I’ve heard nothing but great things about Aesop, so I was very excited to give their exfoliators a try, especially as they’re both quite unlike anything else I’ve come across which is astounding considering how much time I spend researching/writing/thinking about beauty! Aesop are probably most famed for their Parsley Seed range – the masque is a beauty blogger’s favourite – but having had a good look through their site I’m excited to try some of their other products as they have quite a few treatment types that I’ve not seen before; their Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque is next on my “to-try” list as I love the idea of a chamomile based product for spots which makes a welcome approach when you consider how we typically attack problem skins with harsh ingredients as opposed to gentle formulas, so I’d be interested to see how that compares.
Anyway! Back to the Exfoliators, of which there are two that I’ve been playing around with, the Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant and the Purifying Facial Exfoliant. Both are quite different and both them are fabulously effective at gently smoothing skin without any scratchiness. As a general guide I’d say that if you don’t like too much buffing then go for the Purifying Facial Exfoliant as it’s a combi-exfoliator which makes use of both chemical and manual exfoliation, and if you prefer the sensation of skin being gently sloughed away then the Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant is for you. The Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant is a really interesting product as it’s made up of broken-down and dried-up tea tree leaf (as the name suggests) which makes for a fresh and surprisingly soft buffing experience. You use it by adding it to your favourite cleanser which can be gel or cream, but I added it to a cleansing oil and my word that made for a beautiful exfoliation experience, so I highly recommend trying it with an oil!
I really can’t decide which of these I prefer as they both do a brilliant job at gently and kindly smoothing skin without any scratchiness. If I was forced to pick one then I’d probably go for the Purifying Facial Exfoliant as I like the fact that it’s both chemical and manual (if I had to compare it, at a push I’d say it’s a gentle but equally effective version of Clinique’s Exfoliating Scrub, just much less harsh) but I also like the fact that the Tea Tree Leaf can be added to any skincare routine without any changes being made, so it’s a toughy! I think it all depends on personal preference, but they both made for a great introduction to the range for me so if you’re unfamiliar with the brand then I recommend checking them out here – link. Both products are available now; the Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste is £35 here – link – and the Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant is £27 here – link.
*PR Samples
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