Esse Organic Skincare: Clay Mask Review

Till about half a year ago, the only clay mask that I ever had in my beauty shelf was the cult favourite, St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask. It's my very, very old friend (I'm so not kidding!) and so, I will use it as a point of reference here.

This Esse Clay Mask is a new friend but I'm not saying that I've abandoned my old one - I still visit it now and then. This is the last of the products that Esse Netherlands sent me back in June and since receiving it, I've been using it averagely once in 10-14 days. Esse recommends using it weekly.

According to Esse
This purifying and nourishing clay mask will not leave the skin feeling dry.

Kaolin and Bentonite clays gently draw out impurities and heavy metal toxins associated with environmental and dietary pollution. Olive leaf extract improves elasticity and hydrates tired skin.

• 100% of the total ingredients are from Natural Origin
• 75.5% of the total ingredients are from Organic Farming

Price: €24.70 for 50ml (housed in an amber glass jar)

Ingredients
Water, Rooibos Leaf Extract*, Glycerin*, Kaolin, Coconut Oil*, Bentonite, Shea Fruit Oil*, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Olive Fruit Oil Unsaponifiables, Olive Leaf Extract, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Lavender Oil*, Ylang Ylang Flower Oil*, Citric Acid, Cape Chamomile Leaf Oil, Spearmint Leaf Oil*

* from organic farming

My Thoughts
Scent
Let's just say the smell has more character than that of the clay mask from St. Ives. It smells faintly raw and earthy but for the most part, the clay mask smells strangely nice. It's sweet, it's minty and almost medicinal in a pleasant way.

Colour and Texture
The clay mask has a lovely colour, a fashionable shade, if I may say so. It's not your average grey, it's not light blue. It's a light taupe. I know this is of no consequence but it does make a refreshing change for me after years and years of baby blue.

The feel and texture isn't that different from the one from St. Ives - smooth, thick, heavy paste.

Application
Esse says: Apply a generous layer to the face and décolleté. Be careful not to incorporate water into the jar. Allow to set in for 5-10 minutes. Gently wipe away with a wrung out warm face towel. Rinse with warm water.

I don't apply a very thick layer (thinner than in the photo below). I apply it on slightly damp skin and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. There is a cool sensation upon application but that doesn't last long.

This Esse Clay Mask dries slowly and it does not dry to a crust like the one from St. Ives. On the contrary. It feels like soap lather that has been left to dry on the skin. The skin feels only marginally tight. It's nothing like the tight feeling that you get when the St. Ives mask dries.

Efficacy
With all the natural oils in the formula, it does leave the skin a bit oily after the mask is rinsed off (but not as oily as with the Esse Cocoa Exfoliator). After towelling off, the skin feels just right - clean, plump and moisturised. However, I don't see it as a mask that will remove blackheads and reduce pore size. I haven't noticed any difference in those aspects but to be fair, Esse never made such promises in the product blurb. It deep-cleanses the skin. As Esse says, it's a detoxifying and nourishing clay mask.

Final Words
I like this Esse Clay Mask but in a different way from how I like the St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask. These two are different creatures. The one from St. Ives is like a straight-talking friend, one who will tell it like it is. The clay mask from Esse is like a caring and nurturing friend, one who is always looking out for you.

Well, I'm keeping both friends.


More information:
Esse has a second type of mask in its range, the Esse Cream Mask (right), which happens to be the first ever Esse product I tried last year. The Cream Mask is meant for mature, dehydrated skin (it's seriously hydrating, great for skin SOS situations too) while the Clay Mask detoxifies and is suitable for all skin types.

To read more about this South African brand (practices, ethos, etc), please check my previous posts on Brand: Esse Organic Skincare

Esse Organic Skincare website
Esse Netherlands

Esse Organic Skincare: Trial Pack Review

Esse says:
A selection of 5 miniature products, ideal for travel, as a gift or to try the range. Presented in a wooden box handmade as part of a community development project in KZN (KwaZulu-Natal - a province of South Africa).

The Esse Oily/Combination Skin - Trial Pack contains

10ml Cream Cleanser
10ml Gel Cleanser
10ml Toner
5ml Cocoa Exfoliator
5ml Deep Moisturiser

Price: €22.50

There is another Trial Pack for Dry/Senstive skin. It contains the same first three products, plus 5ml Cream Mask (full-size version reviewed here) and 5ml Ultra Moisturiser.

