Established in the South African organic skincare market in 2002, Esse Skincare has now launched in the UK.
Esse, which means ‘to be’ in Latin, began its move into probiotic skincare following findings from the Human Microbiome Project. This research shifted the conventional view of the skin, revealing it to be an ecology of human and microbial cells – there are more than 10 microbes for every human cell.
Optimal skin condition depends on the probiotic microbes living on and in it. Without microbes, skin can’t perform basic functions and the rate of ageing increases sharply. Now Esse brand actively researches the application of new probiotic species and delivery methods to combat ageing and optimise skin health. The brand’s products create an environment on the skin that favours the growth of beneficial microbes, and work in two ways – seeding the skin with live probiotic microbes that compete with pro-ageing species while also feeding the skin with prebiotic nutrients that improve the microbial ecology on the skin.
Founder Trevor Steyn says: “I would like to play a part in creating a beautiful, indefinitely sustainable future. It’s estimated that the western lifestyle most people lead has led to the loss of more than 30 per cent of the microbial partners we once had. Contributing factors include overuse of antibiotics, high C-section rates and chemicals in cosmetic products. Maybe it’s time to end the war on germs and re-wild our skin? Esse will continue on its path to build more effective and more sustainable products.”
In October last year, the brand opened its first concept store in Ballito, South Africa, offering genetic sequencing of the skin microbiome. Esse will be rolling out new stockists during the course of 2019 in the UK.
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