Esente Skincare

Short answer: Oil is a normal part of skin, and oily skin is a skin type, not a fault to scrub away. How much oil you make is shaped largely by genetics and hormones, and it tends to change with age and climate. Harsh cleansers and scrubbing do not switch it off; they tend to leave skin tight and irritated while the shine comes back anyway. A suitable, gentle cleanser, a toner selected for your skin, a moisturizer your skin finds comfortable, daytime sun protection and blotting during the day usually serve oily skin well.

Much of caring for oily skin comes down to the right cleanser and a gentle hand: lukewarm water and light pressure.

What skin oil is for

Oil, or sebum, comes from small glands that open into the pores. It helps keep the surface of healthy skin soft and helps reduce water loss. Some people make more than others, and oil glands are larger and more numerous on areas such as the forehead and chin.

The amount is shaped largely by genetics and hormones. It can rise and fall across life, and it tends to decrease with age. Hot, humid weather can make skin feel oilier, and a cold, dry spell can make the same skin feel tighter.

Why stripping it backfires

You will often read that stripping skin makes it produce more oil to compensate. Dermatology guidance on oily skin does warn that scrubbing can irritate the skin and may lead to more oil. What is clear is that harsh cleansing, hot water and heavy pressure can leave skin tight and irritated, and the oil comes back through the day anyway.

Oily skin can also be short of water at the surface, and harsh cleansing makes that more likely. Dehydrated Skin vs Dry Skin explains how a face can be shiny and tight at the same time.

Cleansing without stripping

The right cleanser. Choose a cleanser suited to your skin and use it according to its directions. With lukewarm water and light pressure, it removes oil, sunscreen and the day’s dirt without taking everything with them. Pat dry rather than rub. Foam tells you nothing about whether a cleanser is gentle or suits oily skin; the complete formulation decides that. Why Your Cleanser Matters covers how to judge one.

The evening cleanse. It takes off everything the day put on your skin. Remove eye makeup first with a dedicated eye makeup remover, then cleanse your face, and go to bed with a completely clean face.

Morning, if your skin wants it. General dermatology guidance is to cleanse up to twice a day and after sweating. Esenté’s approach for most skin is a morning warm-water rinse after a thorough evening cleanse, with a morning cleanser for skin that wants one, which often includes oilier skin. Watch how your skin behaves over several days to judge which suits you. How Often Should You Wash Your Face? goes into this.

After sweating. Cleansing again after exercise or a hot, sweaty day makes sense, particularly if you were wearing sunscreen or makeup.

Toner and moisturizer

A toner selected for you. Toners can be appropriate for every skin type, oily skin included. Cleansing and toning are separate but complementary steps. Which toner suits you, and how often you use it, depends on your skin and the product’s directions.

Moisturizer still matters. Skin that makes plenty of oil can still be short of water at the surface. Choose a moisturizer your skin finds comfortable. Many people with oilier skin prefer a lighter texture, but texture does not decide suitability. Apply it to clean skin with clean fingertips, according to its directions.

During the day

Blot between cleanses. Blotting papers pressed gently against the skin lift surface oil without dragging or spreading it. Washing your face repeatedly through the day, when you have not been sweating, tends to leave it irritated rather than less shiny.

Keep your hands off. Touching your face moves oil and dirt around.

Daytime sun protection. Oily skin needs it as much as any other type. Broad-spectrum sunscreens vary widely in how they feel, so choose one you are happy to wear daily and follow the label directions, including reapplication. Do You Need Sunscreen Every Day? makes the case.

Exfoliation and pores

Oily skin often shows more visible pores, and exfoliation can make them look less obvious when your skin needs it. More often is not better. There is no universal schedule: the interval depends on your skin’s condition, your age, the method and how your skin responds. Avoid combining multiple exfoliating products unless their directions or your skincare professional specifically recommend doing so, and do not exfoliate skin that is currently irritated. How Often Should You Exfoliate? and Large Pores cover both in detail.

Oily skin and breakouts

Oily skin and breakouts are often discussed together, but this article covers everyday care for oily skin, not acne. Breakouts that are persistent, painful or leave marks are worth a dermatologist’s opinion.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria’s preferred approach is gentle cleansing with a professional facial sponge, used with an appropriate cleanser, lukewarm water and light pressure. Esenté does not recommend automatic bristled facial cleansing devices for routine cleansing, because their firmness and pressure can cause unintended mechanical exfoliation. Esenté also regards the cleanser as a vital step.

For oily skin, the Citrisal Purifying Cleanser is an example from the Esenté range. Other Esenté formulations may also suit oily skin, depending on your individual regimen. Follow its directions, which include keeping it away from the eye area. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. Unsure which cleanser or toner suits your skin? Ask through the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: In skincare, “dry” usually describes a skin type that makes relatively little oil, so it tends to feel tight, rough or flaky much of the time. “Dehydrated” describes a temporary condition where the surface is short of water, and any skin type can have it, oily included. The clue is behavior over time: dry skin tends to stay that way, while dehydration comes and goes with hot water, harsh cleansing, dry air and weather. Both respond to gentle cleansing and a suitable moisturizer applied to clean skin. Your skin’s pattern over several ordinary days is the better guide.

Shine is a poor clue on its own, because skin can be oily and short of water at once.

Two words, used in two ways

In medicine, “dry skin” is a broad term for skin that lacks enough moisture to feel soft, whatever the cause. The split between “dry” and “dehydrated” is a skincare shorthand rather than a medical diagnosis, and the two overlap.

