Huxley Oil Essence Review

Essence is really a vital step in my daily skincare routine now. It is a step after my toner to prepare my skin for better absorption of the products I'm going to apply after it which are serums or oil and moisturizer.

This particular essence was so hyped and raved about that it was on my wishlist for a very long time. When I saw testerkorea was selling it for reasonable price + discount (almost same price as when you buy it in Korea) because other online shops are selling it for a very high price! So I decided to finally buy it. I've been using it for more than two months until the last drop. 

Firstly, what is this product? I will quote below the product description that Nordstrom provided on their site.

"What it is: A unique oil/essence hybrid that blends antioxidant-rich organic Sahara cactus oil into a lightweight essence for lasting hydration and intense nourishment.
Who it's for: All skin types.
What it does: Huxley's Oil Essence strengthens and energizes with antioxidant-rich ingredients such as Sahara cactus oil, quinoa, and acai berry. It's made of 61% Sahara cactus seed oil, a non-comedogenic oil high in vitamin E and antioxidants, which is revered for its ability to quickly absorb into skin while imparting lasting hydration and protecting skin from stress and aging.
How to use: After cleansing and toning, apply a dime-sized amount to the face with gentle patting motions. Follow with the rest of the skin care routine or with a moisturizer.Who it's for: All skin types.What it does: Huxley's Oil Essence strengthens and energizes with antioxidant-rich ingredients such as Sahara cactus oil, quinoa, and acai berry. It's made of 61% Sahara cactus seed oil, a non-comedogenic oil high in vitamin E and antioxidants, which is revered for its ability to quickly absorb into skin while imparting lasting hydration and protecting skin from stress and aging.How to use: After cleansing and toning, apply a dime-sized amount to the face with gentle patting motions. Follow with the rest of the skin care routine or with a moisturizer. · 1.01 oz. ·  Free of sulfates, phthalates and paraben
  Ingredients* It is limited to the properties of ingredients. 01. YERBA MATE LEAF Antioxidant, Strengthening the immunity 02. ACAI BERRY Antioxidant, Strengthening the immunity 03. CAMU CAMU Antioxidant 04. QUINOA Hydration, Nourishment supply List of Ingredients: Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Alcohol, Water, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Polyquaternium-51, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Theobroma Caco (Cocoa) Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Betaine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Hexylglycerin, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance."

This product promises a lot of great things and it is made with expensive ingredients as what I've heard. So what is my verdict?

The packaging: 5/5
I love how it looks and its simplicity. It is simple white packaging with frosted glass container so people who does not like glass packaging may not like it but it is sturdy enough for me that it won't just break when accidentally dropped. The letters used and how it is printed gives it a sophisticated look and just clean and contemporary feel. The dropper is a bit short so when your hands are slippery from the toner you applied before using this product is a bit of a struggle since it will slip and it's not easy to hold it.

The Texture/Formula: 4/5
I do like that is is very light. I can say it is really a combination of oil and essence kind of formula. Not runny or so thick but in between.  I love the scent of this! I want my house to smell like this. That's how much I love it! It really absorbs quickly and not sticky at all. This would be perfect for me in the summer but not in winter time where I need more hydration. I think this would be great for oily and normal skin type but not for dry/dehydrated skin.

Below are the before and after pictures of my hand using this product. I tried to take photos of my face but it didn't show the difference of the before and after thats why I decided to show my hands instead.

This is how it looks before applying the product

This is when the product is just applied

And this is when it is absorbed and dried down within a minute more or less

Overall Performance: 3/5
I did like this product but I had so high expectations since it's so hyped and expensive but it's not a life changing product. It just absorbs quickly and that's it. Although that is what essence is all about, a light and quick absorbing product to prepare and help the layering process of the rest of Korean skincare step which are serums, oil, etc. I give credit to it that it is a good base for that but I feel like it did not help nor improve my skin especially with it comes to hydration and nourishment it claims to give. I don't think you will miss out not trying this product because a cheaper alternative can do that since most of the essence performs the same way (at least from what I've tried but I've also tried a better, richer and thicker kind of consistency) although every skin is different so you might like and appreciate it more than me. But for me it's not worth the price and hype. It is a treat to apply because of the smell and how light it feels but if you are looking for hydration, this will let you down.

I'm still looking for the best essence for me and would not repurchase this again. The concept of this product is good, I'm sure they thought well and had their best intentions to give us a good quality product but it is just not good enough for me for the price and all the hype about it. It is still a cult favorite, alot of websites are selling it now so if you want to try it, you can easily find it online unlike before that it was hard to find a shop that will ship internationally. I will still give links where you can order it if you are interested.

You can order it here on the following websites:
- glowrecipe.com $58             - stylekorean.com $42.06
- nordstrom.com $58             - testerkorea.com  $28.71
- yesstyle.com      €33.21       - jolse.com                 $31.48(discounted price)

What is your favorite essence?