Go to any fancy restaurant worth its weight in caviar or even your chicest friend’s bathroom, and you’re likely to find a posh hand soap waiting for you to suds up with. Chances are: It’s Aesop. Despite the hand soap’s ubiquity, it’s not even the best Aesop product that the brand makes. From moisturizers to shaving essentials, Aesop is one of the most well-rounded skin care brands around and it just so happens to make products that work as well as the packaging looks.
For those who aren’t aware of the fable of Aesop (not that one), the Australian-based brand has been around since 1987, starting off as a humble purveyor of grooming products before being sold to the Big Guys: Natura & Co in 2012 and then to L’Oreal in 2023. Aesop’s aesthetics are marked by minimalism with products that vary from heavy-duty winter creams to gentle cleansers for sensitive skin. It’s even branched off into fragrances and home goods, producing memorable collaborations with the likes of Rimowa and Rick Owens.