From leg showers, hinoki bathtubs to Carrara marble surfaces, there are myriad elements for us to create a spa-like ambience at home. For those without the luxurious hardware, premium bath, body and skincare products allow us to indulge sans the significant investment. Peek into any stylish bathroom and you’re bound to find Aesop – the go-to brand for chic, beautifully packaged products that harness the power of nature. We speak to Kate Forbes, General Manager for Products and R&D, to learn more behind this cult favourite.

How does the Aesop process begin?
Our product development process is stringent and tightly controlled. Everything is developed in our in-house laboratory in Melbourne, and manufactured in Australia. We research widely to source plant-based and laboratory-made ingredients, and use only those with a proven record of safety and efficacy.

The product development process itself usually takes between 2-3 years. However, our commitment to delivering high quality products means that we only produce and release products when we are ready – there is no pressure to launch a new product every few months.

For Aesop, product packaging needs to be functional, but not excessive. We also strongly believe in providing an honest approach to skin care. Linked to this is the full disclosure of product ingredients on our packaging and the ability to sample products before purchase to ensure that it is right for your skin type.

What recent ingredient discoveries would you consider a breakthrough?
We are currently looking into new sustainably derived ingredients such as sodium carrageenan, which are salts extracted from red edible seaweeds. We used this in our Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque introduced in October 2015.

What are the three key products that we should have in our bathrooms?
Vitamin C is one of the most important ingredients to even skin tone, provide anti-oxidant protection and help promote collagen synthesis; this can be found in both of our B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel, and Perfect Facial Hydrating Cream. SPF is also a must to protect from sun damage and one must also have products containing anti-oxidants, such as our Parsley Seed range.

Which products would you recommend for us living in Hong Kong?
Our Parsley Seed Skin Care range is particularly suited for urban life. Parsley seed is a potent anti-oxidant that can be utilised directly to the skin. Being one of the botanicals naturally high in anti-oxidants, it can minimise the effects of daily environmental stress and damage caused by pollutants and other lifestyle factors. For stress, I also recommend Ginger Flight Therapy; that or a glass of red wine and a great book to take your mind off a busy day.

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