Company Spot Light: Essensu

Essensu is a holistic skin care shop that I have recently discovered thanks to PLURK. Tami Abiuso is the owner/creator of the delightful products that can be found at her Artfire and Etsy locations. She is also has many highly informative articles on her blog "The Holistic Diva".

From Tami's store description about her company's products, "Our products don't contain any sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates, petroleum, petrolatum, mineral oil, harsh chemicals or synthetic dyes, and fewer to no phthalates, only gentle perservatives, in addition we use therapeutic levels of all vital nutrients." 

Upon first learning about Essensu, I wasn't sure what to make of her products.  I mean it's incredibly rare and hard to find skin care products that don't contain at least one of, if not more than one of these ingredients that she doesn't put in her products. I know that I had the internal voice saying but don't those ingredients need to be there in order for the products to work? After all surely they are necessary since I can't find many products without them? I am glad to be able to tell that internal voice to "Shut UP!" You really don't need any of that in order to have products that work. I hope that my results below will inspire you to check out Essensu product line and go natural too.

Tami recently allowed me to try out a sampling of her products. What can I say about them as AWESOME, WONDERFUL, UNIQUE, and MARVELOUS are highly inadequate. These words just don't do justice for what her products are like. Let the review begin.

My first product I sampled was Silky Body Cream in Patchouli by essensu.

According to her product description I could expect a "Silky Body Cream in Patchouli is a skin-sational formula made with sunflower oil, known for its healing properties and high vitamin E content.

Sunflower oil helps soften and regenerate even the driest skin, leaving it baby-soft. Also included, is a generous amount of moisturizing soy butter for additional skin nourishment."

What I got was a body cream that not only worked at softening my dry skin but also one that I didn't react to. Her very generous 1 oz sample gave me enough product to truly experience it and to be able to honestly decide if it was for me or not. Not something that one finds many companies doing now a days.

My great-niece has a condition called Sensory Integration Dysfunction. What this fancy term means in a nutshell is that she has trouble with processing information through her senses. She's easily overwhelmed by the bombardment of information that she gets hit with throughout her day.

One thing now that drying winter type weather is upon us that she needs is to use a body lotion. The other reason she needs to use a body lotion is because it's part of her SI program. One thing she deeply detests is using body lotion in all forms. She absolutely throws a fit at having to use most lotions that are on the market today. We have successfully found 2 that she will tolerate with lots of grumblings, tears, and hostility. And I mean that very seriously. She allows the lotions to go on long enough for the benefits of the SI treatment and then she's off to scrub them off. She's never been able to put it in words what she doesn't like about the lotion. 

So, when this child requested to try silky body cream in Patchouli by essensu we were quick to agree. Now that's a real first for her to actually request the usage of a lotion product beyond an initial sniff test. She was very tolerant and even peaceable through out the procedure. Even afterward she ddidn't rush to scrub it off like she normally does with the others we've used in the past.  This is truly a huge compliment to Tami's dedication and hard work in creating a wonderful product.

Because Tami sent two other samples in the scents of Vanilla Zen and Lilac my great-niece was able to express that she would prefer we get Vanilla Zen next time.

Now my niece has a thing for the scent of lilac. She used to carry around an old perfume container that once upon a time held a scent called lilac. She dreams of having a lilac bush or two if she ever gets her own house where she's free to put such a thing. The smell of lilacs has special meaning to her. Mainly because it represents a happier time in her life.Something that has been few  and far between. She's been on the look out over the years to find something close to either the perfume she packed with her or the real thing. She pretty much gave up hope of ever finding the right smell. That is until we cracked the seal on the sample Tami sent.

I must confess that I don't know much about this lotion sample. I do know that it smelled wonderfully. I assume it works as well as the silky body cream in patchouli and the vanilla zen do. I have to say that because my niece has laid claim to it. With tears running down her face and a huge beaming smile, she has taken it to her heart and scampered off to show everyone and has it tucked up near her bed for safe keeping.

I know of at least 8 people who may be starting to think she's come unhinged at last because she has been telling them to sniff the jar. While proclaiming loudly "That this is how lilac is supposed to smell!!!" Her dear friend joked that the sample of lilac scented lotion would now become the long lost perfume container from her childhood based on these antics. But I was quick to reassure her that it wouldn't come to that. As now we can get lilac scented items from Essensu.

I have to say that all three lotions smell wonderfully. They aren't too heavy, per-fumy, in a nauseating way nor are they so lightly scented that your wondering if it is worth the hassle to use cause it might not last. The two that I tried left my skin silky soft and best of all without any of the nasty red freshly slapped look that I am used to when using lotions. Nor did I taste it in my mouth like I normally do when using a hand or body lotion. No, I don't lick the lotions off either.

My second product sample that I will describe is her Organic Coffee Sugar Scrub by Essensu

According to this products description: "Our Organic Coffee Sugar Body Scrub will cleanse while exfoliating dry skin, removing patchy dryness, leaving your skin smooth as silk, renewed and moisturized."

This scrub has such a wonderful coffee smell to it; that upon first opening the container, I wasn't sure if I should use it or drink it. I did find that it fully lived up to its product description.

This is another product that my great-niece wanted to try. She was really excited by how it made her skin feel. She also thought it was a great scent. My great-nephew thought it was a good boy scent. I think the only one slightly disappointed in the scent was one of my clients who came to picked up his wife orders. The only reason he was disappointed is he thought it meant coffee was brewed so he could get a cup versus a skin care product that smelled like a good cup of jo.


The third product we got to sample is California Cleansing Cream made with real banana.


This is another delicious smelling sample. The size is generous enough that 3 of were able to try it out. Both my niece and great-niece have problem complexions. They tend to find cleansing products that either don't leave their face feeling clean or they leave the face feeling totally striped of everything like it's not even there any more. They also tend to wind up with very angry red skin after washing their faces. None of this occurred with this product. They both felt like their skin was thoroughly cleaned and still there.


I also felt that it cleaned my skin well. Remarkably this is another product that I didn't seem to react to. No itchy, burning, or weird taste in my mouth during or after using it. This is such a nice change from the normal experience I have when using skin care products.


One last item that I received in my sampler is a Vanilla Pumpkin body wash. I honestly can't remember the last time I showered and came out with skin that squeaked. That is one thing that the great-niece & great-nephew both commented on. There words were to the effect, "WOW!!! I didn't know you skin could do that." To me this says it better than I could ever come up with. Again the scent is just the right amount. The cleansing your body gets is superb.

What can I say about Essensu products? They are simple, work great, and smell amazing. If you have anyone on your holiday shopping list that requests Bath & Body products then I would like to suggest that you shop at Essensu. Why get something that is mass produced, given/received by thousands, and uninspiring? When you can give something that is very inspirational, unique, and beneficial to one's skin. You won't be sorry that you did.

Again one can visit Tami's shop  at her Artfire and Etsy locations. Or read one of her informative articles on her blog "The Holistic Diva". 

*this review is of our own experience with Essensu products. the samples were given to us to experience her products because of the potential of a future  business arrangement. This review was a surprise for Tami. She didn't ask or require it to be written. Wanted to draw positive attention & spread the word about the fabulous products she makes*