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algenist skincare

Aesop Skincare Review

aesop skincare review

 

As a skincare junkie, my attention naturally turned towards trying and testing Aesop products, mainly for curiosity’s sake and also to see if the brand could fill the void of some of my skincare needs. Aesop is an Aussie skincare brand owned by a Brazilian company. It is known for its simple and straightforward design of its packaging with emphasis on plant-based and sensory-invoking formulations that are very much spa-like. I’ve never been to an Aesop store before, and I also have not seen any of their signature concept spaces in some department stores. I’ve heard and read that each of their stores is unique and that the interiors are well-designed. I hope to set foot in one of them someday. Anyway, I got my Aesop fix from Nordstrom.comย and Saksfifthavenue.comย which made it so convenient especially if you don’t have an Aesop store nearby. So here some Aesop goodies that I’ve tried and tested lately.

 

Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask

 

Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask (2.1 oz: $45) – This is a lightweight face mask with antioxidants and aloe vera. It has a blend of clay and herbaceous scent with a bit of something fresh and floral. The consistency is smooth and creamy and its color is a light brown clay that transforms into something of a pale white shade once it dries. The instruction says to use this twice weekly for 15 minutes, which I did. It has a calming effect on the skin and it’s good in keeping moisture on the face. It is a great mask if you have a normal, sensitive or dry skin, but definitely, it’s not for oily skin like yours truly here. On my skin, this doesn’t feel like it goes deep into cleansing my pores or that it takes off excess oil. I definitely need something stronger than this like Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple Pore Extractor which actually smells and feels very similar to this Aesop Parsley Seed Mask. Also, the Pore Extractor Mask from Philosophy works better and it’s also cheaper.

Rind Concentrate Body Balm

Rind Concentrate Body Balm (4.2 oz: $35, 17 oz: $97) – If you love the way your hands smell after eating a citrus fruit, then you’re surely to going to love this scent. This versatile cream totally smells like 100% citrus, orange, and lemon skin. It is so good and so irresistible that I practically got addicted to its scent. This is definitely the best Aesop product I’ve tried so far, and its consistency does not disappoint. It’s a smooth mid-weight cream that is not too thin and not too thick. It’s also non-sticky and it goes through the skin easily. Truly a great body and hand moisturizer, and because I love this so much, I’ll be repurchasing this in its largest size, simply because this is unbelievably good, and I highly recommend this to all of you guys.

 

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub swatch

 

Geranium Leaf Body Scrub

 

Geranium Leaf Body Scrub (6.1 oz: $35) – This is a very invigorating gel body scrub with pumice, bamboo stem, and geranium leaf. A little bit of this works really well to exfoliate the body because this scrub is so gritty and it foams nicely, but at the same time, it’s also gentle on the skin. You definitely need to rinse this off thoroughly and try to use it once or twice a week. This surprisingly leaves the skin smooth and soft, refreshed, and very well-cleansed. I love its unisex green and fresh scent that almost feels like you’re having a spa. I just wish Aesop will make this in a much larger container in the future.

 

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser

 

Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser (6.8 oz: $25, 16.9 oz: $45) – This is another gel body cleanser that smells fresh and green just like the Geranium Leaf Body Scrub above but without the pumice. It lathers really well and it also leaves the skin feeling thoroughly cleaned and soft. I also found this to be gentle on the skin and you also don’t need to use a lot of the product. I believe this a great alternative for those who don’t want the super-exfoliating Geranium Scrub version and just wants an everyday gentle body cleanser, but this is also a great partner together with the scrub if you want that extra cleansing and polishing.

 

Aesop fabulous face cleanser review

 

Fabulous Face Cleanser (3.4 oz: $33, 6.8 oz: $49) – What a fabulous name for a facial cleanser eh? I wanted to check how fab this cleanser would be, and I find that this actually has a mild herb-like scent that’s great for everyday use. It works pretty well for normal, combination, dry, and sensitive skin types especially during the winter, and it foams quite ok. It cleanses gently so a lot of folks will surely love this, however, if you’re the oily-skin type, you might need something more potent than this just so you can get rid of excess oil and shine.

 

Bottom line, I like Aesops’ concept of organic simple skincare products that actually smells relaxing and luxurious. I find their formulas to be very well-thought-out but they’re pricey and hard to find. Because of that, I feel like I’d probably limit myself to theย Geranium Leaf Body Scrub because it’s such a very good exfoliator with a fresh herbaceous and spa-like scent that’s kind of hard to come by nowadays. And of course, I am definitely in love and will definitely hoard the Rind Concentrate Body Balm. Not sure about the Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask though, I prefer the Philosophy Pore Extractor more. I will probably skip the Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser from time to time, and will not repurchase the Fabulous Face Cleanser in the future, yet I will continue to discover more Aesop products because they are such awesome treats once in a while.

