Your Shelf · New · Esse
Helen’s note
Instead of roughly rubbing products in, use slow, mindful touch. Gentle pressure activates the sensory nerves in your skin that signal safety to your brain, lowering your stress response.
Helen Ritchie, skin professional
Esse
Barrier Rescue
£108 80ml
For skin that’s gone past dry. Propionic acid, made by fermentation, reduces water loss and keeps the microbiome in balance, ceramide NP rebuilds the lipids that hold the barrier together, castor seed oil calms redness and discomfort, and postbiotics support firmness, hydration and recovery. Rich enough to rescue, but not heavy or greasy. Press it onto dry patches on the face or body as often as you need.
Key ingredients
Propionic acid
Made by fermentation. Reduces transepidermal water loss and supports a balanced, healthy skin microbiome.
Ceramide 3 (NP)
Restores skin’s own lipid matrix for stronger, longer-lasting barrier integrity.
Castor seed oil (ricinoleic acid)
Calms visible redness, sensitivity and discomfort while supporting barrier recovery.
Postbiotics
Improve firmness and elasticity, support skin recovery and hydrate.
Aloe vera and jojoba
The organic base: aloe soothes and jojoba mirrors skin’s own oils.
Prebiotics (inulin, alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, yacon root)
Feed the good bacteria so the microbiome stays balanced.
COSMOS Organic certified. 99% natural origin.
If your skin is extremely dry, flaky, sore or reactive, on the face or the body.
What to expect
- Instant comfort for dry, tight, flaky skin
- Less redness and discomfort
- A stronger barrier that holds on to moisture
- Calm skin that stays comfortable, never greasy
How to use
Full ingredients
About Esse
Developed by Trevor Steyn in South Africa. Microbiome-first: live probiotics and plant actives that work with your skin’s own ecosystem, never against it.
Conscious
Plastic neutral with CleanHub.
Delivery
The routine
Where this fits
Step 1Cleanse
Never strip. Even oily skin needs a cleanser that leaves it comfortable. If you feel tight afterwards, it’s the wrong one.
Shop cleansers →Step 2Balance
Mists, toners and probiotics settle skin after cleansing, so everything that follows works harder.
Shop balance →Step 3Treat
Your targeted serums. Layer thinnest to thickest, and keep vitamin A for the evening.
Shop serums →Step 4Protect
Daily SPF, every single day. The most effective anti-ageing step there is.
Shop SPF →Step 5RecoverYou’re here
Moisturise to lock it all in, and give skin what it needs to repair overnight.
Shop moisturisers →Shop oils and balms →Shop masks →Shop exfoliators →Step by step
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