Shikō Beauty Collective’s Essence Recommendations

While essences might be considered as an optional step to Westerners, most Japanese people consider them essential for achieving baby-soft mochi skin.Apply essences all over your face, using a hand-press technique to increase the absorption rate.Use an essence right after cleansing to rehydrate skin and prep it for serums and creams.Since many skin issues are caused by dehydration, essences are a smart solution for all skin types.Essences are sometimes referred to as lotions.Essences are typically the lightest of all J-Beauty solutions, and have a watery texture.Essences also improve the function of all the skincare products used after them, so they’re an excellent place to begin your after-cleansing routine. To keep levels of TEWL in check, use an essence to moisturize right after cleansing to nourish, soften, and enhance the health of the bare skin by restoring the optimal hydration balance. This phenomenon is called transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and is caused by evaporation, a process that is accelerated by water on the skin’s surface. In order of lightest in texture to heaviest (also the order in which these layers of hydration should be applied), here’s everything you need to know about essences, serums, emulsions, and moisturizers.īecause facial cleansing involves water, it can be difficult for many people to believe that washing actually dries out their skin. Serums, essences, emulsions, and moisturizers are J-Beauty essentials that might seem similar (especially in that they all usually feature moisture and hydration as a primary or secondary benefit), however, these solutions are actually completely different product types that are distinguished by their textures, viscosities, and purpose of use-all of which are crucial elements that need to be considered for a successful, individualized regimen of self-care. Why do Japanese skincare routines devote so many steps and products to moisturizing? Look no further than Japan’s centuries-old wisdom that the root of all skin troubles is dehydration and optimal skin health is typified by “mochi skin”-an extremely soft, yet firm, plump, and smooth texture that is achieved with meticulous and delicate layers of moisture. It features a unique double cleansing first step that typically includes a hydrating makeup remover and face wash in separate formulas essence that is designed to replace moisture lost after cleansing serums, which are often deep-penetrating and used to target and treat specific issues and emulsions or creams, which help to lock in moisture and form a protective barrier against external stressors. J-Beauty, on the other hand, is about prevention, maintenance, and embracing one’s natural beauty-all of which can be achieved with proper hydration. It usually includes a standard 4-step routine featuring a makeup remover that does all the work of stripping makeup as well as cleansing toner or astringents designed to kill bacteria serum, which is considered supplemental care for repairing specific issues and finally a moisturizer to hydrate the skin. Indeed, the biggest challenge is a slight shift in thinking, particularly about what happy, healthy skin really means.Īmerican skincare is typically focused on fixing or hiding imperfections. However, successfully transitioning to a Japanese skincare routine isn’t hard-in fact, Japanese skincare is simple by design. moisturizer), but also the added steps and skincare goals that can exist in opposition to traditional American skincare routines. In the case of Japanese beauty products, much of that confusion centers around not only the nomenclature (for example, serum vs. But this influx of information can often be confusing, especially when it comes to the various types of solutions, their names, and how they should be used.

Skincare routines, products, and ideologies from different cultures are gaining wider acceptance across the United States.

Japanese emulsion skin care