I read that the elegant wooden box is made of cypress. All the products are housed in glass bottles and mini jars.

I received this Trial Pack from Esse Netherlands in June and I've been using these cute minis on and off. I decided to spread the use out over a longer period, interspersing these with my usual facial products, instead of using this set intensively for a short period of say, a week. The latter would have meant a total and sudden revamp of my facial cleansing routine and I wasn't brave enough to put my skin through that change (problem skin, remember?).

As these are mini-size products, this will be a simple review, or if you prefer, a feature. However, one of the products has already been reviewed indepth - Cocoa Exfoliator.

Here's a quick look at the individual minis (words in italics are from the Esse website):

Esse Cream Cleanser

- gently and effectively removes dirt and make-up by binding with oil-based impurities allowing them to be rinsed away.

Ingredients
Rooibos Extract*, Decyl Glucoside, Jojoba Seed Oil*, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Leuconostoc/Rasish Root Ferment Filtrate, Baobab Seed Oil*, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Tragacanth (Astragalus Gummifer) Gum, Geranium Leaf Oil*, Palmarosa Oil*, Caraway Oil*, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Spearmint Leaf Oil*

* from organic farming

My thoughts
• pale caramel colour
• light texture
• not much lather
• smells earthy, sweet and of rooibos
• removes foundation makeup well


Esse Gel Cleanser

A foaming, tingling wash that deep cleanses without drying.

Peppermint and Spearmint oils refresh and improve micro-circulation to aid in the elimination of toxins. pH balanced at 4.5 and uses mild biodegradable surfactants made from coconut oil and glucose. Additional Uses:

• Can be used as a body wash
• Safe to use on acne affected skins

Ingredients
Rooibos Extract*, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Marula Seed Oil*, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Spearmint Leave Oil*, Peppermint Leaf Oil*, Honeybush Leave Extract*, Caraway Leaf Oil*, Tocopherol, Rosemary Leaf Oil*

* from organic farming

My thoughts
• brown colour (like rooibos tea)
• thick-ish gel texture
• lathers a bit more than the Cream Cleanser
• smells earthy and like sweetened toothpaste
• cleanses very well, no tightness afterwards


Esse Toner

- completes the cleansing process with actives to revitalize, protect and improve skin texture.

Rooibos Extract provides potent antioxidant activity. Olive leave extract combats the negative effects of pollution and reduces sun damage. Additional Uses: Can be sprayed over make-up to freshen and re-hydrate throughout the day.

Ingredients
Aqua, Rose Flower Water, Rooibos Extract*, Glycerin, Olive Leaf Extract, Vanilla Seed Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.

* from organic farming

My thoughts
• the colour of weak rooibos tea
• watery (like most toners)
• smells very sweet and of rooibos
• worked all right


Esse Cocoa Exfoliator

Please refer to my detailed review of the full-size version of the Esse Cocoa Exfoliator.


Esse Deep Moisturiser

- will moisturise and maintain balance without leaving greasy residues or dry areas.

Ylang Ylang’s balancing effect stabilises both oily and dry skin patches creating an even skin state. Honeybush is included for its anti-aging, anti-oxidant and healing properties.

Ingredients
Rooibos Extract*, Jojoba Seed Oil*, Marula Seed Oil*, Aqua, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Olive Fruit Oil Unsaponifiables, Manketti Seed Oil, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Tragacanth (Astragalus Gummifer) Gum, Geranium Leaf Oil*, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Baobab Fruit Extract, Cape Chamomile Leaf Oil, Sutherlandia Frutescens Leaf Extract, Honeybush Leaf Extract*, Olive Leaf Extract, Ylang Ylang Flower Oil*, Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Grape Seed Extract, Vanilla Seed Extract, Citric Acid, Spearmint Leaf Oil*

*from organic farming

My thoughts
• light beige colour
• light, thin-ish, non-oily texture
• smells earthy, mildly sweet and of rooibos
• absorbs into skin quickly (within one minute)
• only mildly moisturising


You would have noticed that there are a few things common across many of Esse's products: the rooibos ingredient, the general colour and the earthy scent. On the whole, I'm fine with these products, albeit it's just a mini trial pack. I especially like both the cleansers. The only one that I was less than satisfied with was the Deep Moisturiser. My skin didn't find it moisturising enough.


About Esse Organic Skincare
Esse Organic Skincare was founded in 2001 by a South African chemist, Trevor Steyn. I've mentioned this before but here's a quick reminder of its ethos for those who are not familiar with Esse (pronounced es).