Dry, as a type, means skin that makes relatively little oil. It is shaped by your genes and your age, and it tends to be there most of the time.

Dehydrated, as a condition, means the surface is short of water. It depends on what is happening to your skin now: your cleanser, the water temperature, the air around you. It can happen to any type, including skin that is shiny by lunchtime.

How to Tell Your Skin Type covers how to observe your type.

Signs that point toward each

These are common patterns, not a diagnosis, and many people have both.

Pointing toward dry:

• Skin feels tight or rough most days, whatever the season.
• Flaking or rough patches, often on the cheeks.
• Little or no shine anywhere, even late in the day.

Pointing toward dehydrated:

• Skin feels tight but can still look shiny in places.
• It looks dull and a little flat.
• Fine lines appear more obvious than usual and soften after a moisturizer.
• It comes and goes: worse after a hot shower, a harsh cleanse, a flight or a spell of dry weather, better when those change.

What leaves skin short of water

Water leaves the skin’s outer layer all the time. Some things speed that up.

Hot water and long showers. Hot water can take oil from the surface.

Harsh or frequent cleansing. A cleanser that leaves skin squeaky and tight has taken more than it needed to. Why Your Cleanser Matters covers how to judge one.

Over-exfoliating. Exfoliating beyond what your skin tolerates can leave the surface tight and reactive.

Dry air, wind and sun. Cold, windy weather, very dry climates, indoor heating, air conditioning and aircraft cabins can all add to water loss from exposed skin.

What helps each

The foundation is the same for both, with each product used according to its directions.

Cleanse gently. Lukewarm water, a gentle cleanser, light pressure, and pat dry rather than rub. In the evening, remove eye makeup with a dedicated eye makeup remover before you cleanse, and go to bed with a completely clean face. After a thorough evening cleanse, a morning warm-water rinse may be enough for some skin.

A toner or mist suited to you. Cleansing and toning are separate but complementary steps. Depending on its formulation, a toner or mist may contribute to how hydrated your skin feels; how much depends on the particular product and the rest of your routine.

A serum, if it suits your skin. A suitable hydrating serum may complement your moisturizer when used according to its directions. Hyaluronic Acid Is Not a Moisturizer explains how the two differ.

Moisturize clean skin. Apply moisturizer to clean skin with clean fingertips. A moisturizer usually combines ingredients that attract water with ingredients that soften the surface and slow water loss; Humectants, Emollients and Occlusives explains the three jobs.

Daytime sun protection. Finish the morning routine with it, following the label.

Mind the air. In particularly dry indoor environments, a humidifier may help increase the moisture in the air.

Dehydrated skin often settles once the cause changes. Dry skin tends to want this care year round.

Water you drink and water in your skin

Adequate fluid intake is part of looking after your health. It belongs alongside your skincare, the condition of your skin barrier and your environment, and no single one of them decides how hydrated your skin looks. Does Drinking Water Hydrate Your Skin? looks at the question in full.

When it is more than dryness

If dryness comes with persistent itching, cracking, bleeding, a rash, or patches that do not settle, see a dermatologist or other healthcare professional. Do not try to diagnose it yourself, and do not exfoliate skin that is cracked, sore or irritated.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria considers a toner or appropriate antioxidant mist after cleansing an important step for most skin. Any pH-support or hydration benefit depends on the particular formulation, so it is not something every toner or mist provides. Which one, and how often, depends on the individual. Her “less is best” approach applies to moisturizing too: use the appropriate amount and frequency of each product, applied to clean skin with clean fingertips according to its directions.

Esenté formulations for this part of a routine include the Hyaluronic Hydration Crème, a moisturizer, and Hydro Mist, an antioxidant spray. They are examples, and other Esenté formulations may suit your skin depending on your regimen. Follow the directions for each. The Hyaluronic Hydration Crème comes in a jar, so take it out with a clean spatula. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. Unsure whether your skin is dry or dehydrated? Ask on the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Morning puffiness is common and usually harmless. When you lie flat for hours, fluid can settle in the loose, thin tissue around the eyes, and it tends to ease once you have been upright for a while. A salty meal, a short or broken night, allergies, crying the evening before and age can all make it more noticeable. A clean, cool, damp cloth held gently under the eyes may help it look less noticeable. Swelling that is painful, lasting or affects one eye needs a professional. Most mornings, it is a nuisance that eases on its own.

Fluid settling while you lie flat is the usual story, and what helps depends on what is behind it.

Why it happens overnight

The tissue around the eyes is soft and thin, and fluid collects there more readily than in firmer parts of the face. When you lie flat for hours, some fluid settles around the eyes. Once you are up and moving, it usually starts to ease on its own, which is why puffiness is so often a morning complaint.

What makes it more noticeable

These are common contributors, not a complete list, and more than one can be involved on the same morning.

Salt. A salty meal, particularly late in the evening, can lead the body to hold on to fluid, and puffiness around the eyes is one place it can show.

Sleep. A short or broken night tends to make puffiness more noticeable the next morning.

Allergies. Seasonal or indoor allergies can make the eye area swollen and itchy, and rubbing adds to it. Ask a pharmacist or doctor about managing them.

Crying. Fluid collects under and around the eyes as you cry, and the swelling can still be there the next morning.

Age. The tissue and muscles that support the eyelids can weaken over time, and fluid can collect more readily below the eyes.

Genetics. Puffiness and under-eye bags can run in families.

