Espa skincare has always been on our radar for spa day facials and luxury at-home clay detox masks, but it wasn’t until recently that we became aware of how vast the range of skincare products actually is.
From pregnancy-safe formulas to acne-fighting treatments, Espa’s skincare offering is a formidable beast, offering you more than 70 different products to suit your concerns. It’s no surprise, really, with the brand being founded pre-millennium in 1992 and, since then (starting in its founder Sue Harmsworth’s UK kitchen), Espa has expanded internationally everywhere from Costa Rica to Cape Verde.
Eager to get stuck in with everything Espa has to offer, we set out to divide and conquer and split the IndyBest team by skin type: normal, oily, combination, dry, sensitive and prenatal skin. With each tester reviewing three to five products, we’ve pulled together the very best formulas to suit the intricacies of your skin, be they dry patches or irritation. Here’s how we got on.
How we tested
Based on ingredients, we picked different formulas from Espa’s range of skincare to suit different complexions and skin types. For instance, our pregnant tester couldn’t use any products with salicylic acid or essential oils (to name a few), while our reviewer with sensitive skin would be looking for antioxidant-rich products with a focus on soothing.
After picking our potions, we got to work applying everything, doing away with any non-Espa items which might interfere with the performance of those being tested. We used them morning and night over an eight-day period (as we began day one after work, we allowed an extra eighth morning to complete the full week). We paid attention to both first impressions and any developments after continued use, noting scents, textures and the finish of the products after applying and as the day wore on. Keep reading to discover our verdicts.
Espa for normal skin
Tester: Daisy Lester
Espa tri-active regenerating moisture complex: £70, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 3.5/5
This Espa moisturiser boasts a lightweight and silky smooth formula that’s gently nourishing on your skin. It has a spa-like smell that could be off-putting for some but soothing for others. Anything too thick can feel suffocating on my skin, so this moisturiser is the perfect balance between a gel-based formula and a richer cream. It sinks quickly into skin for a more radiant complexion by morning, while smoothing the appearance of fine lines and evening out redness around my nose.
Espa optimal skin instant facial: £60, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
This hybrid formula claims to work as a serum, essence and facial oil to revive skin while adding moisture and dewiness. I found it to be more along the lines of a serum and essence hybrid rather than an oil, with the formula working to soften, hydrate and plump skin. It didn’t sink in as quickly as I would’ve liked and left a slightly greasy residue. But the eventual results speak for themselves, with skin feeling super soft and smooth.
Espa tri active regenerating eye complex: £68, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
Designed to smooth and plump the under-eye area while masking dark circles and eye bags, Espa’s eye cream is powered by a regenerative eye complex (in layman’s terms that essentially means probiotics and caffeine to reduce visible signs of ageing and bio retinols to even out texture and tone). It didn’t reduce the dark circles under my eyes or plump the area but I did find that the product glides on smoothly, softening the skin almost immediately.
ESPA for combination skin
Tester: Ella Duggan
Espa nourishing cleansing balm: £42, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 3.5/5
As someone who tends to avoid cleansing balms, I was pleasantly surprised by this formula. While I did have to do a rinse and repeat to feel truly clean, it removed eye make-up very easily. It felt very hydrating on the skin, leaving it with a smooth and – as the title suggests – nourished feeling.
Espa balancing herbal spa fresh tonic: £27, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
This was my favourite of the Espa products that I tried. I found starting and finishing my day with this toner incredibly refreshing and invigorating. It was great for both waking up the skin and making sure all the grime from the day was well and truly gone. It didn’t strip my skin at all as some toners can and instead hydrated and even slightly brightened. I would definitely recommend it for combination to oily skin, and even those prone to sensitivity.
Espa balancing foam cleanser: £27, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
For a refreshing lightweight and soothing cleanser the foaming wash was unmatched. It left skin feeling hydrated and nourished. If you have combination skin that skews a tad sensitive, this would be a great pick as the airy texture means it’s super gentle on skin, with minimal to no rubbing or scrubbing required. Because of its gentle nature, I wouldn’t rely solely on the cleanser to remove a full face of makeup, which is why we recommend using it after a cleansing balm (like the one above). The foam does however do a great job of resetting and ridding skin of general sweat and grime that’s built up over the day. It was not stripping in the slightest and used natural, organic ingredients like mandarin and olive oil to balance skin tone, leaving the skin feeling supple and moisturised.
