Wondering what Aesop skincare is like? We’ve tried and tested it to let you know!
By Chere Di Boscio
Confession: I have always had a ‘thing’ for skincare specialised brand Aesop, ever since I was given a freebie skin cream at a launch party in Paris. I adored the minimalist glass bottles; the refreshing, light scents of the products, and the philosophy behind the range. That philosophy includes the notion of harnessing the power of nature to enhance our beauty and cure what ails our skin.
So when I was given the opportunity to try and test the brand’s skincare range, I couldn’t refuse.
I went to the Marylebone branch of their London shop to learn how to use the products correctly. Which was a good thing, because as I learned, to my surprise – I had been doing everything wrong.
A Bit About Aesop
Dennis Paphitis established the brand in Australia in 1987. At the time, he owned and operated a hair salon, and loved blending essential oils into hair products. His clients loved it, and after continued success, he decided to create a brand that used his techniques.
He called it Aesop, after the Greek fabulist and storyteller. He eventually sold the company to Naturua & Co, a Brazilian natural cosmetics company, while maintaining a role as advisor.
Today, each Aesop store has a unique interior design developed in collaboration with various architects, interior designers and artists. As of 2019, the brand had over 320 points of sale across 25 countries. The brand is produces 83 products, including perfumes, face washes, toners, shaving products, body lotions and much more.
Each store is staffed by highly trained individuals who are happy to advise on how to use the products, and to offer samples.
A Re-Education
One of those Aesop staff members gave me a serious re-education in skincare! Normally, to remove makeup I apply some creamy cleanser to a cotton pad, rub it around my face a few times, then wipe clean with a damp face cloth, before dabbing some toner on a cotton round and dragging that across my skin to remove all traces of the cleanser, then moisturizing.
Bad, bad, bad, says Isabelle, my consultant at Aesop.
She explained that I need to ditch those cotton rounds for two reasons: one, they are wasteful and bad for the planet. Two, they contain bleach and chemicals which can irritate sensitive skin. Instead, she suggested applying the product with a totally natural resource: my fingertips. This, she explained, would warm the oil and allow it to work deep in the pores.
After examining my skin, she decided it was the ‘dehydrated’ rather than ‘flaky’ kind of dry, and recommended the Parsley Seed Cleansing Oil. Comprised mainly of avocado, sweet almond, Macadamia nut, lavender and of course, anti-oxidising parsley seed oil, the product was a bit runny and messy, but had a pleasantly herbal scent. I let it sit on my skin for a bit, then took a warmed, damp linen cloth and massaged it off. The amount of makeup that came clean was incredible! (Note to self: ease up on the foundation!).
Aesop Skincare: Next Steps
After patting my skin dry, the second step was the In Two Minds toner. Again, normally I would apply this with a cotton round, but Isabelle told me to simply splash it all over my face and pat dry. I did just that, but this technique used a lot more of the product than I normally would, which is a pretty scary prospect considering this is $55 a bottle. I also didn’t feel as sure that it was removing any last traces of cleanser and makeup. That being said, some will appreciate the fact that this is an alcohol-free based product, and it’s quite gentle. It smelled lightly of herbs and didn’t sting or leave my skin feeling tight at all.
The final step was the Camellia Nut facial hydrating cream, which my skin greedily soaked up like a sponge. My face felt instantly soothed and hydrated, and there was zero sticky residue. I absolutely love this product! It’s rich and gentle, and contains some ingredients like Glycine Soja, Tocopherol and Sodium Lactate. These may sound scary, but these are just a stabilised form of soya, Vitamin E and fermented sugar. All of which help protect the skin from free radicals.
Get Smart!
That’s one thing I learned from my Aesop skincare specialist. Don’t fear the longer ingredient names on the packaging. Just get to know which synthesised ingredients are helpful and which ones are harmful (try an app like Think Dirty to learn more).
Overall, I was highly impressed by the Aesop skincare range that I tested. But there’s so much more! There are ranges of different serums, eye creams, masques and many other products to try. Like all Aesop skincare products, they were designed using natural ingredients to suit all skin types, both male and female, and are sold with unisex, minimalist, recyclable packaging. And with their gorgeous, recyclable packaging, they make wonderful gifts!
See why I love this brand?
For more info on Aesop skincare, please click here.
This was a sponsored post.
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