Steph C.
Yelp
My friend June K. and I dropped into Aesop while wandering around Silver Lake a few weeks back. She's a fan of this place, as I gathered when she was greeted with a "You again!" shortly after we walked in. She'd apparently been in the night before, to buy a Christmas present, and Nick, the guy on staff, recognized her. I learned a few things immediately: that this is a friendly store, great for gift shopping, and that June has a secret Aesop addiction.
The place was attractive and welcoming, with neatly labeled bottles of good-smelling products lining all the walls. I'd heard about their fancy hand soap, and when I saw there was a sink set up in the middle of the store, I decided to see what the fuss was about. By the time I was finished washing my hands, a woman had provided me with a towel, and Nick had offered us peppermint tea. The towel was fresh and the tea delicious, and I was successfully trapped into buying a $38 bottle of soap.
To be fair, no one forced me to do anything. The soap was genuinely lovely, and the pampering put me in a liberal mood. There were two kinds of hand soap, and I went with the Reverence, which smelled wonderful and had a satisfying grainy texture. Nick also hooked me up with a complete range of skincare samples, which I look forward to using on a weekend trip next month.
I haven't ventured too far into high-end skincare/bath product territory, but if I ever do, I know Aesop's got plenty to sell me. I noticed they even make an animal cleanser that costs more than my body wash. My husband was astonished when I told him I'd spent $38 on hand soap ("You know soap is like $2, right?"), but we put it in the powder room, and I know he enjoys washing his hands in there. I'm curious how long it lasts, and whether we'll be hooked enough to re-up by the time we run out. Either way, the Aesop store is a great place to indulge in a little luxury.