Esse Probiotic Skin Care

OUR STORY

IN BRIEF
Optimal skin condition depends on the probiotic microbes living on and in it. Without microbes, your skin can’t perform its basic functions and the rate of skin ageing increases sharply.

Esse creates an environment on the skin that favours the growth of beneficial microbes. It uses prebiotics to selectively feed good microbes and includes LIVE probiotic microbes in two of the serums to make functional changes to the skin’s microbiome. Esse does not believe in damaging skin in pursuit of short-term results, it optimises skin health to slow ageing in the long-term.

Since our inception, we have remained true to our core principles: We’re certified organic, vegan and cruelty free. We support fair trade and are a carbon neutral company.

THE FOUNDER
Trevor Steyn studied organic chemistry and completed a Masters degree in 1996. His mentor, Prof Siegfried Drewes, inspired a passion for the chemistry of Africa’s plants. After discovering the potential of some of these plants in skin care, Trevor formulated and founded Esse. Work on Esse began in 2000 with research into Kigelia africana, the African Sausage tree. After two years of formulating, Esse was born in 2002.

Trevor is passionate about the skin microbiome, sustainable living and preserving Africa’s biodiversity. He surfs, plays squash and practices yoga. He lives on a farm in Richmond, South Africa with his wife and children. “I would like to play a part in creating a beautiful, indefinitely sustainable future,” he says “Esse will continue on its path to build more effective and more sustainable products”.

HISTORY
Esse means ‘to be’ in Latin.

The brand initially established itself in the nascent organic skincare market in South Africa.

In 2009, the company began its move into probiotic skincare. Early findings from the Human Microbiome Project started to shift the conventional view of skin and Esse began to see skin as an ecology of human and microbial cells and the process of incorporating this new view into the formulation of its products began.

The company actively researches the application of new probiotic species and delivery methods to combat ageing and optimise skin health.

Our Ranges

Our premium probiotic range and the world’s most advanced probiotic anti-ageing products.

Organic and probiotic active ingredients that calm and heal reactive skins.

Our core organic range with probiotic support to boost your skin’s microbiome.

I AM PROBIOTIC

Probiotics are live microbes that are good for you. You might already use them for gut health, but they are just as relevant for skin.

The Esse Skincare lab develops new probiotics that can shift the microbial ecology on your skin to favour a diverse ecosystem that is healthy enough to protect you from pathogens and slow the rate of inflammation-related ageing.

Esse products seed the skin with live probiotic microbes that out-compete pro-ageing species and feed with prebiotic nutrients to advantage microbes that improve the microbial ecology on the skin.

Synthetic chemicals pollute the skin’s ecosystem, so our products are certified organic by Ecocert. We believe that mindful products are a step towards an indefinitely sustainable and beautiful future.
FEATURED PRODUCTS
FOUNDATION - SPF 30, organic and probiotic
SUNSCREEN - Coral reef friendly, SPF 30
SENSITIVE CLEANSER - Soothing and calming
AGELESS SERUM - Ultimate firming and lifting

PROBIOTIC SKINCARE
Esse is different. We create an environment on the skin that favours the growth of beneficial microbes.
CERTIFIED ORGANIC   |   CRUELTY FREE   |   VEGAN   |   CARBON NEUTRAL
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