Two weeks into using a recommended winter skincare regime from Aesop consisting of Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser, Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant and Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream, and we have some thoughts to share…
Let’s start with the Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser…
What Aesop says: A formulation rich in nourishing fatty acids and anti-oxidant Vitamin E that gently hydrates while cleansing skin of grime and light makeup.
What we think: We really enjoyed using this cleanser, it’s a great everyday product. Gentle enough to use each morning and night it leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean but not stripped of its natural oils. Like a lot of Aesop products, it has a strong botanical scent. lavender and chamomile bud are the prevailing notes. This is something we really enjoy about the Aesop products as it backs up their ethos of using purely natural ingredients. However, it might not be for those who don’t enjoy a strong botanical/naturally green or woody scent.
What Aesop says: A dry blend of ground Tea Tree leaves, crushed nutshell and purified clay that buffs and calms skin.
What we think: Out of all three products, this is the one that initially we thought less about. But this little bottle for us was a pleasant surprise. Again the product has a strong natural smell, as soon as you open the bottle you are greeted with a strong smell of Walnut and wood. While this may not appeal to everyone we found it quite nostalgic, it reminded us of childhood memories and handcrafted wooden furniture. The strong smell of walnut wood cements the fact that no nasty micro-beads are ever used in the Aesop products. A fact we wish was true of all skincare brands. We love the concept of being able to add this exfoliating blend to your Aesop cleanser when you feel you need it. You literally just pour half a teaspoon (or less if you only want a light exfoliation) into the palm of your hand and mix it with your cream cleanser to make an exfoliating paste. Its recommended you should do this every two to three days in the winter months. We have been using it every three days and have found it to be a very effective exfoliator, we love the smooth refreshed feel it has delivered.
And the last in our trio of Winter skincare products is the Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream.
What Aesop says: A complex, richly nourishing blend of nut and plant extracts that delivers anti-oxidant fortification and richly nourishing hydration without a weighty after-feel.
What we think: This rich golden-coloured Hydrating cream, or moisturiser is rich and nourishing but it absorbs into the skin quickly to leave a non-greasy hydrated feel. Because it absorbs quickly into the skin we have found it to be the perfect solution to use for daytime. Makeup applies easily over the top and it has kept skin nourished throughout the day. We also like the golden colour of the cream, it’s visually appealing next to the Aesop glass amber vessels and a reminder that Aesop does not use colourants in its products. We found it a little on the light side for nighttime use but Aesop offers several heavier alternatives if you are looking for something more for nighttime use.
All in all our thoughts on this recommended Winter skincare regime from Aesop are very positive. We have noticed an improvement in smoothness and moisture levels and we have genuinely enjoyed the smell and feel of the products. The idea of adapting your skincare range to suit the seasons resonates with us, our skin definitely changes from season to season. We also think the power of scent plays well against the seasonal changes, this trio and it’s heavier slightly masculine scents do well to provoke a winter mood. For spring and summer, we are looking forward to seeing what Aesop have for a lighter adaptation and scents to match. Lastly, for us the Aesop products have a feel-good factor, their philosophy of simplicity and only releasing much researched and needed products keeps the range tight and easy to understand and we feel like they strike the right balance of nature vs science, respecting natural processes and ingredients but also recognising that the right balance of science is required to create successful beauty products. Aesop also has strong ethical and uncompromising beliefs when it comes to the ingredients within, the way they package and how they test and develop their products, which we commend.