Morning puffiness and bags that stay

Two different things get called puffy eyes. Morning puffiness comes and goes: it is there when you wake and fades as the day goes on. Bags that are there all day, every day, are usually a matter of structure. With age the tissue and muscles supporting the eyelids can weaken, and fat that normally sits around the eye can move forward into the lower lid.

Skincare does not move that fat or change the structure underneath. It can condition the skin over it. Constant fullness can also cast a shadow, and Dark Circles Under the Eyes covers that side of the picture. Professional treatments for the area are a separate class from home skincare, selected and administered by qualified practitioners.

What helps in the morning

A clean, cool, damp cloth. Wet a clean washcloth with cool water. Sitting upright, hold it gently under and around your eyes for a few minutes with light pressure. Keep it cool rather than cold.

An eye product suited to you. What an eye product can do depends on the cause of the puffiness, the formulation and how consistently you use it. A formulation made for the eye area can hydrate and condition the thin skin there, which may help the area look smoother and fresher. It will not change swelling that comes from allergies or a salty dinner. Apply it with a clean fingertip and follow the directions for the individual product. Do Eye Creams Work? explains what the category can do.

Time upright. Get up, move around, and give it time before judging how your eyes look.

The night before

Raise your head a little. An extra pillow, or raising the head of the mattress slightly, can help keep fluid from settling around the eyes overnight.

Watch the late salt. If puffiness follows salty dinners, that is useful information.

Sleep. Adequate sleep supports your overall health, and a rested face tends to look it. Sleep, Exercise and Your Skin looks at what sleep changes.

Remove eye makeup gently. Use a dedicated eye makeup remover before you cleanse your face, and go to bed with a completely clean face. Removal should never mean rubbing or scrubbing the thin skin around the eyes. How to Remove Makeup covers the steps.

When to see a professional

Ordinary morning puffiness does not need medical care. See a healthcare professional if the swelling is painful, does not go down, affects one eye only, keeps getting worse, or comes with itching, a rash, redness, discharge, headaches or any change in your vision. Do not try to work out the cause yourself.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria observes that diet, such as salty meals, and excess alcohol can be factors in morning puffiness for some people. They do not explain every person’s puffiness. For leave-on products around the eyes, her approach is clean fingertips and the directions for each formulation.

For the eye area, Esenté formulations include the DNA Eye Repair Gel from the Elite collection and the Defining Eye Silk from the Legacy collection. These are examples only, and other Esenté eye formulations may suit you depending on your regimen. Follow the directions for whichever you use. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. To ask how to apply an eye product you already own, use the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Dark circles have several common causes, and more than one is often at work: shadow from hollows that develop with age, extra pigment, blood vessels showing through thin skin, tiredness, rubbing and genetics. Which ones apply to you shapes what can change. A suitable eye product, used consistently, can improve the look of dryness around the eye, and some formulations are designed to improve the look of uneven tone. Daytime sun protection helps protect the area from further sun exposure.

A dark circle can be shade, pigment or a visible vessel, and each looks a little different in the mirror.

Why the under-eye area shows so much

The skin under your eyes is thin, and it can loosen and thin further with age, so whatever sits beneath it is closer to the surface than it would be on a cheek. Light matters too. The brow and the socket throw shadow downward, which is why the same face can look rested by a window and tired under a bathroom ceiling light.

The common causes

These are common causes, not a complete list, and they often overlap. Nothing here is a way to diagnose yourself.

Shadow from hollows. With age, the area under the eye can develop a hollow, sometimes called a tear trough, and puffy lower lids can cast a shadow of their own. What looks like dark skin is often shade.

Pigment. Some people have more pigment in the skin under the eyes. Sun exposure can add to it. This kind tends to look brown rather than blue or purple.

Visible blood vessels. As the skin thins and loosens with age, the vessels underneath can show through more, giving a bluish or purplish tone.

Tiredness. A short night can make circles look darker.

Rubbing. Itchy eyes lead to rubbing, and repeated rubbing of thin skin can darken the area. Ask a pharmacist or doctor about the itch.

Genetics. Circles can run in families.

Smoking and excessive alcohol use are also commonly listed.

What can help, cause by cause

The cause, and the formulation you choose, decide what a product can do.

Dryness. Dry skin around the eye can look crepey and more shadowed. An eye product that hydrates and conditions this thin skin can help it look smoother and reflect light more evenly, so dryness-related shadow may look less obvious.

Uneven tone and pigment. Some formulations are designed to improve the look of uneven tone with consistent use, on a timeline that varies with the cause, the product and the person. Daytime sun protection belongs alongside them. Dark Spots and Uneven Skin Tone covers realistic expectations.

Shadow and visible vessels. Hollows, the shape of the eye area and the vessels beneath the skin are anatomy. Skincare can improve the look of the skin over them, but it does not change what lies underneath. Professional treatments for the area are a separate class from home skincare, selected and administered by qualified practitioners.

Eye products differ in where and how they are applied, so follow the directions for the one you use. Apply it with a clean fingertip, and use a clean spatula for anything taken from an open jar. More product, or more frequent use, will not bring faster results. Do Eye Creams Work? goes through the whole category.

Sun, sleep and gentle habits

Sun protection. The under-eye area is easy to miss, and sun exposure can deepen pigment. Use daytime sun protection, and around the eyes follow the product label, which tells you to keep sunscreen out of the eyes. Sunglasses and a hat add shade in strong sun.

