In 2002, green chemist Trevor Steyn launched Esse, a skincare brand taking its name from the Latin word “to be.” His Richmond, South Africa-based company, which has retailers in the US, offered refrigerated, preservative-free, organic moisturizers with African actives. Esse expanded over years, and then embarked on a major reformulation project in 2009 when the Human Microbiome Project revealed skin’s dependency on the microbial ecosystem. To capitalize on this discovery, Esse launched formulas with prebiotics, and postbiotics three years later.

Today, a team of nine researchers with a passion for plumbing the skin’s complex microbiome ponder questions like: which microbes have a strong effect on the skin’s immune system and what are the best microbes for building barrier function?

For Esse, less is more when it comes to sustaining a healthy and balanced skin microbiome. The brand – which touts anti-aging offerings for all skin types – aims to minimize cleansing routines to keep the microbiome intact.

Probing the Probiotic Skincare Approach

Probiotics are at the heart of Esse Skincare’s formulations. Its range of moisturizers, exfoliators, toners, cleansers, serums and more comprise probiotic and prebiotic active ingredients in organic formulations that feed and shield skin, according to the company.

According to market research firm Technavio, the global probiotic cosmetic products market – whose current size is $1.54 billion – is estimated to grow by $560.7 million from 2023 to 2027 at a CAGR of 5.32%.

Increasing consumer awareness about the skin health benefits of probiotics is propelling the market’s growth, analysts say, with antibacterial and anti-aging properties key market trends. Skin-loving probiotics in the form of cleansers, toners and moisturizers are popular in this category.

One of Esse’s bestsellers is its Sensitive Cleanser. The pH-balanced, cream-based cleanser was formulated to minimize irritation while effectively removing makeup. Steyn says the brand generally avoids producing foam-based cleansers as the surfactant can cause irritation.

“While it’s great for removing oil from skin, you have to bear two things in mind,” explained Steyn. “The natural oil we produce on skin is the primary nutrient source for the microbiome. Human sebum contains Sapienic acid. A cream-based cleanser will emulsify far less of those oils off the skin.”

Another hero product is Esse Ageless Serum, which launched in 2015.

Per Steyn, the anti-aging serum contains live probiotic bacteria in the range of one billion units per millimeter of product. A consortium of three lactobacillus species targets skin firming. The product is clinically proven to improve skin firmness by 16%, based on results from a 28-day study.

While product contents are important to skin health, water temperature is equally key. Steyn recommends washing with lukewarm water to avoid stripping the skin of its natural oils.

“Sebum itself is beautifully attuned to our normal skin temperature; it melts at about 32 degrees Celsius,” he said. “Using hot water is probably melting sebum and removing more than it should.”

Uncoiling the ‘Rewilding’ Process

In Esse’s studies of the skin microbiome, geography plays role in the health of the skin microbiome. Inhabitants of developing countries, Steyn said, have a more robust and diverse skin microbiome given their daily exposure to soil, plants and natural bodies of water compared to those in industrialized nations. Geography impacts skin health because the ecosystems are healthier and resistant to change, he added.

“If you start losing your microbial partners, your [skin] end ups compromised and vulnerable in [its] barrier function,” Steyn explained.

Esse works to retrieve those microbes back onto skin using the probiotic approach. This “rewilding” includes delivering high numbers of live microbes to offset the adverse effects urban lifestyles have on skin, according to the brand.

Steyn said the biggest threat to the microbiome is over-cleansing.

“The skincare industry has a strip-and-replace approach: they try to strip the natural oils and the microbiome off skin with harsh cleansing products and then replace them with manmade alternatives,” said Steyn. “We believe skin shouldn’t be subjected to that sort of treatment. In general, we’re working with the microbiome and with the body as much as possible. We believe skin should be robust and diverse. It shouldn’t be stripped and sterile. I think over time, we’ll see [that] much like gut health, the skin microbiome will be seen as crucial to optimizing skin health and slowing aging.”