This was an unpaid, ungifted review. All products were purchased full price and reviewed based solely off my experience.
I imagine like many of you, I have tried so many different types of skin care products, everyday supermarket products, to mid range, to exclusive beautician only ranges. Some I used for a while but none of them have really stuck with me as a great range. If you naturally have great skin it's easy to find a good product that works well for you. But not everyone has amazing skin, instead they face similar frustrations as I do! For me I have combination skin, as mix of oily and dry areas on my face, I am lucky enough to also be prone to acne! Without the right care my skin can get rough from clogged pores, get an oily T section and very dry across the lower part of my face. Since I have combination skin, it's really tricky to manage a number of skin requirements and to find a product that works well across my whole face and neck. I found that products either help with dry areas but make me feel quite oily and heavy else where or manages my oiler areas but drys out and stiffens the rest of my skin. 8 months ago I tried Aesop on a whim as a new store opened up down the road from my work. I loved the vast difference I found from any other product from the first go. The first and most important product is the face wash. I use the Fabulous Face Wash. It has bergamot rind, chamomile bud, and rosemary leaf. A small bit goes a long way and the smell is quite 'herby'. For me, not a bad smell but not amazing, it's a non issue as it doesn't last after you wash it off. It feels very light and gentle but don't be fooled that it isn't doing anything, it really works well at cleaning and preparing your skin. Some years ago I learnt that a face scrub is really not the way to smooth out your skin, it's very harsh and strips your skin and makes it rougher if you are using it more than once or twice I week. I used to use products like this every day in hope to keep my face soft! Little did I know! So first things first, make sure that you use your face wash daily, not a scrub product - no matter what! Secondly it's really important to wash your face every night as well. Preparing it for bed and cleaning it from the day is just as important for the night, this is key to getting your skin balanced day in and out and keeping it continually smooth and free from dry flakes and spots rather than always trying to fix things.
After washing in the morning I use a toner and moisturiser. The toner I used is B & Tea Balancing Toner. It has sodium gluconate, panthenol and green tea. For a long time I didn't see the point of a toner, it just felt like putting water on my face and that it was doing nothing. With this toner I actually look forward to putting on as its really loosens and freshens up my face after it feels a little stiff coming out of the shower. It also has a slight thickness that makes it feel like it is more than just water, that it is absorbing into your skin. This also helps the moisturiser spread and quickly absorb into your skin keeping you feeling light and fresh ready for your makeup routine. The moisturiser I use is called Mandarin Facial Hydrating Cream. It has mandarin rind, lemon rind and tangerine rind. It is ultra light yet very nourishing. The dry parts get balanced out and hydrated while the oily pone areas remain light, breathable and balanced. It also smells so amazing! A beautiful smell to have first thing in the morning and before jumping into bed. Again a tiny bit will go a long way so it's a long lasting bottle.
Since using these three products for about 2 months and being really happy with them I decided to see what other complementing products that had. I wanted a night specific product and a mask to complete my skin care needs. The night product that I have is the Fabulous Face Oil. It has juniper berry, ylang ylang and jasmine petal. When this was first suggested to me my reaction was no way!! As someone that is prone to oily skin, the idea of putting oil on my face was a huge no no! That it would spread acne and make my oily areas even worse. But after a lot of convincing from the sales person I decided to give it a go. He had promised me that it wouldn't make me feel more oily but actually balance it out and give serious hydration over night. Much to my disbelief, he was right! It's now one of my most favoured products. Of course it is oily when I first put it on, as its oil and all! But I always wake up without oily or grimy skin when I use it, it's really amazing! The main purpose for using this is to give my skin some help over night with hydration to keep those signs of ageing at bay. The smell is really quite strong and a little weird but for bed, it's ok! I use this most nights where I use it in place of my moisturiser. So I still cleanse and tone before hand.
I also use a mask called Primrose Facial Cleansing Masque. It as rose geranium, primrose seed and sage leaf in it. I use it about once every two weeks. I have always loved a hard setting mask as it is a great reset for your skin. It's quite a thin mask that almost has more of a watery/oily consistency rather than a super thick and dry one. This makes it go on really easily and feels very refreshing and cooling. It's drys hard then you can wash it off and tone and moisturise. A mask is always nice when you want do something girly, make yourself feel good. You know, that mood tho get into when you want to paint your nails or when you feeling a little annoyed with your skin and want to change how you feel.
This is the first time since before I hit puberty that my skin is buttery soft all day, every day. I feel more confident and proud of my skin. No longer embarrassed of others feeling how rough it was or worrying about if my face was shiny or flakey in parts. I also used to get really worried about wearing make up as it was only going to clog and worsen my skin, but now I feel free to put on anything as I know my skin is perfectly prepared for make up and will be throughly cleansed, balanced and hydrated once I wash it off. These products are also really natural, no nasty and harsh chemicals, which I think it's very important not only for my skin but the environment too.
One year on and these products have really worked so well for me, if you have similar skin I urge you to give it a go, it might just work for you too.
xx AK