Sleep. Adequate sleep supports your overall health and helps your face look rested. Sleep, Exercise and Your Skin covers what sleep does and does not change.

Gentle makeup removal. In the evening, remove eye makeup with a dedicated eye makeup remover before you cleanse your face, and go to bed with a completely clean face. Removal should never mean scrubbing.

Concealer and light

Concealer changes how the area looks for the day and sits alongside your skincare, without addressing the causes underneath. If your eyes also look swollen first thing, Puffy Eyes in the Morning covers that separate question.

When to see a professional

If darkness or swelling appears under one eye only, appears suddenly, or comes with itching, pain, a rash or any change in your vision, see a healthcare professional. Do not try to work out the cause yourself.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria’s philosophy has always extended beyond what goes into a jar. “Mindful Living, Ageless Skin” reflects her belief that maintaining your best skin over a lifetime involves both appropriate skincare and thoughtful lifestyle habits. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, appropriate hydration, balanced nutrition and sensible sun protection all form part of that broader approach. None replaces a well-designed skincare regimen, and skincare doesn’t replace healthy living. When Victoria evaluates the appearance of the eye area, she also considers lifestyle factors such as sleep, hydration and sun exposure, rather than treating skincare products as the only consideration.

For the eye area, Esenté formulations include the Eye Contour Complex, the Defining Eye Serum and the Youthful Eyes Set. These are examples, and other Esenté formulations may suit your eye area depending on your regimen. For the Eye Contour Complex, follow its directions: after cleansing, gently pat a small amount around the entire orbital eye area with a clean fingertip, morning and night. Its directions also allow use around the lip area for fine lines. Do not extend that direction to other eye products, which have their own directions. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. Unsure which suits your circles? Ask through the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Lips dry out more easily than the rest of your face. The red part of the lips has a thin outer layer and no sweat glands, and it holds water less well than the skin of your cheek. With age, many people also notice lips looking thinner and fine lines forming around the mouth. Lip care fits naturally into a daily routine: a suitable lip product used as directed, gentle habits, and sun protection for the lips with a lip product that carries an SPF. Lips that stay cracked, sore or changed despite that care should be seen by a dermatologist.

Lips deserve a regular place in your routine, alongside the care you give the rest of your face.

Why lips dry out so easily

The skin of the lips is built differently from the skin of your cheek. The red part has a thin outer layer and no sweat glands, and it holds water less well than the surrounding skin.

In one study of Japanese women published in 2004, researchers compared the lips with the cheek in winter. They found that the lips lost water faster and held noticeably less of it at the surface. In cold wind, dry indoor air or on a long flight, lips are often quick to feel dry. Winter Skin covers the season when that is common.

Where lip care fits in your routine

Lip care fits beside the steps you already take for your face.

Daily care. A lip product that suits you, applied according to its directions, helps keep lips comfortable. How a product suits you depends on its complete formulation and on your own lips. If you have known sensitivities, check the complete ingredient list, not only the key ingredients.

Less is best. Use the amount your daily lip product’s directions call for. More, or more often, does not bring faster results.

Daytime sun protection. Include the lips, using a lip product that carries an SPF.

Habits that help

Licking. When lips feel dry, licking them can feel soothing for a moment, but it may worsen dryness and irritation. Keeping a suitable lip product within reach can make the habit easier to drop.

Biting and picking. Biting or picking at dry, flaking skin can irritate the lips. Leave peeling skin alone.

Notice what stings. If a lip product stings or burns, stop using it.

How lips change with age

Many people notice that their lips look thinner and less defined over the years, and that fine lines appear around the mouth, particularly above the upper lip. Several things contribute, and this article covers common ones rather than every cause.

Time. The skin and tissue of the lips and the area around them change with age, as the rest of the face does.

Sun. Lips and the skin around them get years of sun exposure, often with less protection than the rest of the face.

Expression and habits. Repeated expressions, such as pursing the lips, can leave lines over time, and smoking speeds up visible skin aging, including lines around the mouth.

Dryness. Dry lips and dry skin around the mouth make fine lines look more obvious. Fine Lines vs Wrinkles explains why hydration changes how shallow lines look.

Good lip care can soften the look of dryness-related lines. It should not be expected to remove deep creases around the mouth. Procedures that change the shape or volume of the lips are a separate category, performed by licensed practitioners, and outside the scope of this article.

Sun and your lips

Lips get sun every time your face does, and they are easy to leave out of sun protection.

In the United States, a lip balm or lipstick marketed with an SPF is regulated as an over-the-counter sunscreen drug, as well as a cosmetic. Look for Broad Spectrum on the label, and follow the label directions, including reapplication. Eating and drinking can remove product from the lips, so check the label directions on outdoor days. What SPF Measures, and What It Does Not explains what the number on the label tells you.

Shade and a wide-brimmed hat help too, and Do You Need Sunscreen Every Day? makes the wider case.

Exfoliation and the lips

Some exfoliating masks and crèmes are appropriate for the lip area. Where a product’s directions include the lips, you may include them, following those directions. Keep lactic acid and other AHA peels off the lips. Leave exfoliation out entirely while lips are cracked, sore or irritated.

When to see a dermatologist

Lips that stay dry, cracked, scaly or sore despite gentle care, a sore on the lip that does not go away, or a patch that changes in color or texture should be seen by a dermatologist. Dry lips have many possible causes, some of which need a professional to identify.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria views good skincare as a lifelong commitment to improving and maintaining healthy-looking, well-conditioned skin, and as skin changes throughout life, the care it needs may change as well. Her “Mindful Living, Ageless Skin” philosophy counts sensible sun protection and appropriate hydration among the habits that support skin over a lifetime, alongside a well-designed skincare routine.

