I received the Fresh Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence as a birthday gift a couple of months ago, and since then I’ve gone down a bit of a kombucha skincare rabbit hole. After using both regularly and adding in another kombucha product from a Korean brand, Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence, I thought it was time to share some honest thoughts!

Fresh Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence

💸 $74 / 150ml

📦 Texture : Watery, more like a toner than a traditional essence

I actually ended up loving this one more than I expected. It has a super light, watery texture that makes it feel almost like a toner. I used it right after cleansing, before applying serum and moisturizer (Fresh Kombucha > serum > cream). It left my skin feeling clean and refreshed like it was picking up any leftover residue and it layered beautifully with the rest of my routine.

That said, it does absorb really quickly, almost like it evaporates, so don’t expect a long-lasting hydration boost from this alone. But as a first step after cleansing? It’s lovely.

Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence

💸 ~$35 / 150ml

📦 Texture : A silky, slightly viscous hybrid between an essence and a lotion

A few weeks into my kombucha journey, I picked up this essence from Dr. Ceuracle, and wow, it’s become a staple. The texture is thicker than Fresh’s, somewhere between an essence and a light cream. It feels more nourishing and hydrating, which is great on days when I want to simplify my routine.

I usually use it like this, toner > Dr. Ceuracle essence > cream, but honestly, on nights when I’m too tired for a full routine, I’ll just use this on its own. It leaves my skin feeling soft, moisturized, and not tight at all, so it’s been a bit of a lazy-skin-saver.

Long Story Short

Both are great, but they serve slightly different purposes. Fresh is light, refreshing, and ideal if you want something to prep your skin before layering. Dr. Ceuracle feels more substantial, hydrating enough to stand on its own when you’re short on time.

I’m still using both and genuinely enjoying them. If you’ve been curious about kombucha in skincare, I’d say they’re both worth trying and it just depends on what your skin needs and what kind of texture you prefer.

Hope this helps someone else trying to figure out where to start with kombucha skincare!