When I was in New York I made a point of getting my butt to the Aesop shop in the West Village, it's a brand that I'd only ever been able to research online and I don't know about you, but I prefer to test my skincare in person.  See it, smell it, test it (if I can).  Before buying from Aesop in New York, I'd only ever tried their Parsley Seed Antioxidant Serum, which I got for my birthday in February and that has now become a staple in my skincare routine.  I hadn't originally planned to buy this, but with a few encouraging words from the woman who worked there (who was so fabulously boho chic and a true natural beauty) it made its way into my bag along with the Parsley Seed Mask.  This has become my favourite product from Aesop so far.

Aesop contains really pure natural ingredients which is one of the reasons I have come to love it as a brand.  The exfoliant contains fine milled quartz as the physical exfoliating component - which due to being a natural mineral doesn't soften when you wet it (so it doesn't feel like you're rubbing soggy biscuit crumbs on your face like I've experienced with some exfoliants).  Due to this you do want to keep a light hand when massaging it into your skin.  Not only is the physical exfoliant excellent, it contains a chemical exfoliant - lactic acid.  The woman in the store told me that one of the best ways to use it is to massage it onto your wet skin and let it sit while you brush your teeth or something.  This is the way I always use it, the quartz loosens all the old dead skin, the lactic acid lifts it and when you rinse it off the quartz helps get it off in one clean sweep.  My skin feels absolutely brand new when I use this, it's amazing!  Also, due to its other ingredients, after I use it my blackheads are improved and my pores look smaller - for me it's a wonder product.  I use it as stated on the tube - twice a week.  Usually I use it before I use a face mask, it pretty much means I'll get more out of my face masks too.  Aesop isn't cheap but from what I've used from them so far it works.  My skin is definitely problem skin and I'm willing to pay it so help me manage it.  I would also say this is an investment product. I've had it for months and I've barely made a dent in it.  A little goes a long way.  I don't think I could recommend this enough!