One example from Esenté’s range is the Bio-Boost Lip Enhancer. It nourishes, protects and hydrates, supporting a plumper appearance and helping soften dryness-related lip lines. Other Esenté formulations may suit your lips, depending on your regimen. Follow its directions. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If you have a question about caring for your lips as they change, the Ask Victoria page is the place to ask it.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Sun damage builds slowly and shows up as a collection of changes rather than one sign: uneven tone and flat brown spots, rough or leathery texture, fine lines that deepen into wrinkles, and a loss of firmness. It tends to collect where skin has had the most sun over the years, often the face, neck, chest, forearms and the backs of the hands. Skincare can improve the appearance of some of these changes over time, and consistent daily sun protection reduces new exposure. Any spot that is new, changing or unusual belongs with a dermatologist, not with a product.

Much of it appears years after the sun that caused it, which is why it can be mistaken for age alone.

The visible signs

These are common signs of long-term sun exposure. Many of them can also have other causes, so read this as a description, not a way to diagnose your own skin.

Uneven tone and spots. Flat tan or brown spots, often called sun spots or age spots, and a blotchy, uneven color across areas that have had years of sun. Dark Spots and Uneven Skin Tone covers the common kinds and what can improve their appearance.

Rough texture. Skin that feels coarse or leathery, especially on the forearms and backs of the hands.

Lines and wrinkles. Fine lines around the eyes and mouth that deepen over time.

Loss of firmness. Years of sun tend to reduce elasticity, so skin can look looser and more crepey, particularly on the neck and chest.

Where it tends to show

Sun damage tends to show where skin has had the most sun over the years. Time outdoors, shade, clothing and how consistently you protect exposed skin all play a part, and sunscreen is one piece of that picture.

Protection is often least consistent on the neck, chest, ears, forearms and backs of the hands. Hands are a good example: out in the sun while driving and gardening, and washed so often that morning sunscreen may not last the day. Why Hands Can Show Age So Easily covers what helps.

UVA can pass through some window glass, so long drives and sunny windows count toward the total. UVA vs UVB explains what each kind of ultraviolet light does.

Why it takes years to show

Most sun damage does not appear the week it happens. A tan is a sign that ultraviolet light has already affected your skin, and when the color fades, that exposure still counts. The changes build over years, so they tend to show later in life.

Prevention starts today

Daytime sun protection. Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning to the face, neck, chest and any other exposed skin, including the backs of the hands. Reapply according to the label directions when you are outdoors. A Broad Spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, used as directed with other sun protection measures, decreases the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging caused by the sun. Do You Need Sunscreen Every Day? makes the full case.

More than sunscreen. Shade, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and clothing that covers the skin all reduce exposure. Sun Protection Beyond Sunscreen goes through each.

What can improve the look of existing damage

Improving how existing changes look is a slower job, and it can combine home care with professional treatments.

At home. Hydration can make rough, dry skin look smoother soon after you apply a moisturizer. Gentle exfoliation, used in a way that suits your skin, can help rough texture look more even; how often depends on your age, your skin and how it responds. Retinoid products and certain antioxidant products are commonly chosen for the appearance of fine lines, texture and uneven tone, with consistent use over time. Retinol is generally used at night. Follow your product’s directions, with daily broad-spectrum sunscreen as part of the routine.

In the clinic. Professional treatments are a separate class, selected and administered by qualified practitioners for the individual.

When to see a dermatologist

Any spot, patch or mole that is new, changing or unusual for you, and any sore that does not go away, should be seen by a dermatologist. If you have had a lot of sun over the years, ask a dermatologist how often your skin should be checked.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Her perspective on sun damage starts with prevention. In Victoria’s words: “The safest tan is from a bottle, not from the sky.” A cosmetic tan from a self-tanning product does not provide sun protection, so daytime sun protection still applies. As her own preventive practice, not a requirement for everyone, Victoria applies daily broad-spectrum sunscreen to the backs of her hands, and when driving she wears lightweight white linen gloves to help reduce continued sun exposure. For skin that already shows sun, her approach combines a consistent home skincare regimen with professional aesthetic treatments selected for the individual.

Esenté’s tone range includes the Even Tone Set, one example among other Esenté formulations that may suit, depending on your regimen. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. Separately, Esenté offers two sunscreens: Derma-Defense SPF 30 in the Legacy Skincare collection and Derma Defense Z-Cote SPF30 in the Elite Skincare collection. Both are labeled Broad Spectrum SPF 30. Follow the label directions for whichever you use, including reapplication. If you have questions about protecting skin that already shows sun, the Ask Victoria page is open.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Several things change at once. The oil glands in the skin tend to produce less oil with age, the outer layer becomes easier to disrupt and slower to recover, and for many women the hormonal changes around menopause add to the shift. Hot water, harsh cleansing, low humidity and wind can make it worse. You cannot stop the age-related part, but you can avoid adding to it. Gentle, thorough cleansing, warm rather than hot water and a suitable moisturizer applied to clean skin can make a visible difference to how dry skin looks and feels.

Some of the change comes from inside the skin, and some comes from the bathroom tap.

Less oil at the surface

The skin makes its own oil, called sebum, and part of its job is to slow the loss of water from the surface. The glands that produce it tend to produce less as the years pass. Less oil at the surface makes it harder for skin to stay moist, which can leave it feeling tight, looking dull and sometimes itchy.