Espa tri-active lift and firm eye moisturiser: £48, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
If your combination skin gives you more oily, mascara-smear-prone eyes, this would be a great eye cream for keeping pores clean and clear. It is quite a loose consistency, so watch out when applying, but this allows the product to be super lightweight and refreshing. I saw improvements in pigmentation, as dark areas became lighter and less purple in hue.
Espa rehydration isotonic flash mask: £40, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
I love a quick and easy hydrating face mask, and this one is just that. Some masks can often feel like they are taking something away from the skin when removed, but this one leaves something behind. Glowy happy skin. If you have oily skin, you may want something that focuses on unclogging pores, but this is great for those drier days as it feels like a big drink of water on the skin.
Espa for dry skin
Tester: Samuel Mathewson
Espa optimal skin cleansing oil: £32, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4.5/5
When I wear sunscreen, I need a good cleansing oil as a first cleanse and Espa’s is a solid choice. I find that mixing a double cleanse with dry skin can be an issue for my skin but this oil cleanser gently removes sunscreen and doesn’t leave my face feeling tight and dry afterwards. There is a strong fragrance because of the added essential oils, creating a spa-like experience at the end of the day. The scent might be an issue for some people if you want a fragrance-free cleanser.
Espa overnight hydration therapy: £39, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
In the past, I have struggled with very dry skin when I wake up, but this overnight mask has had me waking up with my skin feeling moisturised. The formula is thick and rich, and does feel quite sticky on the skin especially when layered with other products; however, I do then wake up with dewy skin that hasn’t been sapped of all its moisture.
Read more: Three of our favourite CeraVe products are reduced by £13 now
Espa 24hr replenishing eye moisturiser: £42, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4.5/5
While normally I bring my face cream up to the eye area, it is nice to indulge in something that’s been formulated specifically for the area. I often get dry under-eye area, especially when I wake up in the morning, so I’ve found this formula to be the perfect solution. The rich cream feels like it’s drenching the skin and keeping the area hydrated during sleep.
Espa optimal skin pro-serum: £55, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 3.5/5
I’ve generally moved away from heavy oils in my skincare routine as they can sit on the skin for a long time, which I did find to be true of the pro-serum. That said, while it does leave a sheen on the skin, there are great hydrating properties to be enjoyed and there’s also a strong aromatherapy smell. For me, I’d recommend using this serum-oil hybrid as a treatment for when your skin is feeling especially dry skin.
Espa for oily skin
Tester: Lucy Smith
Espa isotonic hydra gel eye masks: £46, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
I loved using these eye patches, especially as someone with oily skin. Often the shine-prone nature of my skin means that deeply hydrating creams and oils are off the table; however, it was a delight to wake up each day knowing I could pop on a pair of the patches and know my under-eyes would be left quenched, de-puffed and woken up. Almost like that old model’s hack of putting a frozen teaspoon over your eyelids, but with added skincare benefits.
Espa the hydrator: £35, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
The pump-equipped bottle of this moisturiser was reminiscent of the packaging of a serum, but once I moved past this misconception I found its texture to be the perfect weight for someone with my level of oiliness. If you err on the side of combination skin, you might not find it to offer enough nourishment with its water-based formula. That said, for hydration alone I found it to be completely adequate without leaving my make-up looking slick as the day progressed. My only bugbear? It’s a tad plain and I might have liked to have seen some skincare benefits outside of soothing aloe and vitamin C-rich orange peel oil. Normally, for instance, I look for a moisturiser that’s barrier-boosting or anti-ageing.
Espa tri-active resilience detox and purify cleanser: £49, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
The star of the show, if you ask me. Espa’s detox and purify cleanser had me shuddering upon first hearing its branding, with skincare companies often confusing oily complexions with those in need of stripping and purifying, but in reality, this cleanser couldn’t be further from its description. Using shea to nurture the skin, rose to soothe and glycerin to hydrate, the cleanser gently removes excess dirt and make-up from the skin, working excellently as a second PM or first AM cleanse. It’s the cream cleanser answer to Emma Hardie’s cult lemon moringa cleansing balm (£65, Lookfantastic.com) and, indeed, smells just as lemony, too.
Espa for sensitive skin
Tester: Niki Cottrell
Espa repair and restore intensive serum: £54, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 3.5/5
Upon application, the repair and restore intensive serum gives an instant cooling effect to irritation-prone skin. The formula feels hydrating and lightweight, however there is a slightly grainy texture which convinced me that this serum might be better suited to my nighttime skincare routine, rather than before putting on my make-up for the day.