The South African brand

• harnesses the rich plant diversity of Africa
• subscribes to the organic standards of ECOCERT
• is an accredited Good Partner of PhytoTrade Africa (a Fair Trade movement)
• does not test on animals
• is accredited by Beauty Without Cruelty
• is endorsed by the Vegan Society
• uses no parabens, no petrochemicals, no synthetic fragrance and colourants
• uses recyclable glass packaging.

The beautiful lining in the wooden box

Here's a quote from Esse's Facebook which refers to the wooden boxes used to house the Esse Trial Packs:

One of Esse’s philosophies is to ensure that local communities benefit from the sale of its products. Through the use of hand crafted packaging items and community sourced indigenous ingredients, Esse offers back to communities and the environment through fair trade practices.

I found a two-part video on Youtube which I think is useful and informative if you'd like to learn more about Esse Organic Skincare and the believes of Mr Steyn.

Video Part I
Video Part II

Note: The information provided here is from research carried out on my own initiative.


Further reading:
All my posts on Brand: Esse Organic Skincare
Esse Organic Skincare website

I've been informed that Esse Netherlands provides international shipping.

Esse Organic Skincare: Cocoa Exfoliator Review

First impression: Hmmm, it doesn't look very enticing.

Second impression: Hey, it really smells like dessert!

Okay, let me describe the Cocoa Exfoliator this way: It looks almost as dark as Marmite (or Vegemite). The texture is grainy and the consistency is like something between a jam and a paste. The scent has got to be the icing on the cake. It smells like refrigerated dessert. It reminds me of sweet cocoa jelly with strong vanilla accents and this is why:

Ingredients
Glycerin, Sucrose, Cocoa Powder, Sesame Seed Oil*, Coconut Oil*, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Marula Seed Oil*, Manketti Seed Oil, Vanilla Seed Extract, Geranium Leaf Oil*, Tocopherol, Vanilla Seed Oil, Ylang Ylang Flower Oil*.

* ingredients from organic farming

It's funny I can't detect the unmistakable smell of sesame seed oil.

This 50ml jar of Esse Organic Skincare Cocoa Exfoliator was one of the items kindly sent to me by Esse Netherlands to try a few months back. I've been using this delectable dessert facial exfoliator for three months, sometimes once a week, sometimes twice. As with other Esse products, this is housed in a recyclable amber glass jar. Retail price: €21.80. Esse products are made in South Africa, the home country of Esse Organic Skincare.

According to Esse
A delectable exfoliation experience for all skin types.

Fine cocoa particles polish and refine the skin’s surface and flavanoids help protect against future sun damage. Wild sourced African oils provide slip and nourishment.

Additonal Information: Treat hands and feet to a gentle exfoliation.

• 100% of the total ingredients are from Natural Origin
• 56.5% of the total ingredients are from Organic Farming

My Experience
It's best to keep water out of the paste to preserve its integrity, hence the accompanying spatula. I use it after cleansing the face. The instruction is to soften a generous scoop of the exfoliator with a few drops of water and exfoliate in gentle circular motions. The grains are quite fine but offering just the right 'scrub' factor. They feel like fine grains of sugar but as you would have read above, they're fine cocoa particles.

It took me a couple of uses to figure out just the right amount of water to add to the right amount of paste. If it's too dry, it gets very difficult to spread the paste on the face and the cocoa particles feel too harsh on the skin. If it's too wet, the exfoliator becomes runny and the cocoa particles dissolve too soon before I can do any proper scrubbing. Once the right balance is struck, it's scrub heaven! And I'm not saying that just because I was sent this.

What is so nice about it?

• The dessert scent - seriously sweet and fragrant from the cocoa and vanilla (and probably ylang ylang too). For the record, this cocoa scent does not smell like the cocoa butter of say, Palmer's products (which I don't fancy). It's a lot more 'prettier' and dessert-like. In between exfoliating, I would cup my hands over my nose to take in the whole scent. Life's short. It's good to stop and smell the cocoa/vanilla.

• It exfoliates very well. Once you get the right paste:water ratio, you can keep exfoliating for a good few minutes before the cocoa particles finally dissolve or melt from the heat of the hands. I don't wash it off as soon as the grains are gone. Instead, I use this opportunity to give my face a good leisurely massage (upward and circular motions) with whatever that remains of the paste.