This is a tendency, not a timetable. The routine that suited you at 35 may feel like too little at 60.

An outer layer that recovers more slowly

The outermost layer of the skin works as a barrier. It helps hold water in and keep irritants out, and it depends on a mix of fats between its cells to do both. What Is the Skin Barrier? explains how that layer works.

With age, that barrier tends to become easier to disrupt and slower to recover. In one small study published in 1995, researchers compared adults aged 20 to 30 with adults over 80. At rest, the older skin’s barrier seemed to hold up. When the researchers disrupted the barrier on a small area of forearm skin in a controlled test, the older skin’s barrier gave way more easily and took considerably longer to recover. The researchers suggested this may help explain why older skin is more easily affected by its surroundings.

Hormones play a part

For many women, the years around menopause bring a noticeable change in how dry skin feels. The details vary a great deal from person to person, and Menopause and Skin: What Changes covers them.

Environment and habits add to it

Hot water. Hot water takes more oil off the surface than warm or lukewarm water does. Long, hot showers are a common contributor to dry skin. Are Hot Showers Bad for Your Skin? looks at this in more detail.

Harsh cleansing. A cleanser that leaves your face tight long after washing is worth reconsidering. Suitability depends on the whole formulation. Foaming alone tells you little.

Low humidity. Dry weather and indoor heating can both lower the moisture in the air around you. Cold weather is often drier, though not always, and very dry climates can be dry at any time of year. In particularly dry indoor environments, a humidifier may help increase ambient moisture.

Wind and sun. Wind carries water off exposed skin, and years of sun exposure change how skin behaves as well.

What helps

Cleanse gently and thoroughly in the evening. Remove eye makeup first with a dedicated eye makeup remover, then cleanse your face with light pressure, lukewarm water and a cleanser that leaves your skin comfortable rather than tight. Go to bed with a completely clean face. After a thorough evening cleanse, a warm-water rinse in the morning may be enough for some skin.

Follow a steady order. Cleanse, use an appropriate toner or mist, then serum, then moisturizer, each according to the individual product’s directions, plus daytime sun protection. Apply leave-on products to clean skin with clean fingertips, and use the amount the directions call for. More product does not mean more moisture.

Choose by how your skin responds. Whether a moisturizer suits you depends on its complete formulation and on your own skin, not on how thick or light it looks. If you have known sensitivities, check the complete ingredient list, not only the key ingredients.

Dry skin and dehydrated skin are not quite the same thing, and they can happen together. Dehydrated Skin vs Dry Skin explains how to tell them apart.

When it is more than dryness

Age-related dryness often responds to gentler habits and a consistent moisturizer, but not always. If dryness comes with persistent itching, a rash, cracking, soreness or changes you cannot account for, see a dermatologist or another appropriate healthcare professional.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria emphasizes responding to the environment your skin is actually experiencing. Cold winter climates can increase dryness, but very dry climates may create similar concerns at other times of year, so adjustments should be guided by the condition of your skin rather than simply by the calendar. Her evening advice applies at every age: remove eye makeup with a dedicated remover before cleansing your face. Whatever your routine, don’t go to sleep wearing makeup.

Examples from Esenté’s moisturizers include the Hydra-Plus Night Crème, the Recovery Crème and the Hyaluronic Hydration Crème. They are options among other suitable Esenté formulations, and the right choice depends on your skin and your regimen. Follow the directions for whichever you use, and use a clean spatula to take the crème from its jar. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If your skin has changed and your routine has not, the Ask Victoria page is a good place to talk it through.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Skin loses some of its firmness and spring with age, and years of sun exposure add to the change. Structures beneath the skin shift and thin as well, and those changes contribute to what people see as sagging along the jaw and cheeks. Skincare can improve the appearance of firmness, smoothness and texture, and daily sun protection guards against further sun exposure. It cannot reposition tissue or replace lost volume. A consistent home routine, combined where appropriate with professional treatments selected for you, offers a realistic way to improve how your skin looks.

Firming claims are easier to judge once you know which layer of the face has changed.

What firmness is

Firm skin springs back. Press it and it returns; pinch it and it settles. That quality comes largely from a network of collagen and elastic fibers in the deeper layer of the skin, which give it strength and bounce.

Both change with age. Skin tends to become thinner and less elastic, and it recovers its shape more slowly. Sun exposure over many years adds its own change: loss of elasticity is one of the recognized visible signs of sun damage, and it tends to show most on the areas that have had the most sun, such as the face, neck and chest. Collagen Loss After 50 covers the collagen side of the story.

Sagging is more than skin

What people call sagging along the jawline, under the chin or in the lower cheeks is only partly about the skin itself. With age, the layer of fat beneath the skin shrinks, muscle tone declines, and bone in the jaw can lose some of its mass. The tissue sits differently than it did at 30.

That decides what skincare can reach. A cream works on the surface layers of the skin. It can improve how firm, smooth and even skin looks, which is a real, visible difference. It cannot move fat, change bone, reposition tissue that has descended or reproduce a surgical procedure. Read a firming claim on any label as a claim about how skin looks.

What home care can do

Improve the look of firmness and smoothness. Well-hydrated skin looks smoother and plumper and reflects light more evenly. That changes how firm skin looks.

