Review: ESPA Optimal Skin Pro-Moisturiser

When you think back on your start in skincare, what kind of product did you begin with? I'm seeing a lot of kids going through this at the moment - all the tweens from ages 9 to 12 are starting to feel the pressure of keeping up with their peers, and I can see that plenty of them are asking their parents for things like serum and moisturisers, and I can't help but think that it was, at the risk of sounding like an oldie, a simpler time back then.

 

It may shock you to learn that despite being so into skincare and makeup at this point in my life, it wasn't always the case when I was younger. Makeup, yes, but skincare came quite a bit later. I think the first thing I truly went for was a cleanser, and I think it's due to a mix of living in a humid, South East Asian country, and trying to combat teenage, hormonal skin. I hadn't yet grasped the importance of balance at that point, and it wasn't until I was more experienced and older when I realised that I needed to add in a moisturiser to keep my skin happy.

 

These days, of course, I know much better, and because of that, I can pick my moisturisers based on what my skin needs, which is why I've gone for the ESPA Optimal Skin Pro-Moisturiser. For those who aren't familiar with the brand, ESPA is all about the melding of skincare and self care, with created to help you feel like you've experienced a mini-spa session in the comfort of your own home, particularly if you were to utilise a selection of products from their collection. Said to be part of the Vital Nutrients range, this is meant to help nourish and balance the skin, while also helping to shield it from environmental aggressors. 

 

This comes in a peach coloured jar with a speckled screw lid, and on first impression, the cream within looks to be fairly unremarkable, and even more so when you scoop out a small dollop of it. However, I was very impressed by how deceptive that was, given that despite feeling and looking like a very normal cream, I found it to be quite lightweight and quickly absorbed by the skin over the span of seconds. In fact, less than a minute after applying this, I can barely feel it on my skin. This contains yeast bioferment to help look after the skin's microbiome.

 

It has some really interesting ingredients, such as the South African Resurrection Plant, which is meant to help brighten the skin, while Navarra Asparagus Plant aids in reducing the appearance of fine lines, so that the skin can look plumper and firmer. I love that the ingredients are nothing like what I've been exposed to previously, and that it's a pleasantly light cream that keeps me coming back for more. Sitting at $99, this cream is something that you should put on your should try list. What have you previously used from ESPA?