Is Essence a German Brand? Owner and Origin Explained

In 2008, a German company called cosnova opened its first office outside Germany, in New York. A year later, essence was on American shelves. It was a small, quiet move, the kind of thing you only notice years after, when a mascara you have used for a decade turns out to have a European parent. By 2022 the brand had moved into more than 300 mass-market stores, per a Glossy interview with the company.

The story behind it is a founders' story. Christina Oster-Daum and Javier Gonzalez started the company in 2001, and essence launched in Germany in 2002. Oster-Daum has said she wanted cosmetics accessible to everyone, without compromising on quality. The brand says it is cruelty-free and vegan, in line with EU standards, and that it avoids over 1,500 potentially harmful ingredients. That is a brand claim, but it is a clear one, and I think essence makeup deserves a look on its own terms, not as a stand-in for something else.

The trick is to start in the first grid and pick a short list. Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara is the brand's best known product, and Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel Mascara is the easy way to tidy a brow. For the face there is Baby Got Blush, Pure Nude Highlighter and Brighten Up Banana Powder, a yellow setting powder that suits anyone who wants a brighter under-eye. Silky Blur Hydrating Longwear Concealer is the base product I would try. Juicy Bomb Shiny Lip Gloss and Hydra Kiss Lip Oil cover the lips.

Test a lip tint on the pad of your finger, not your lips. Dab it, blend it out, and look at the colour a minute later, because some tints deepen as they dry.

The second round is where essence shows off how many small formulas it makes. Extreme Shine Volume Lipgloss is the classic, and The Super Peptide Glossy Lip Treatment is the one to wear on a dry day. What A Tint Lip & Cheek Tint does two jobs with one tube, and I like it pressed into the apples of the cheeks with a fingertip.

For cheeks, Soft Touch Mousse Blush and Soft Touch Bouncy Glow are the softer, pressed-in options, and Baby Got Bronze Bronzing Stick is the quick one for a warm swipe on the cheekbone. Brow Lift & Freeze Glue is for people who want brows that stay brushed up all day, and Wow What A Brow Pen Waterproof is the precise choice for filling sparse spots.

A pairing I like: the Bouncy Glow on the top of the cheeks and the Baby Got Bronze stick underneath, then a touch of gloss on the lips so the whole face looks lit from the same side.

What I would skip: layering a mousse blush over a powder. Put cream products on first and powder over only the T-zone.

Line up two brow gels on the back of your hand and brush them through. The one that leaves a clean, flexible hair, not a crunchy one, is the one that will survive the commute.

Nothing about essence exists alone, so here is how the neighbours look. e.l.f. Cosmetics' Wow Brow Gel is the obvious comparison for Make Me Brow, and the Glow Reviver Plumping Lip Oil is the natural rival to Hydra Kiss. NYX Professional Makeup's Fat Cheeks Dewy Liquid Blush is the more liquid choice next to Baby Got Blush, and its Buttermelt Pressed Powder Natural Finish Bronzer and Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner make up a neat short kit. Wonder Snatch Concealer is the one to put next to Silky Blur.

Maybelline is the bigger name in this aisle. Lash Sensational Mascara is the direct comparison to Lash Princess, and Super Stay Up to 24HR Hybrid Powder-Foundation is a base option for people who want more coverage than a concealer gives.

What I would skip: buying every shade of a bronzer. Pick one that looks like your skin on a sunny day and leave the others on the shelf.

Wash a blush brush as often as you wash a towel. A dirty brush patches colour and makes good formulas look bad.

A few good brushes do more for these formulas than another product. Sephora Collection's Essential Brush 01 Foundation and 04 Cheek are the two to start with, and the PRO Powder Brush #59 and PRO Bronzer Brush #88 are the step up for people who use powder daily. NARS's #17 Cream Cheek Brush suits the mousse blushes and the Baby Got Bronze stick, and the #20 Allover Eyeshadow Brush is a soft, blendy brush for lids.

A brush is also the difference between a good brow and a heavy one. For brows, Patrick Ta's Dual-Ended Brow Brush and Makeup by Mario's E7 Dual-Ended Eyebrow Brush are both dual-ended, which is handy when you are working with a brow gel and a brow pen in the same minute.

Keep the eyeshadow brush for the lid only, and keep a second, clean one for the face so colour never travels where you do not want it.

What I would skip: a dense powder brush for liquid or cream products. Use something damp and fluffy, or use your fingers.

Is essence German? Yes. essence is owned by cosnova, a company headquartered in Sulzbach, Germany. cosnova says it was founded in 2001 by Christina Oster-Daum and Javier González.

 

Who makes essence makeup? essence's US site says the brand is owned by Cosnova Beauty from Germany. I could not find a page naming the factories, so I will not guess where each product is made.

 

Is essence a drugstore brand? Yes, in the US you find it where drugstore makeup lives. essence's own FAQ lists Ulta, Target, CVS, Meijer and Amazon, plus its own site.

 

What brand is essence, and is it cruelty-free? essence is a makeup brand from cosnova, the company based in Sulzbach, Germany. The brand says it does not test on animals and does not commission anyone else to, anywhere in the world.

For most people, my pick for a first essence haul is short: Lash Princess, one lip gloss and one blush, then a brush that makes them look better. That is a whole face from one drugstore line, and you can add a concealer or a bronzer when you know what you miss. I would pick the brush from the last grid before I bought a second gloss.

Christina Oster-Daum wanted cosmetics for everyone, and a German company took a year to get from a New York office to an American shelf. You can take ten minutes to try a mascara, and if it is good, you will know by the first blink. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Drugstore Tubing Mascara Fans, These Are the Easy Tubing Formulas to Try and essence Baby Got Blush and the Pink Cheek Mates Around It.