Aesop comes to Scotland
Aesop are an Australian beauty brand, founded in 1987, in Melbourne, and now a worldwide name, with lots of stores – and last month they opened their first in Scotland, in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge area.
Nestled in the Georgian New Town, Stockbridge is an area full of well-heeled Edinburghers who will, I am sure, fall in love with this uber-stylish shop, and brand. Every Aesop store is different, designed by in-house designers, or caefully chosen external architects, but the same clean-lines style runs through them all.
As a beauty brand, they’re not claiming to be anything – they’re not all organic, or all natural, but they are just a little bit different, with simple packaging, a simple approach to your beauty routine, and little quirks here and there.
If I am brutally honest the store is a little bit spartan for me. I get scared in places like this, all pared down walls, earthy tones, and clean, straight lines. I think if someone from Aesop came into my house, they’d run out screaming. With my bright red hair, bold lipstick and bright colour palette, I always feel sort of ‘on show’ in spaces like this, be they bars, restaurants or stores.
But whilst it might not be my spiritual home, I can appreciate this store for what it is; a functional beauty space, with a front area stacked with all the products you will ever need, and a lovely homely back room, where, I expect, you can have a consultation, get to know the brand.
The store has two bay windows, where lovely light floods in and lights up the floor-to-ceiling Scottish sycamore shelving which was custom-made by local cabinet makers, Method Studio, and crafted from a single tree.
The brand itself does need explaining. There are a LOT of Aesop products, so on my visit, Grace happily showed me the produtcs she would recommend for my skin, and my hair, and then was happy to answer questions about everything and anything Aesop. I sincerely hope this is the level of care every customer receives, and if it is, they’re on to a winner.
I was recommended the Parsley Seed Facial Cleansing Oil (£39), a mild, makeup removing cleanser, which is pleasant, if not thrilling. I loved the look of the haircare range, and the unisex aspect of most products is appealing. There is something very androgynous about this store, this brand, and the ambiguity is a good thing.
If you are fed-up with the everyday beauty products, and on the look out for something different, then a trip to Aesop in Stockbridge has to be your next move.
And before you think it’s all very hipster and serious, here are two of the most fun products I’ve seen for a long time in the beauty world.
First up, Post-poo Drops (£20)! Yes, you read that right. In collaboration with designers APC, this is a perfect Christmas gift. What are they? Aesop says: After vigorous activity has occurred in the bathroom, Post-Poo Drop’s crisp citrus peel notes– fortified with rich floral elements – effectively neutralise disagreeable smells. Brilliant, no?
And then there’s the lovely Animal (£25), a gentle fur cleanser for pampered pets. For dogs, primarily, this lovely cleanser is a treat for your furry friends. Not sure my cats would see it that way, but some of our feline friends might!
Aesop Stockbridge, is at 6 North West Circus Place, Edinburgh, 0131 226 2301, email them on stockbridge@aesop.com, and find out more about the brand, and shop online at aesop.com
