Espa - Optimal Skin Experience Review

The Espa Optimal Skin Experience Set

£30 BUY HERE

 

 

I was sent this set to try out a few months ago. I've only ever tried Espa products when I've previously received them in beauty boxes. What I knew and remembered about them first and foremost was the luxury, spa-feel of the brand. Rich, luxe textures and amazingly good scents!

 

For the price, this set is a fantastic introduction to the brand, or else a mini spa-at-home experience on days when you want that extra bit of self-care and love.

 

The set consists of:

 

Optimal Skin ProCleanser (30ml) A 3-in-1 gel cleanser, exfoliator and face mask.

 

Hydrating Floral Spafresh (12ml)  Toner in a glass spray mist bottle. 

 

Optimal Skin ProSerum (10ml) A facial-oil type serum.

 

Optimal Skin ProMoisturiser (15ml) Rich moisturising cream in a jar.

 

 

 

ProCleanser

 

A 3 in 1 cleanser, exfoliator and mask to nourish, smooth and visibly brighten the complexion.

I'm not usually a fan of multi-purpose products as more often than not, they tend to overreach in their claims and then end up not doing any of their jobs so well!

However, this cleanser is packed with some very exciting ingredients - Moringa Seed Extract to cleanse and remove makeup and sunscreen; pumpkin enzymes to lift dead skin cells and brighten and jojoba spheres to exfoliate.

One look at the ingredients explains this amazing scent -

Ingredients:

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Water (Aqua), Coconut Alkanes, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Linalool, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract.

 

 

You can see the Jojoba spheres in this creamy gel. They're actually quite large but still make for a reasonably gentle physical exfoliation. Don't quote me on this, but I think that the spheres dissolve and the Jojoba melts onto your skin to soften it.

The texture is a rich gel which turns to an oil when massaged into the skin. I haven't used this as a daily cleanser as I don't want to physically exfoliate everyday, but I feel that this is probably gentle enough to use once a day.

 

 

Hydrating Floral Spafresh

 

This toner is perhaps my least favourite item in the set.

Again, the scent is stunning - the toner has Rosa Damascena to moisturise and Rose Geranium to soothe sensitive skin. It's packed with essential oils, which could well be a problem for those with sensitive skin. I don't generally have an issue with essential oils in products but I did find this toner quite drying and far from the hydrating boost that it promised. I've instead been using it as a facial mist, either between other skincare steps or when I'm in need of a refreshing, uplifting boost.

 

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Honey (Mel) Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid.

 

Checking out the ingredients, alcohol is the second item in the ingredient list, so perhaps it's not surprising that I'm finding it so drying. Strange then that this is touted as a hydrating toner!

 

 

ProSerum

 

From my least favourite to my absolute favourite item in the set - the ProSerum!

This serum has the colour and texture of a facial oil. And yet again, the scent is thing that absolutely does it for me.

This serum contains Echium Oil and Sunflower Concentrate to replenish ceramides, White Lupin helps smooth and firm while Turmeric brightens.

 

Ingredients:

Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Limonene, Tocopherol, Cedrus Deodara Wood Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Oleate, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Extract, Eugenol, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Jasminum Sambac (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil, Linalool, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Geraniol, Citric Acid, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Farnesol, Benzyl Alcohol.

 

This is an absolute delight to use. I use a couple of drops into the palms of my hands, rub my hands together, inhale the gorgeous aroma and then apply to my skin with a good couple of minutes massaging.

It absorbs really well but I do use this in the evening only as it would be too heavy to wear under makeup.

10ml really doesn't sound much product but this is lasting (happily) for ages as you do only need a couple of drops for your entire face.

 

 

ProMoisturiser

 

Although directed for use as either a day or night cream, I found this moisturiser too much for daytime use. It's incredibly rich and luxuriant, but despite this doesn't feel too heavy or suffocating on my skin. I just personally couldn't wear this in the day as it would make me too oily for the rest of the day.

Ingredients include the wonderfully-named South African Resurrection Plant for hydration, Navarra Asparagus Extract targets the early signs of skin ageing and Yeast Bioferment revitalises your skin overnight. 

 

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Coconut Alkanes, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Inulin, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Pectin, Xylitylglucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Anhydroxylitol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Behenic Acid, Cetyl Behenate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Xylitol, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Benzoic Acid, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Linalool, Asparagus Officinalis Stem Extract, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitol, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Sodium Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Potassium Sorbate, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Glucose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Disodium EDTA, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Oleic Acid, Iron Oxides (CI 77491).

 

Again, checking out this ingredients explains that characteristic Espa scent!

This is another of the products that you only need a small amount each application for your entire face, neck and decollete.

 

I really enjoyed this set, and despite the toner not really working for me and the moisturiser being a bit too rich, it was a fantastic little spa-at-home treat. I know I've been banging on recently about how I want my skincare routines to be full of joy and a treat for both my skin and all of my senses ( I guess apart from the sense of hearing - not sure how that could be incorporated!!) but you really do notice the difference when your products are more than just utilitarian.

 

Would I incorporate any of these items into a daily routine?

No - not daily because as I said, you couldn't really call these utilitarian and I don't feel that they are as targeted as a lot of the products I choose for my morning and night routines but definitely for a once or twice a week 'kick it up a few levels' treat.