Giving Essence.

Mists & Essences

About this product

A hydrating essence combining 5% niacinamide, galactomyces ferment filtrate (sake derivative), polyglutamic acid, and red algae to prep skin for subsequent skincare layers.

Best for

Oily skin Combination skinNormal skin

Type

Mists & EssencesLiquid

Key actives

Niacinamide Hyaluronic acid

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Aspergillus Ferment Extract Filtrate, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ellagic Acid, Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Glycerin, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Morus Alba Root Extract, Allantoin, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit Extract, Rubus Coreanus Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Betaine, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Water, Methylpropanediol

Guru Score

86%

Approved

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

2Gurus

2Approved

0Mixed

0Skip

What the gurus are saying

This essence hydrates without irritation despite its 5% niacinamide concentration, which gurus found gentle enough for sensitive skin. The fermented sake ingredient and polyglutamic acid work together to plump skin, even tone, calm breakouts, and soften dark spots, with one expert noting it delivers comparable glow and hydration to pricier alternatives at a lower cost. The formula lands exactly where an essence should in a routine, prepping skin to drink in the rest of your layers.

Synthesized from 2 expert reviews · most recent take January 2026

Where to buy

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How it works Independent by design. Every take comes from a creator we have no relationship with. We do not ask anyone to review, and affiliate links never move a score.

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

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Kelly Driscoll

90k subs

✓Approved

"The product that I most recommend from Then I Met You is the Giving Essence. I'm a really big fan of this particular product. It's a really good example of what an essence is in the Korean skincare world. Traditionally speaking, in the 10-step Korean beauty routine, an essence functions as a sort of bridge between a hydrating toner product and a serum or ampule treatment type of product. It lands somewhere in the middle of the hydration that toners can bring to the skin that replenish the skin and prep the skin for the rest of your skincare routine because hydrated, moist skin is going to accept other skincare layers better and absorb better into your skin from the hydration levels. But also, if your skin is lacking water, if it is dehydrated, replenishing that with a hydrating toner can make a huge difference. Hydration itself smooths and plumps the skin and promotes healthier skin."

Top Pick: essence

James Welsh

1.58M subs

✓Approved

"For £44 you can get the Giving Essence from Then I Met You, all the benefits of galactomyces ferment filtrate, but this one kind of makes my skin feel a lot more hydrated than the SK-II, probably because of the added polyglutamic acid and the red algae."

All 2 takes from James Welsh

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"Whenever I use a product from Then I Met You I forget how much I enjoyed using the product, not only that but the good stuff that actually does for my skin. As you would expect with an essence, this contains some fermented ingredients as well as 5% niacinamide, which I would usually find quite irritating for my skin, but it just doesn't do that in this. It almost feels like gentle for my skin. Niacinamide being great for helping to even out skin tone, help reduce sebum production, but it's also just generally a good all-around ingredient for numerous things. The fermented ingredients is galactomyces ferment filtrate, a derivative of fermented sake, not only helping with the overall glow of your skin, brightness of your skin, but it can also help calm acne, help with dark spots, help reduce the appearance of size of pores. It's one of those key ingredients in a traditional essence that was often known for its anti-aging benefits. And then we also have polyglutamic acid. I do prefer glycerin and polyglutamic acid as my humectant to add that hydration to my skin."

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Common questions

Frequently asked.

What is Then I Met You Giving Essence?

A hydrating essence combining 5% niacinamide, galactomyces ferment filtrate (sake derivative), polyglutamic acid, and red algae to prep skin for subsequent skincare layers.

Is Then I Met You Giving Essence worth it?

Yes. All 2 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 86%.

What is Then I Met You Giving Essence's Guru Score?

Then I Met You Giving Essence holds a Guru Score of 86%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 independent expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.