 

aesop skin care

 

The Aesop Skincare products are currently available at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys NY, Net-A-Porter & Selfridges

 

 

Samples of The Week: Lancome, Tata Harper, Algenist, Dior, Jo Malone, Fresh & Hourglass

Samples Of The Week: Lancome, Tata Harper, Algenist, Dior, Jo Malone, Fresh & Hourglass

 

Aloha folks! It’s about time for some first impressions and fresh takes on some samples that I’ve been testing this week. I’ve chosen a few skincare minis, some scents, and a few makeup samples. A lot of you may have tried them already but it would be really interesting to know what you think about the following products that I’m about to review.

 


 

jomalone wood sage & sea salt, tata harper resurfacing mask, fresh rose hydrating eye gel cream review

 

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologneย (1 oz $65, 3.4 oz $130)ย – I’d like to think that this is a unisex cologne with a beachy earthy tone. This scent has a salty aquatic vibe to it but only when you don’t spray a lot. It’s refreshing to the senses but it really doesn’t last long. Perhaps it’s only good for about an hour. Spraying more would bring out the strong herb-like scent of sage which can be overpowering.

 

tata harper resurfacing mask review

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask (1 oz $58) – A mask that promises to deliver instant glow, minimizes the appearance of pores, evens the skin’s texture and with all-natural ingredients. It sounds really promising, however, I can’t seem to love this mask. I’ve tried it several times already but it just didn’t seem to make a difference on my skin. I like the scent though. It smells like beet, clay, lemon, and something herb-like.

 

Fresh Rose Hydrating Eye Gel Cream (0.5 oz $41) – There’s something really interesting about this eye cream. I didn’t expect it to be so creamy and luxuriously smooth to the touch. Because of that, it really hydrates my eye area and it doesn’t irritate it. While it didn’t really illuminate my dark circles since the desired effect remains to be seen with time, I love how it felt cool and soothing which calmed down some of my puffiness. I’m not crazy about its strong cucumber-rose scent though.

 

lancome teint idole foundation,dior j'adore eau lumiere eau de toilette,algenist complete eye renewal balm, hourglass mineral veil primer

Dior J’adore Eau Lumiere, Eau de Toilette (1.7 oz $94, 3.4 oz $124, 5 oz $155) – The captivatingย scent of Dior J’adore continues with its Eau Lumiere edition. This lighter version is still sexy, alluring, romantic, and fresh. This is one of the most beautiful floral scents I’ve ever tried. I love the perfect blend of Blood Orange, Neroli, and Damask Rose. It smells a bit like a bunch of gardenias with something soapy and musky at the same time. Definitely very dramatically fresh.

 

algenist eye cream

Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm (0.5 oz $68) – Ask me what my favorite eye cream is and I will tell you that this is one of them. In fact, there arenโ€™t that many eye creams out there that I like, but this Eye Renewal Balm from Algenist is something I’d like to recommend. I have already started using the regular jar and I’m really in love with it. It has alguronic acid, vitamin C, caffeine, aloe, green tea, etc., and the scent has a very light vanilla hint, similar to most Algenist skincare products but a bit more subtle. I love how this moisturizes my dry and sort of puffy undereyes and its hydrating effect lasts for the rest of the day.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation In Shades; 310 Bisque C, 320 Bisque W, 360 Bisque N (1 oz $47) – Hmmm, I think I found another beautiful foundation. It’s very lightweight and very natural, which reminded me of Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer (reviewed HERE), Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (reviewed HERE), Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (HERE) and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (also reviewed HERE). The nice thing is that this particular foundation is oil-free, has SPF 15, and with buildable coverage that is long lasting. The regular bottle’s size is not heavy on the pocket too. I also love that there are tons of shades to choose from with this foundation and I adore the satin-matte effect that it gives on the face.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation In Shades; 310 Bisque C, 320 Bisque W, 360 Bisque N

 

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (0.31 oz $19, 1 oz $54, 2 oz $75) – Another great primer to have because of its added SPF 15 and it’s oil-free. But somehow, it felt slightly greasy and silky at the same time. Although some have complained that their makeup was sliding off their faces whenever they use this, that hasn’t really occurred to me. I like that this primer makes the skin very smooth with no trace of pilling nor redness. With that, it makes the foundation look even more natural and flawless, and it also makes it last longer. A similar product would be the Nars Pore & Shine Control Primer, but this one has no discerning scent and doesn’t feel as cushiony as the Nars one.

 

When it comes to choosing which ones are my faves, I’d say, I really like the Algenist Eye Renewal Balm a lot, followed by the scent of Dior J’adore Eau Lumiere, Then I’d like to have a full size of the Lancome Teint Idole Foundation and Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.

 

Have you tried any of these before? Which ones do you prefer?

 

Happy Friyay guys! take care,

X0X0

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