One puts water in. One keeps it there all day.
Two products doing two completely different jobs — and the reason a richer cream on its own never fixed the tight feeling.
Formulated in Cape Town by a cosmetic chemist.
A humectant without an occlusive is half a routine.
Your moisturiser is a lid. It keeps water in — it isn't a source of water. If your skin is dehydrated, a lid on an empty jar doesn't fill the jar.
Hyaluron Advantage
Binds water into the upper layers of the skin instead of letting it evaporate. This is the half almost everyone is missing.
- Hyaluronic acid — holds water where you need it
- Inulin — a prebiotic that feeds the barrier's own microbiome
- Allantoin — calms and softens while the rest works
Phyto Lift Age Defense Day Cream
Goes over the top within a minute and stops that water leaving again — so it's still there at four in the afternoon rather than gone by eleven.
- Squalane — seals without sitting heavy under makeup
- Snail filtrate — conditioning and barrier-supporting
- Vitamin C & bakuchiol — see below
Age-defence work you can do in the morning.
Most people believe anti-ageing actives belong at night. That's true of retinol — it photosensitises, so it's a night ingredient. Bakuchiol doesn't.
5% Bakuchiol
A plant-derived alternative to retinol. Gentler, and comfortable in daylight — which means Phyto Lift is sealing your serum in and supporting firmness and texture in the same step.
3% Vitamin C
Supports a brighter, more even-looking tone. And vitamin C performs better underneath sunscreen than without it — so the morning is exactly where it belongs.
Three steps, before the day starts.
The order matters more than the products. Thinnest to thickest, always.
Serum on damp skin
Don't dry your face completely after cleansing. Hyaluronic acid needs water to bind to — on bone-dry skin it can pull it from deeper down instead.
Phyto Lift within a minute
You have roughly sixty seconds before the water evaporates. You're not waiting for anything to absorb — you're racing it.
SPF over the top
Every morning, no exceptions. Vitamin C works better underneath it, and UVA doesn't care what the season is.
Before you buy both.
You may not need the pair
If you already own a day cream you like, keep it. The serum is the piece most people are missing — not the cream. Only buy both if what you've got isn't holding anything in.
Allergens and animal-derived ingredients
Hyaluron Advantage contains hydrolysed wheat protein, so skip it if you're coeliac or wheat-allergic. Phyto Lift contains snail filtrate — cruelty-free, but not vegan. Message me and I'll suggest alternatives.
Double Radiance Rewards points on everything.
No discount, no code, nothing to remember. I didn't want to put my prices up so I could mark them down — a discount tells you the price was never real. Points cost me more, and I'd rather you came back than got a bargain once.
Shop the pair Points are added manually within 48 hours of your order, so they won't show at checkout.Questions I actually get
Do I really need both?
Can I use the serum at night as well?
What does "damp skin" actually mean?
Is bakuchiol as good as retinol?
Is either suitable for sensitive skin?
How long before I see a difference?
Do I still need sunscreen?
ESQ Skincare · Clinically Active. Naturally Powerful.
Formulated and packed by hand in Cape Town.
