The Aesop Facial

Happy weekend, everyone! A few couple weeks ago I shared with you my Mr. Taxman Haul , where I got a bit spendy with my tax return. But no regrets- I picked up some lovely items! Among the lot were two goodies from Aesop, which I've found pair wonderfully for a pampering, effective at-home facial that smells and feels incredible. Here are the products that go into the ritual!

 

After all of my makeup is thoroughly removed (thanks to the amazing Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil and REN Clear Calm 3 Clay Cleanser), I start with the exfoliating step of the facial.

 

Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste is a product that my skin should really hate. But it doesn't. And for that, I am grateful! My skin usually reacts poorly to manual exfoliants, and this product is quite scrubby indeed. It includes granules of quartz for some thorough abrasion, but also (brilliantly) offers lactic acid for some simultaneous chemical exfoliant action. These potent ingredients are set in a creamy base, which actually makes this a relatively gentle, soothing scrub to use. It never irritates and it leaves my complexion so ultra smooth!

 

The product comes in a sleek metal tube, like the majority of Aesop's cream-based products. I really love the minimalist aesthetic.

The tube includes a description of the product, as well as instructions and a full ingredient listing. All the information you could need! It suggests that this scrub is mild and purifying and should be used twice weekly on clean, wet skin. It stresses that you should use a gentle touch with this scrub and I would agree with that sentiment, especially if your skin is delicate or easily irritated.

Aside from the quartz and lactic acid, this scrub is also full of lovely essential oils, like evening primrose and lavender, which give it a beautiful herbal, fresh aroma and some hydrating and balancing properties.

As mentioned, the scrub comes in a thick creamy base, that squeezes effortlessly from the tube but is far from runny. It looks like a rich paste from a distance, but up close the quartz granules are easily visible.

Although the directions don't suggest this (yes, I'm a rebel), I like to leave the product on my skin for an extra minute or so after gently spreading it over my face. I feel like this gives the lactic acid some extra time to work its magic! There is no burning or irritation that comes along with doing this (it feels quite fresh and cooling on the skin), so it actually feels like a luxurious treat to do so.

Here's a shot of the Purifying Exfoliant Paste on my skin:

After letting it sit for a minute or so, I rinse the product off, rubbing in very light, gentle circular motions for a final bit of exfoliation. Now onto the deep cleanse!

Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Mask offers a serious, but soothing deep-clean and I find that it works especially well on freshly scrubbed skin. It has the clay base typical of deep cleansing masks, but also includes elements such as chamomile, tea tree, and evening primrose to soothe, calm, and rebalance skin whilst sopping up excess oils and impurities. It can also be used as an overnight spot treatment on pesky breakouts, but I like to use it as an all-over treat.

The product comes in a sturdy glass jar that also has the sleek, minimalist Aesop style and a clear description, directions, and ingredient listing.

The product itself is a creamy pink clay that feels smooth and fairly lightweight on the skin. Here's what it looks like in the jar, then on the back of my hand:

Upon applying to the face, this has an instant cooling, soothing effect. There is no sort of tingle or warming sensation; instead, it feels extremely comfortable and calming. The fragrance is also very earthy and herbal, which I find adds to the relaxing experience.

Here it is on my face. As you can see, it's a pale pinky grey colour. Almost looks as though I've selected a foundation that's not the best colour match and really spackled it on! :)

But like a  majority of clay masks, though, this does dry down to a hard, tight-feeling finish. You can see that it dries rather unevenly (check out that crazy demonstration above!) and that I can't quite get a full smile in because things have really tightened up. Despite this, the mask rinses away easily and cleanly and does not leave my face feeling dry or tight. Don't get me wrong, this leaves the complexion feeling incredibly cleansed and purified. Like all the bad stuff has been exorcised! But the beauty in this is that it also leaves my face feeling balanced, calm, and comfortable. Truly the best of both worlds and a pure treat for my oily, sensitive skin!

Overall, I am so happy with both of these Aesop products. Not only are the textures and fragrances a pleasure to work with, the formulas are incredibly effective and potent without any hint of irritation or aggravation. After using them both, my complexion feels incredibly fresh, balanced, and cared for. I will be making sure to institute this Aesop at-home facial as a weekly occurrence!

Have you tried any products from Aesop? What is your favourite at-home facial lineup?

Thanks for stopping by! :)