Nature’s way: Esse Live Probiotic Experience at Mount Nelson’s Librisa Spa

Take it from an experienced Libran: balance is, at best, only momentarily achievable and often comes at a cost. Our lives are better served seeking harmony, living in accordance with nature’s way, which is our true essence embedded in our DNA. Embracing the natural ebbs and flows allows us to maintain a holistic and sustainable relationship with all things. Yet, given the state of the world, most of us seem intent on disrupting the natural order, bringing disharmony to earth’s ecosystem, local biomes, each other, and ultimately ourselves — including our skin microbiome.

When we talk about microbiomes, we usually think of gut health, often overlooking our skin, which in its natural state is beneficial for our immune system and contributes to youthful-looking skin. We typically disrupt the “wild” state of our skin by stripping away microbes with astringent, chemical-based skincare products and soaps, along with long, hot showers.

Meaning “to be” in Latin, the award-winning Esse skincare range helps to “rewild” the skin through biotechnology, restoring its natural ecology. Esse was established in 2002 by Durban-based organic chemist Trevor Steyn, becoming the first certified organic brand in South Africa, with fair-trade, vegan, plastic- and carbon-neutral credentials. In 2009, Steyn reformulated the range to include live probiotics — a world first — considering the skin microbiome. “We have co-evolved with our microbes over the last 2-million years or so, and we need each other, but have been treating them very badly,” Steyn once told me.

The internationally renowned Mount Nelson is one of Cape Town’s most premium hotel destinations yet the facilities of this inner city oasis have always been welcoming and accessible to locals be it the delectable high teas or stylish Planet Bar. One of my favourite sanctuaries here is the Librisa Spa, a grand space of luxurious pampering and rejuvenation. Unlike theme-park-like spas that transport you to Thailand or Bali, the Librisa Spa maintains its unique charm. Given my infrequent visits to Durban, I was delighted when the they included the full range of Esse products and treatments on the spa menu.

For the wellbeing of my skin, I booked an Esse Live Probiotic Experience, a 90-minute facial indulgence in one of the spa’s eight luxurious private boudoirs. I arrived nearly two hours early for a few laps in the hotel’s enormous outdoor swimming pool, followed by the Finnish sauna and steam bath to prep my pores. The pool, heated to 29°C, added winter magic to my experience as I swam a kilometre shrouded in a glorious fog of evaporation.

Synaesthetic natural ingredients add a delectable scent profile to each Esse product — most of them are mouth-wateringly good. My pampering and rewilding therapy in the hands of “perfectionist” Rojeanne Mac-Helm began with the Sensitive Cleanser containing aloe vera and jojoba oil, followed by facial steaming with the non-foaming Cream Cleanser featuring marula and jojoba oils and rose geranium. A skin analysis revealing my “combination-to-dry” skin type guided the choice of products for the remainder of my treatment, which included a deep cleanse and reset with the Microderm Exfoliate containing calcium carbonate, kaolin, and rooibos for its antioxidants, and marula oil for nourishment and hydration. Hyaluronic acid was applied at facial pressure points to encourage plumping and youthfulness.

The experience also includes a comprehensive myofascial release and lymphatic drainage massage using Facial Massage Cream. As Rojeanne pointed out, this light massaging should be part of a daily routine to encourage the flow of lymphatic fluid into your bloodstream, reduce puffiness, and improve the skin’s overall appearance. For guidance, consult any of the numerous South Korean beauty bloggers who often extol the benefits of these techniques.

The treatment includes three masks, one of which is the new clinic-only Exclusion Mask. This is slathered on, setting like a friendly scoby to create a closed anaerobic environment for the probiotics to work their magic and recolonise tired skin.

The final steps include a probiotic serum, nourish moisturiser, protect oil, and SPF 30, leaving me looking 20 years younger — apparently. The relaxing experience concludes with an invitation to the reposeful conservatory to enjoy a healthy spread, including house-made muesli bars and herbal tea, perfect for extended lounging.

While it’s essential to find regular pauses in your busy schedule, a once-monthly 90-minute spa maintenance session (at a reasonable R1,100) might not always be feasible. For daily convenience, one could narrow this down to three or four key probiotic-enriched Esse products to bring harmony to your skin as nature intended.

Visit the Librisa Spa or esseskincare.com for information on the full product range.

Librisa Spa, 76 Orange Street, Cape Town. Tel 021 483 1550.