Hey everyone, 

Essences...what are they, what do they do, and why you'll grow to love them. Those three points are my main topics for this post today, and I hope that by the end of it you will be just as obsessed with them as I am! For my ladies who have never heard about essences, or my girls who need a little more advice on where to look, I hope you all can take away something from this post. 

What is an essence? 

An essence is a highly concentrated liquid that targets your skin's concern at a cellular level. Wait, what?! I know, it sounds wordy and, admittedly strange, but stay with me here. 

What can it do?

Unlike what you're probably thinking, it is not an item that can cover all of your bases. An essence is something to help your routine, not complete it. Although, arguably it is one of the more important steps, don't automatically read about all of the benefits and start thinking that all you need to do is apply some essence and you're good. An essence is a crucial step of skincare that can help target things such as: moisture, hydration, redness, dullness, wrinkles, and more.

Doesn't a serum do the same thing?

Contrary to what many people shrug off as being the same as a serum, or "close enough to", an essence simply does not work the same was as a serum. I can most certainly go into more detail on what a serum is, but let's stick to the focus here. While a serum is thicker than essences, the difference comes in the ingredients. An essence has strong ingredients that target a multitude of areas, whereas a serum has fewer, higher concentrated ingredients that only target specific problems. 

How do I apply an essence?

Essences are best followed up after your toner. I take a small amount in the palm of my hand and rub them together, warming up the liquid. Then I gently pat the essence on my skin and wait a few minutes for the product to absorb into my skin before proceeding. 

How do I know which essence to use?

This is likely to be the hardest part of your routine, as it always seems to be for mine. Finding the right product takes time, and research, but the fun comes in trying everything out. I have dry, sensitive skin that is prone to redness. For this reason, I often go back and fourth between using the DewyTree Cell Essence and The Essence by TATCHA. DewyTree's Essence focuses on flawless, dewy skin and the product itself is very light and has a very soothing affect on my skin. The TATCHA

essence is a plumping, skin softener with anti-aging properties that has a smell similar to Malibu Rum but absorbs quicker than the DewyTree.

So, what do you think? Have I done a good job of convincing you to try your hand at essences, or are you still a hesitant to add it to your routine? All questions are welcome; I will do my best to help you out!