You might feel a slight tingle as we did with the first few uses, but it’s merely a sign of the ingredients getting to work. Bouncy and plump skin awaits with this one. A great night time aid with actives coming out of its ears.

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The verdict: Facial essences

May Coop’s Raw Sauce is a surefire winner for all skin types looking for an all round essence that’s not only cost effective, but durable with results whatever your concerns. Shani Darden is a terrific go to with clean ingredients for specific blemish prone troubles, while Allies of Skin is a real beast full of surprises.