Improve texture over time. Retinoid and peptide products are commonly chosen for the appearance of firmness, fine lines and texture. What they can do depends on the formulation and on consistent, appropriate use, and the timeline varies with the cause, the product and the person. How to Choose a Peptide Serum explains what to look for.

Protect what you have. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen helps protect against further sun exposure, one of the drivers of lost elasticity you can influence. Take it down to the neck and chest.

Include the neck. The neck and chest show change too, and they often get less care than the face. Many people continue their facial products down the neck, following each product’s directions. Crepey Skin on the Neck and Décolleté goes into that area in detail.

Keep a steady order. Cleanse, use an appropriate toner or mist, then serum, then moisturizer, each according to the individual product’s directions, plus daytime sun protection. Apply leave-on products to clean skin with clean fingertips.

Home care and professional treatments

Professional treatments performed by appropriately licensed practitioners are a separate class from anything sold for home use. They are selected and administered by qualified practitioners, and their formulations, methods and protocols differ from retail skincare.

The two can work together. A consistent home routine supports the look of your skin every day, and professional treatments chosen for your skin can add to that. If loose skin is what bothers you most, a consultation with an appropriately licensed professional is the place to learn what is realistic for your face.

Habits that support how skin looks

Sun protection matters every day and across the whole year. The ordinary habits of healthy living, including regular exercise, adequate sleep, appropriate hydration and balanced nutrition, support overall wellbeing. None of them replaces a well-designed skincare routine, and skincare does not replace them either.

A gentle routine matters too. Skin that is dry or irritated looks less smooth. Remove eye makeup with a dedicated remover before you cleanse your face, cleanse gently, and go to bed with a completely clean face. Exfoliating more often or more aggressively than your skin needs works against the look you are after. Starting Retinol Without Wrecking Your Barrier covers how to introduce a retinoid without irritating your skin.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria’s approach to firmness combines a consistent home skincare regimen with professional aesthetic treatments selected for the individual. Together, they can produce noticeable improvements in the appearance of firmness and overall skin texture. Treatment choice and frequency depend on the person’s skin, goals and response.

For the home part of that approach, examples from Esenté’s range include the Nek-Tyme Firming Crème for the neck and décolleté, and two serums, the Bio-Lift Peptide Serum and the Matrix-Cell 3000 Concentrate. They are not the only options; other Esenté formulations may fit, depending on your regimen. Follow the directions for whichever you use, apply them with clean fingertips, and use a clean spatula to take the crème from its jar. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If you are trying to work out what a product can realistically do for you, the Ask Victoria page is there for that question.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Fine lines are shallow lines at the surface of the skin. Many of them look more obvious when skin is dry and softer when it is well hydrated. Wrinkles are deeper creases that tend to stay put, shaped by years of facial expression, sun exposure and the ordinary changes of age. The two sit on one scale rather than in separate boxes. Skincare can soften the appearance of both. Shallow lines tend to show change sooner, and skincare should not be expected to remove deep creases.

Most faces carry both, and telling them apart helps you judge any product fairly.

Two names for one scale

There is no official line between a fine line and a wrinkle. In everyday use, the words describe how deep a line is and whether it stays when your face is at rest.

Fine lines are shallow. They often appear first around the eyes, across the forehead and above the lip. Many come and go: more visible at the end of a dry day, less visible once the skin is well moisturized.

Wrinkles are deeper and more fixed. A line that was once visible only when you smiled or frowned can, over years, remain when your face is still. Sun-exposed skin tends to show them more.

What makes a fine line look deeper

Dryness. When the surface is short of water, it looks crinkled, and shallow lines stand out. It is a common reason fine lines vary from one morning to the next. Dehydrated Skin vs Dry Skin explains the two kinds of dryness.

Light. Overhead and harsh side light throw shadows into every line, so two mirrors can show you two different faces.

Expression. Lines around the eyes and on the forehead follow the way your face moves.

What makes a wrinkle form

Deeper creases build over time from several things acting together. This article covers common ones rather than every cause.

Years of expression. The same movement, repeated over years, can leave a crease in the same place.

Sun. Ultraviolet exposure over many years changes how skin looks and behaves, and sun-exposed areas generally show more lines than protected ones.

Age. Skin tends to become thinner, drier and less springy as the years pass, so it holds a crease more readily and smooths out less readily.

Habits. Smoking speeds up visible skin aging, including lines and wrinkles. Sleeping pressed into a pillow can leave creases that some people notice more with age.

What skincare can change

Moisturizing helps fine lines look softer. A moisturizer that suits your skin helps it hold water at the surface, and fine lines tend to look softer when it does. Regular use helps keep skin feeling smoother day to day. Apply it to clean skin with clean fingertips, following its directions.

Retinoid and peptide products are chosen for change over time. Both are commonly used for the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. What they can do depends on the formulation and on consistent, appropriate use, and how long any change takes varies with the cause, the product and the person. Peptides vs Retinol compares the two, and How to Choose a Retinol Serum covers what to look for in one.

Retinol has its own routine. Retinol is generally used at night. Follow the directions for your individual product, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended as part of the routine.

Daytime sun protection matters. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen helps protect skin from further sun exposure, one of the causes of wrinkles you have real say over.

Keep the routine steady. The usual order is cleanse, an appropriate toner or mist, serum, then moisturizer, each according to the individual product’s directions, plus daytime sun protection. If you have known sensitivities, check each product’s complete ingredient list, not only its key ingredients.

