This Essence Is So Good, I Had to Add It to My Already Full Essence Stash

When an essence is 94% fermented goodness and that’s pretty much it, you know you have to get it all over your face. Contributing editor Sheryll explains why she had to add Purito Fermented 94 Complex Boosting Essence into her burgeoning essence rotation.

Before I started my Korean skincare journey, I actually had zero concept of how to properly hydrate and moisturize my skin. I had terrible acne and oily skin and would just use a harsh acne cleanser from the drugstore, then apply one of those alcohol-based “astringents” (god, even just typing the word made my cringe), and then I wouldn’t use a moisturizer afterwards. THE HORROR.

It wasn’t until I moved to Korea that I started to understand that I needed to actually moisturize and hydrate my skin. I learned from a girl at Skinfood what an essence is, and from them on, the essence has been my favorite Korean beauty product. They can really do it all: hydrate, moisturize, brighten, soften, soothe, help with inflammation — I mean the options are endless. This is why I have at least 10 different essences in my stash right now, haha! They are like Pokemon for me; I gotta try them all!

The newest addition to my essence stash is a surefire winner though. The Purito Fermented 94 Complex Boosting Essence is another gem by my new favorite brand. Purito prides itself on using all natural, EWG green level ingredients to create their skincare. This also means that their products are mineral oil, paraben, artificial fragrance, preservative and dye-free. They are also cruelty-free as well! If you have sensitive skin or you’re very concerned about the type of ingredients that are in your skincare products, Purito is for you.

But back to this essence. So if you’ve been reading my blog or if you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that anything fermented skincare is my JAM. Honestly, just slather me in ferments at this point! The Purito Fermented Complex Boosting Essence is made from a whopping 94% fermented extracts (and 3% niacinamide), which means it’s basically a bottle of glow up. Sign me the eff up, OK!

Why are ferments good for your skin? Well, when you ferment a plant extract, it transforms into even smaller particles, which means that all of that plant extract goodness can get delivered quickly and efficiently to the skin. Remember, the larger the molecule, the longer it takes to completely penetrate the skin. The main ferment in the Purito essence is lactobacillus/rice ferment. This particular ingredient is a brightening and whitening (not bleaching) superpower.  It helps to suppress melanogenesis (aka it helps to stop dark spots from forming) and give your skin an extra brightening boost. It also contains fermented bean extract, green tea extract, mistletoe extract, perilla leaf extract, camellia flower extract … I mean it’s basically a fermented garden party on your face! There’s also a touch of adenosine in there to help firm that skin and improve wrinkles. Get your life!

The Purito Fermented essence has a very watery, lightweight texture and no discernable scent. You can use the essence in three ways:

1. After cleansing, pour a few drops onto a cotton pad and gently swipe all over the skin.

2. For your LAST step of your skincare routine, pour some of the essence in your palms and gently press into the skin.

3. Or use it to replace your toner and gently tap it in with your fingers. Repeat as necessary.

Personally, I use the third one. I gently tap the essence into my skin after I have washed my face, so it acts as my hydrating toner. If my skin is particularly dry for whatever reason, I might repeat two or three times. I use it during both my day and nighttime routine, because it is bae.

Listen. This essence is my JAM. It’s soothing, hydrating, not greasy, and really does help to brighten the skin. I’m currently prepping for another powerlifting meet and there are nights when I am too tired to function, and I’ve literally washed my face, used this essence and a moisturizer, and in the morning, my skin looked bomb and glowy AF. It’s definitely earned its spot in my essence rotation.

Have you tried the Purito Fermented essence? What’s your current favorite essence? Let me know in the comments!