While visiting Portland over the weekend I was able to stop into Aesop, a place I've been wanting to visit for some time now. Aesop is a beauty/hair/fragrance company that was started in Melbourne, Australia and has since carried over to the states. Most of Aesop's products are plant-based which makes the products feel light and pure when worn.

The Portland Aesop shop is beautiful! For a designer, I was in heaven. The shelves are organized by section: hand creams, body balms, facial creams, eye creams, fragrances, etc. The product packaging is sleek, muted and minimalistic, just how I love it. The shop itself had a raised tub suited for washing your hands in between trying on products.

One of the workers in the store assisted me in my search for finding the ideal hand balm. I suffer from severe dry skin on my hands in the fall/winter months so I wanted to try and get a jump on a remedy this year. She made me try out the Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm that went on my hands like butter -- I love when creams and lotions are lighter because it doesn't feel like you have a bunch of goop on your hands. The results were pretty instantaneous and I was sold. What's nice about Aesop is the products are to be used sparingly. This is why they have a solid reputation for their products lasting a long time and getting your money worth if used how instructed.

Before I headed out with my balm, I mentioned to the woman I also tend to have dry and sensitive skin particularly on my face in the winter months. She proceeded to throw in some Parsley Seed facial and eye cream sample packs that would help with my dry skin and would last me for months if used as instructed because a little can go a long way.

Aesop has become one of my favorite beauty brands because their products are designed for a variety of skin types. Not to mention, because they are herbal/plant-based, the scent of each product is refreshing and light to wear. And as mentioned, a little can go a long way so applying the products at the beginning of the day are sure to last you throughout the day and into the evening. Talk about a win-win.