Setting realistic expectations

Skincare can soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles and improve how smooth and even skin looks. It should not be expected to remove deep creases, reposition tissue or match an in-clinic procedure. Professional treatments are a separate class, selected and administered by qualified practitioners, and they differ from retail products in formulation, protocol and purpose.

Shallow, dryness-related lines tend to change most in appearance with good care, and deep, fixed creases tend to change least.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria’s approach combines a consistent home skincare regimen with professional aesthetic treatments selected for the individual. Together, they can produce noticeable improvements in the appearance of lines, wrinkles and overall skin texture. Treatment choice and frequency depend on the person’s skin, goals and response. Her “less is best” philosophy concerns the appropriate amount and frequency of each product. Retinol is a good example: increasing the amount or frequency beyond the directions can lead to excessive dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity rather than faster results.

Examples from Esenté’s range include the Penta-Peptide Serum, the Hyaluronic Hydration Crème and the Retinol Progressive 60-Day Renewal System. The Retinol Progressive 60-Day Renewal System consists of three 20-day stages, with Step 3 reaching the full-strength retinol stage during the 60-day system. Retinol Serum can then be used as the ongoing product as appropriate. Other Esenté formulations may suit the same goal, depending on your regimen. Follow the directions for whichever you use, apply them with clean fingertips, and use a clean spatula to take the crème from its jar. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If you want help deciding where your own lines fit, the Ask Victoria page is the place to start.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Less than they seem to. In the United States, the FDA says there are no federal standards or definitions governing “hypoallergenic,” and the term means whatever a particular company wants it to mean. “Non-comedogenic” has no FDA definition either, and the ways brands test for it vary. Either word can tell you what a brand intended. Neither can guarantee how your own skin will respond. Informed product selection does more work than either label, and for particularly reactive skin a small test is an additional precaution.

Both words tend to appear on the front of the pack, where they read like the result of a formal test.

What “hypoallergenic” is meant to say

“Hypoallergenic” suggests a product is less likely than others to cause an allergic reaction. It does not mean a product cannot cause one.

In the United States, the FDA’s position is direct: “There are no Federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term ‘hypoallergenic.’ The term means whatever a particular company wants it to mean.” The agency once tried to set a standard, and a court struck the rule down in the 1970s. Dermatologist-Tested vs Clinically Proven tells that history in more detail.

That does not make the word worthless. A brand may have chosen its ingredients with sensitivity in mind and tested its product, but the word alone does not tell you what was done.

What “non-comedogenic” is meant to say

A comedo is a clogged pore, the kind that shows as a blackhead or whitehead. “Non-comedogenic” suggests a product has been formulated not to clog pores.

Like “hypoallergenic,” it has no FDA definition, and there is no single required test behind it. Testing methods have varied over the years, from older animal models to tests on human volunteers.

Lists of “pore-clogging ingredients” grew out of testing single raw materials, and a finished product is more than one ingredient. In a small 2006 study, researchers applied finished cosmetic products to the upper backs of six volunteers who formed clogged pores readily, and concluded that products containing ingredients labeled comedogenic were not necessarily comedogenic themselves. It was a small study of a limited number of products, so it shows the idea can hold, not that it holds for every product. Suitability depends on the complete formulation, not on one ingredient, a texture or a feel.

If breakouts are your concern, a dermatologist is the right person to see. Breakouts After 40 covers one common version of that question.

Why neither label can guarantee your result

Allergy is personal. An allergic reaction is a response to a particular substance that your own immune system has become sensitized to. A product can be formulated to avoid common culprits and still contain the one ingredient you react to.

Irritation is a different thing. Stinging or redness can happen without any allergy, from a product that does not suit your skin, from using too much of it, or from skin that is already irritated. A hypoallergenic claim does not address that.

Pores are personal too. A non-comedogenic label is a statement of intent, not a promise about your face.

What you can check instead

The complete ingredient list. It is the place to look for an ingredient you already know you react to. Check the full list, not only the key ingredients. How to Read a Skincare Ingredient List explains how the list is set out.

What the brand explains. Does it provide useful information about the formulation, its key ingredients, their intended benefits and appropriate use? That tells you more than a single word on the front.

Your own history. If you have reacted to several products, or have a history of allergy or skin conditions, speak to a dermatologist before experimenting.

Patch tests, home tests and clinical studies

The word “test” can mean different things. A clinician’s diagnostic patch test investigates an individual’s possible contact allergies. A clinical study evaluates a product or treatment in a defined group of participants. Its relevance depends on the study’s size, participant characteristics, methods and measured outcomes.

A small test you do at home is different again. It comes after informed product selection, not instead of it. It is an additional precaution that makes most sense for particularly reactive skin, a history of sensitivity, or concern about a particular formulation, such as a retinoid or exfoliating formulation.

Test a small amount in an area that makes sense for the product’s intended use, and follow the product’s own directions for application and removal. A clear result is reassuring, not a guarantee: some reactions appear only with repeated use. How to Patch Test a New Product explains how to go about it.

If a product causes persistent redness, itching, burning, swelling or a rash, stop using it and speak to a dermatologist if the reaction does not settle.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria believes informed product selection comes first. Before introducing a new skincare product, understand what it is intended to do, whether it is appropriate for your skin, how it should be used and what ingredients it contains. A label word can be part of that picture, but it cannot stand in for it. Esenté does not use “hypoallergenic” or “non-comedogenic” on its labels. Its website gives both the key ingredients and the full INCI list for every product, so you can check a formulation against what you know about your own skin. Questions about a particular product can go to the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.