Espa 24-hour replenishing moisturiser: £48, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
I prefer to keep skincare products to a minimum, so I appreciate a moisturiser that is lightweight enough for the day yet nourishing enough to last through the night. Although the moisturiser itself is quite thick, there is a certain silkiness that serves as the perfect base for leaving skin feeling replenished and looked after. How is it sensitive skin friendly? It features antioxidant vitamin E to heal and soothe, as well as fatty acid-rich jojoba oil to smooth.
Espa tri-active resilience probiome eye cream: £69, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
I didn’t see eye treatments as a necessity until this treatment. It’s gentle and cooling and brought a bit of extra life to my under-eye area. It came as no surprise then to learn that it’s rich in powerful ingredients, including fine line-minimising microalgae, de-puffing tuberose, and dark circle-reducing chlorella.
After more beauty recommendations? Why not browse the best LOOKFANTASTIC beauty deals according to a beauty writer
Espa on pre-natal skin
Tester: Elen Clee
Espa 24-hour replenishing moisturiser: £48, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
I really love a moisturiser that feels thick to the touch but isn’t greasy on the skin and I would say Espa’s 24-hour replenishing moisturiser met this criteria. It’s velvety soft on application and smells heavenly. In terms of during pregnancy, it’s been fantastic on my skin and has successfully moisturised my dryer-than-usual complexion without leaving me looking shiny. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re pregnant.
Espa optimal skin pro-cleanser: £32, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 4/5
A product that serves as both a cleanser and a face mask, I enjoyed using it as the former with the exfoliating jojoba spheres helping to clear my complexion of dead and dry skin. This is particularly great as a pre-natal addition given that AHA exfoliants, such as salicylic acid, aren’t recommended during pregnancy. That said, I didn’t really see the appeal of using this formula as a mask owing to the grainy texture.
Espa depuff and soothe eye gel: £42, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
Pregnancy has certainly reduced my sleep quality, so to wake up knowing I have this little hero to apply was great. It’s refreshing and light and was like an instant cup of coffee to the eyes. Key ingredients? Glycerin, cooling cucumber and hydrogenized hyaluronic acid (which absorbs better than its plain HA sibling). It’s safe to say I’ve really loved using this eye gel.
Espa hydrating cleansing milk: £27, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 3.5/5
Despite being branded as a milk, this cleanser is slightly more greasy than my usual go-to cleanser and so removes make-up – even waterproof mascara – well. It is a little bit watery and, out of all the products I tried, I think its scent (being less flowery with its pared-back, to-the-point ingredients list) and consistency was my least favourite. I might put the latter down to my preference for a cream cleanser, and you could argue that this sort of liquid cleanser would work well for travelling or a quick pre-make-up refresh.
Espa replenishing treatment oil: £62, Lookfantastic.com
Rating: 5/5
This is a lovely facial oil and again, like the replenishing moisturiser, it’s not too greasy. With omega-rich avocado to help minimise the signs of ageing, this was a great addition in place of my usual (but not pregnancy-safe) retinol. It has a delightful aroma and feels light upon application.
The verdict: Espa products for every skin type
While we had some mixed results across our testers, it’s fair to say that Espa’s products certainly cater – in one way or another – to every skin type. While Niki was initially sceptical of the tri-active resilience probiome eye cream, she concluded that it turned out to be the product that impressed the most and which she’ll be keeping as a part of her skincare routine. Meanwhile, Elen was pleased to find pregnancy-safe alternatives within Espa’s main collection to address her normal anti-ageing and dry skin concerns. Pregnancy aside, she said she will continue to use the 24-hour replenishing moisturiser, the depuff and soothe eye gel and the replenishing treatment oil.
In addition to our praise, however, we did find a few products to not be worth their premium price points, with Daisy finding that the optimal skin instant facial was “nice to apply – owing to the lightweight formula and scent – but doesn’t stand out in the crowd compared to other premium serums.”
Our conclusion? We’d certainly look to pepper Espa throughout our routines, but perhaps the brand’s offering doesn’t lend itself to a full face of products, especially when there are so many brands in 2024 offering top-notch peptides, BHAs and a myriad of other facial actives. One thing we’d look to Espa for time and time again? Under-eye skincare – their offering, from the isotonic hydra gel masks to the 24hr replenishing eye moisturiser – left our team with hydrated and smoothed eyelids, with our dark circles, too, appearing minimised after a week of use.
