Sample Saturday // Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm

I quite like sharing my initial impressions of samples with you, as I tend to think that the average consumer is affected by first impressions. Those who don’t read blogs (who ARE those people?!) will grab a product off the shelf, give it a quick sniff and rub it on their hands, and that alone can determine whether or not the item comes home with them. Here are my thoughts on the latest product I’ve tried, the Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm from much lemmed over brand, Aesop.

I’ll try to step aside from the fact that I swoon over the ambiance of Aesop stores and counters a little too often. This was the very first time I've actually tried something from the brand. The ingredients list looks quite promising, and Aesop were kind enough to decode ingredients into the titles I understand on the sample sachet. Sweet almond oil, coconut oil, bergamot oil, shear butter as well as bitter orange and grapefruit make it into this hand balm, and the resulting smell is definitely unique. Part of me thinks it smells quite gourmand, but it is spicy in a way that is different to other delicious smelling scents I know. To be honest, I’m not sure if I love it, but it does settle into the skin quite nicely and seems a fitting scent for this festive time of year.

The term ‘hand balm’ made me expect something quite thick and, well, balmy, but when I used this I saw it as more of a lotion than anything else. Quite liquid, I was surprised at how well it managed to sink into my hands and make them feel soft, as though it had indeed been a balm in texture. Thought this sample stated that it was a single application, I needed only half for both of my hands, so treated my elbows to the rest. They feel pretty silky smooth, and it took a tiny while to sink in but now it doesn’t feel greasy, so the claims on the sachet stand pretty true.

I adore the Aesop aesthetic, and am hoping to get the chance to try some more products from them in the New Year. What would you recommend?