• It's a very moisturising exfoliator. I mean, have you seen the oils on the list of ingredients? It's very nourishing, so I can imagine those with very oily skin may find it too rich. That would have been the case for me too a few years ago. Still, Esse claims it's suitable for all skin types. For the state of my skin now, it's just perfect. After rinsing the exfoliator off with warm water, my face feels quite oily, which I didn't like initially. However, the real effect is felt after dabbing the face dry - the skin feels clean, polished, very soft and plumped. It certainly helps to perk up dry, dull skin.

I love concluding the whole experience with a moisturiser that I think goes perfectly with this Cocoa Exfoliator - MuLondon Organic White Chocolate Truffle Moisturiser. They make the perfect combination. Although they both smell of cocoa-vanilla, the exfoliator from Esse comes across as much, much sweeter. I just need a thin layer of this particular MuLondon moisturiser and my skin is good till morning.

I would be lying if I said that I wasn't tempted to taste this Esse Cocoa Exfoliator. I shan't lie. I did lick it once.

Okay, okay, twice.

Sugar, cocoa and vanilla. A sweet dessert it certainly is. Just remember to use it on the skin.


More information
My posts on Esse: Brand: Esse Organic Skincare
Esse websites
- South Africa
- Netherlands

Esse Netherlands provides international shipping.

Esse Organic Skincare: Rich Body Moisturiser Review

Way back in March, I had written a review on a Cream Mask from a South African skincare brand called Esse Organic Skincare. It's unfortunately not a very well-known brand outside of South Africa but I believe it's slowly but surely making inroads into the European market.

To be honest, I think this is a brand that deserves more mention. If all its claims are to be believed, Esse does sound like a great natural, organic skincare brand as it addresses all the right concerns of many health- and ethics-conscious consumers of today. Here are just a few keywords as a reminder: natural, organic, ECOCERT, cruelty-free, vegan, Fair Trade, PhytoTrade, paraben-free and preservative-free, amongst others.

A couple of months ago, Esse Netherlands kindly sent me a few products to try. If you've been following my writings long enough, you would know that natural and organic products are right up my alley, so I was curious to find out how I would get on with some other Esse products.

The first one to be featured is the Esse Rich Body Moisturiser.

Esse offers two types of body moisturisers - Light and Rich - and each is available in two sizes. The Rich Body Moisturiser retails for €20.80 (100ml) and €32.40 (200ml). This moisturiser comes in a recyclable amber glass bottle with a locking pump.

What Esse says about the Rich Body Moisturiser
An ideal treatment for dehydrated skin suffering the ravages of dry weather.

Yangu and Manketti oils are included for their UV barrier function. Rooibos extract enhances vitamin C production and eases bruising. Hydrating Marula Oil is rich in Omega 6.

Additional uses:
Massage into hands after every wash taking extra care to the skin around the nails.

Esse uses many African botanical ingredients in its products, so it's common to see names like Rooibos, Marula and Yangu in the ingredients list of its products.

Ingredients
Water, Jojoba Seed Oil*, Rooibos Extract*, Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, Glycerin, Marula Seed Oil*, Yangu Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Manketti Seed Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Xanthan Gum, Tragacanth (Astragalus Gummifer) Gum, Olive Fruit Oil, Olive Fruit Oil Unsaponifiables, Benzyl Alcohol, Geranium Leaf Oil*, Dehydroacetic Acid, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Orange Wood Oil*, Grape Seed Extract, Citric Acid, Spearmint Leaf Oil*

* ingredients from organic farming

On the box, it says that
•99.5% of the total ingredients are from natural origin
•86.9% of the total ingredients proceed from organic agriculture

My Thoughts
Scent
Lovely scent. The moisturiser smells sweet, earthy and of rooibos. The usually strong scent of spearmint is surprisingly subtle here. You can still catch a whiff of the sweet earthy scent some hours after application.

Texture
It's a light caramel colour and of moderately thick consistency.

Efficacy
To put it to the ultimate test, I used this moisturiser mainly on my chest area and upper back as those are the driest and most problematic areas of my body. Of all the body moisturisers I've tried in the past few years, only two have worked on these problem areas: one contains urea, and the other frankincense and myrrh.

This Esse moisturiser may be called "rich" but I consider it a mild one. It could juuust about keep my problem areas from deteriorating to dry, rough skin. So, it worked OK. However, on other parts of my body with normal skin, it worked well.

