I've read a few articles about "essences" and I'm still not sure what the difference is between them and toners, other than most essences don't contain alcohol. Essence Vs. Toner - What's the Difference? Seems like "essences" are quite important in Korean skin care, so I'm wondering if anyone can tell me the difference, and point me in the direction of some good ones to try. You should apply your essence first, before your serum. All of them are entirely different & have different function. Essence: It is a concentrate obtained generally from plant having a peculiar smell, mostly the pleasant smell. For hydrating toner which you do not apply with a cotton pad, I apply whichever that leaves the least residue first. You can only rely on your own judgement whether the product is a toner, lotion or essence. Apply this product right after you use a toner. At the end of the day, it comes down to the brand how they name their products. Meanwhile, essence is the first step of your skin care routine. 8 Natural Skincare Ingredients Blowing Up in the K-Beauty World Clear, Bright Skin Is on the … For example, Missha First Treatment Essence leaves a slightly sticky residue on me so I will use that after applying my Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion , which I am currently using as my hydrating toner. But when I tried to apply my Essence vs Toner knowledge to the products actually available on the market, it dawned on me that while historically there was a helpful distinction, right now brands would just name things however they wanted, blurring the lines between Toner, Tonic and Essence even further. Essence: We Break Down the Differences Behold: How a Drag Queen Takes Off Her Makeup How Much Do You Really Know About Sodium Hyaluronate? You can apply just a bit of it onto your palm and then dab the product into the skin with your ring finger. You can also pick it up with a cotton pad and make slow tapping, pressing motions. Best for Mature Skin: MISSHA Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence RX ... Toner vs. TONER | More traditionally, toners are liquids, with the same viscosity as water, used to rebalance the skin's naturally acidic pH after the use of soapy/alkaline cleansers. The best way to look at it is that toner is the last step in cleansing. Apply essence first, then toner, then lotion. It removes any dead skin cells or oils; and readies the skin for skincare. What Is a Skin Essence, and Do You Really Need One? Essence Vs Toner. What is Essence? When you layer your skincare, you can opt for different functions of the products, for example, use anti-aging essence, then calming toner and moisturizing lotion.