What the heck is a facial “essence,” you ask? Been there. My skincare-savvy friends have been raving about essences for the past couple years, and until now, I assumed it was just the latest and greatest skincare gimmick. But instead of fading away, this buzz has seemed to only be amplifying, so I decided to do some research.
Here’s what I found: Simply put, a facial essence restores moisture and helps your skin better-absorb other skincare products that you layer on top. And, the undisputed queen bee product? SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence. Hear me out on this one…
SK-II has been a favorite skincare brand of mine for years, and their Facial Treatment Essence kept coming up as the “holy grail” essence product in both my conversations with friends and my research. This particular essence is a clear, lightweight liquid rich in vitamins, amino acids, minerals and other organic acids. It boasts the ability to help to reduce wrinkles, improve skin tone, increase firmness and enhance overall radiance. Sounds great, but isn’t that what every skincare product claims?
To be honest, I’ve grown weary of the 90% of skincare brands that are like, Hey! Let’s throw a bunch of multi-syllabic pseudo-scientific words on a bottle! That’ll get ’em! Thankfully, this is a main point of differentiation for SK-II and their Facial Treatment Essence. As you can see here, SK-II not only has robust scientific evidence behind their primary ingredient—PiteraTM—but they also go to great lengths to educate consumers on its benefits. A brand that doesn’t treat me like an idiot?! How refreshing.
After doing my due diligence, I decided to give this product the old college try. I embarked on my #OneBottleAwayFrom journey (hopefully!) to the healthy, radiant skin I haven’t seen in a few years. For 30 days, I applied the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence after cleansing my skin, once in the morning and once at night. You just saturate a cotton swab with the liquid (or pour a teaspoon-sized amount into the palm of your hand) and pat it all over your face and neck. Easy-peasy.
30 days later, I’m an absolute CONVERT. As a perpetually sleep-deprived entrepreneur, my skin often takes a serious toll, but incorporating this essence into my routine for a month has produced VISIBLE results. My skin is noticeably more firm, more even, and all-around healthier. After two weeks, I noticed a huge improvement in my skin’s tightness and general texture: It was smoother than it had been in years, which only improved over the following two weeks. By the end of my trial, I couldn’t believe the bright complexion staring back at me in the mirror. Bottom line—this product is now a permanent staple in my skincare routine and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
BLACK ROBE: DKNY | FACIAL TREATMENT ESSENCE: SK-II
Thanks to SK-II for partnering on this post!