Last Words
I find the sweet earthy scent very agreeable and as is usual of botanical skincare products, this is a mild body moisturiser. I think it's a bonus that two of the ingredients (Yangu and Manketti oils) act as UV barriers (although no SPF is indicated). I've almost finished my 100ml bottle after two month's regular use mostly on my problem areas. If you used it intensively on your whole body, I think you'd reach the bottom much sooner.


More information:
Review of the Esse Cream Mask
Esse websites
- South Africa
- Netherlands

I've been told that Esse Netherlands does offer shipping to countries outside of the Netherlands.

Esse Organic Skincare: Cream Mask Review

Esse Organic Skincare is not a brand that we often hear of. It's a South African skincare brand that embraces natural and organic ingredients.

I had a look at its website and the impression I get is that it's one perfect natural skincare brand, assuming you can believe everything you read. It's a pretty well-crafted website with smooth marketing talk. Don't take that as sarcasm though. The website is rich with information and advice about skincare. Even though there isn't much information about the origins of Esse, there is a great deal about its accreditations and its ethics - all good.

Esse:

• harnesses the amazing plant diversity of Africa
• subscribes to the organic standards of ECOCERT
• is an accredited partner of PhytoTrade Africa (a Fair Trade movement)
• does not test on animals
• is endorsed by the Vegan Society
• uses no parabens, no petrochemicals, no synthetic fragrance and colourants
• uses recyclable glass packaging

I'm all ears!

I got this jar of cream mask from a friend who bought it but discovered that she didn't like its scent soon afterward. The mask is housed in a dark glass packaging. I got it a while back and my jar has a black cover. There is a new version of this mask on the website and it has a silver cover. It's priced at €37.50 for 50ml.

According to Esse

A mask to feed and nourish the most dehydrated skins.
Contains stable and available sources of vitamins A, B, C and E which have been shown to improve skin structure, reduce pigmentation and aid cell regeneration.

Additional uses:
Use to reduce pigmentation marks – apply thin layer and leave overnight. Use twice weekly for this application.

98.5% of the total ingredients are from Natural Origin
69.6% of the total ingredients are from Organic Farming

Ingredients
I cross-checked the ingredients list on my box with that of the current version on the website. There were slight differences: two are no longer there, and a new ingredient (Radish Root Ferment Filtrate) has been introduced. Here's the current list:

Water, Coconut Oil*, Glycerin, Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Olive Fruit Oil Unsaponifiables, Jojoba Seed Oil*, Rooibos Extract*, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Olive Leaf Extract*, Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Aloe Leaf Extract, Kigelia Africana Fruit Etract, Hyaluronic Acid, Geranium Leaf Oil*, Ylang Ylang Flower Oil*, Rosemary Leaf Oil*, Lavender Flower Oil*, Sutherlandia Frutescens Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid.
* certified organic ingredients

The names Kigelia africana and Sutherlandia frutescens are new to me. Both the plants are native to Africa where they are used for medicinal purposes.

My Thoughts
Scent
My friend didn't like the smell, but I do! Ain't that funny? It has a typical herbal scent, delicately sweet. It's a kind of aromatherapy for me.

Texture
It is a non-sticky, non-oily, thick, smooth paste of a light caramel colour.

Uses
As always, I did a patch test first before proceeding.

I've tried this cream mask as it was intended to be: applied a generous layer, left on for ten minutes, then washed off with warm water. Twice a week. It's a cream mask, so it won't dry on the face like clay masks would.

When I got braver, I started using this as a kind of night moisturiser, first, twice a week and subsequently, on alternate nights: applied a thin layer on the whole face, left on overnight like a normal moisturiser.

Effectiveness
I have combination skin and where it's dry, it's very dry. As a mask, I thought this cream mask was so-so.

That's why I switched it up and started using it as a night moisturiser on alternate evenings (and also because I really love the herbal scent). In the morning, my skin feels soft and hydrated. I've been doing this for about three months now and while it hydrates my skin well, it didn't do anything to reduce my pigmentation spots.

Last Words
I'm using this as much more of a moisturiser than Esse intended it to be. Well, if it works for me as a moisturiser and it doesn't cause any problems, why not? I do recommend this cream mask, but problem is, I'm wondering where one can buy Esse products outside of South Africa and the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, they can be purchased through its online shop and, I think, also some beauty salons. In South Africa, it's also through beauty salons, but I couldn't find any information on its accessibility in other parts of the world. Esse has body care products in its range too, by the way.


More information:
Esse Organic Skincare website (South Africa)
Esse Organic Skincare website (Netherlands)