Six-part series explores the skin microbiome, probiotics, sensitive skin, the future of skincare, and the case against conventional skincare.
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA — 8 May 2026. Esse Skincare releases Skin as it should be, a six-part podcast featuring the final recorded conversations of the company’s late founder, microbiome skincare pioneer Trevor Steyn (MSc Chemistry). Recorded before his passing, the series is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. The series arrives amid growing scientific and consumer interest in the skin microbiome and inflammatory skin conditions.
Trevor was among the first formulators in the world to apply live probiotics in professional skincare treatments, releasing the world’s first live probiotic serum in 2015. Across six episodes recorded with host Geoff Paton, he discusses the skincare industry’s reliance on petrochemical ingredients, the implications of the Human Microbiome Project for skin health, the growing prevalence of sensitive skin, ethical questions in formulation, vitamin D and skin health, and the future of probiotic skincare.
In the opening episode, Trevor returns to the moment when, as a young chemist, he first read a mainstream skincare ingredient list and concluded that “skincare was probably one of the most crooked industries I’ve ever seen.” That assessment led him to found Esse in 2002.
“Trevor saw skin as an ecosystem, not a surface, and Skin as it should be captures that perspective in his own voice,” says Amy Chu, Chief Marketing Officer of Esse Skincare. “We chose to launch the series on his birthday as a way to honour him and continue the conversations he believed the skincare industry still needed to have.”
The series is published at https://www.esseskincare.com/esse-podcast/
About Esse Skincare
Esse is a professional microbiome skincare brand founded in South Africa in 2002 by chemist Trevor Steyn.
Distributed in more than 40 countries, Esse formulates with live probiotics, prebiotics and ecologically responsible actives to support the skin’s microbiome and barrier function.
Media contact: Amy Chu, Chief Marketing Officer, Esse Skincare
amy@esseskincare.com
For editors: High-resolution photography of Trevor Steyn, series artwork, and 60–90 second audio clips from each episode are available on request
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