This is the world’s first vegan serum made of live bacteria – and you need to know about it

As the cold season gets underway, it goes without saying that we will spend a considerable chunk of the upcoming months dutifully cocooned in an arsenal of hydrating and glow-boosting lotions, potions and creams.

Because with winter comes central heating (skin’s number one enemy), blustery winds (so long, blow-dry) and a marathon of obligatory Christmas soirees (with the annually deceptive one – or five – glasses of fizz.)

And all of this wreaks serious havoc on our long suffering skin.

Good news, however, comes in the form of a little white tube from a South African-brand called Esse, which was founded in 2002.

The brand’s Probiotic Serum contains over 50 million live probiotics which are activated only when they reach the skin.

Probiotics are the friendly bacteria which work to stabilise aggravating bacteria - they're most commonly encouraged as a way of stabilising the gut's eclectic mix of microflora, which is necessary for a healthy intestinal barrier.

In skincare, however, probiotics have the innate ability to foster a healthy and diverse microbial community on the skin's surface, meaning skin will have a healthier barrier and so there will be a decrease in dryness, inflammation and itching.

Probiotic skincare is most beneficial to those suffering from eczema, acne or rosacea - the helpful little belly bugs can reduce inflammation and irritation - and for those with sensitive skin, where probiotics can buoy the skin’s natural bacteria and enhance its protective barrier, meaning skin is more resilient and able to repair itself faster.

Developed by biochemist Trevor Steyn, the Esse brand, whose products are exclusively-stocked at renowned London facial salon, Pfeffer Sal, offers an assortment of probiotic products, all of which are 100% organic and vegan. But it’s their Probiotic Serum which is gaining notoriety in skincare circles.

Perhaps because Steyn understands that efficacious skincare is less about fads and buzzwords and more about a proven formula: “Chemistry is a big part of creating skincare products. Understanding the stability and activity of different compounds is a big part of any successful formulation,” he explains.

Their serum contains live probiotics - it's the first product on the market to - which are kept inactive in an oil solution and are activated only once they come into contact with the skin's surface, at which point they begin to grow as they encounter the skin's moisture.

The serum's live bacterial nature promises to firm skin, reduce breakouts by improving the skin's resilience to bacteria, and fight environmental damage.

I trialled the Probiotic Serum as part of my morning and night routine - post-double cleanse (using QMS Deep Gentle Cleanser and Lancer’s esteemed Cleanser) and pre-moisturiser (currently ADC’s formidable High-Performance Moisturiser) and after using the serum for a week noticed a visible difference in my skin.

I tend to veer away from aromatic products as I have sensitive skin, but after using the serum twice a day, for seven days, my notoriously problematic and tempestuous skin had people I’ve known for years asking why I was glowing so much.

The price tag makes the product aspirational for many (the standard 30ml tube is £100), but if a skincare investment is what you’re after, look no further.

When probed on his general skincare advice, Steyn advises: “Disrupt the skin’s microbiome as little as possible. Sticking to a basic routine of cleansing (only to remove makeup) and moisturising is advisable until balance is restored. By restoring barrier function through microbiome stability, clients will experience enormous benefits.”

Esse’s Probiotic Serum is available to buy for £100.