I just updated with all the new stuff and finally bought the pipeline edition, skingen, and beards/hairstyle packs. One thing I seem to be getting wrong though is the Essential Characters from the original packs. They are CC1(?) so when I convert them over to CC+ they end up looking bland and flat. I ended up getting the one I was working on sorted after a couple of hours at scratching my head, but I don't think they look as good as native CC+ Characters. The one I did was the Asian Female. It took a bit but I have half way decent results with it now. Are the essentials going to be updated for CC+ or are they just going to be edited as needed whenever people use them? Just curious as to what, if any, plans there are for them. Anyway, here's a pic with what I'm starting with and what I eventually got to. The one in the center is after converting to CC+.

Well, you bought the skingen (and other + stuff) and not using it? Old CC1 substance cannot be used in new Appearance Editor. It is converted all baked.
When I started slowly converting my CC1 characters to +, I had to dump all hard work I've done in the past with CC1 skin and adopt new skingen features.
Apply base + realistic human skin and start working out details with layers in Appearance Editor, Including specific skin details, new CC+ makeup, decals... etc.
And please replace those CC1 eyes with new + eyes generation.
Otherwise, I do not see the point of conversion other than SSS.

Other than the fact that there is a variety of presets already to be used, none really. However, those presets are a vast majority of ethnic groups and I see a few people having a fit about trying to make various characters of different races. Seems it would be worth it to convert those characters over and give even more quick set options to character creation. Either way, is fine with me. If I have to do extra work then so be it. But if the character creator is being upgraded, it stands to reason that all items included should be upgraded to fit the newer versions as well. It's the same thing with nearly every other piece of software. Game engines, artistic software, even a serious creator of assets made in Unreal will make sure their assets are updated to the latest version. For a software producer that makes things that are used on a regular basis by thousands of professionals, indie, and hobbyist, to not upgrade all the features seems a tad bit lazy on their part.

I just came from work, tired. Do not have much time to reiterate. But this is what I have done in 15 min (5min took automated conversion process from CC1 to CC3+ ) from the very same CC1 Asian female from your first picture.