I was visiting my best friend who just moved back to Cali from New York, and since she lives about…read moreten minutes from Abbott Kinney, we wandered through a few fragrance shops. I'd already bought some samples at another store, but the service there was pretty hands‑off.
As we walked by, something about the aesthetic caught my eye, but it was the inviting scent -- the kind that makes you want to linger -- that pulled me right through the door. I complimented the representative, Astrid, on how incredible everything felt the moment we stepped inside, and he immediately brought over a candle for me to try. From that moment on, he stayed with us and walked us through candles, hand soaps, hand creams, and fragrances with this calm, attentive energy that made the whole experience feel unhurried.
One of my favorite parts was the hand‑washing station right in the middle of the store. I didn't even realize it was functional until my friend started washing her hands mid‑conversation. Astrid invited her to try the Reverence Aromatique Hand Wash, and as he was describing the texture, the exfoliation, the creaminess -- I couldn't help but join in and see for myself. The scent, the hand feel, the way it exfoliated without drying my skin at all -- it was divine. He followed it with the Eleos Aromatique Hand Balm, which complemented the soap so well it felt like the two were meant to go together. At one point he even joked about the working shower they have in the back stocked with product, which made us laugh.
With my background in sales, I can tell you he's genuinely talented -- personable, kind, knowledgeable, and somehow persuasive in the most subtle way. I didn't feel pushed at all, but I absolutely felt sold. I was genuinely compelled to buy some of the products based on the interaction with him alone. I bought the hand balm he recommended and have been using it nonstop, while my friend grabbed the Reverence hand soap. But I can't stop thinking about that hand soap -- I took a picture of it so I'd remember exactly which one I'm coming back for.
I also felt genuinely seen by Astrid -- like every curiosity had space and every question was met with intention. Meanwhile, Le Labo down the street was overwhelming: so many scents, little to no input, just "what did you like?" No journey through the notes, no sensory experience, nothing immersive. After that, the difference was night and day. Aesop actually feels like they care about the experience -- and having someone like Astrid on the floor proves it.
Honestly, after reading some of the existing reviews, I realize my experience at Aesop was completely unlike the negative ones -- I went in expecting nothing, and they exceeded everything, enough that I had to sit down and write a review.
