There is a texture category between lotion and balm that most body moisturisers fail to occupy properly. Aesop’s Geranium Leaf Body Balm sits inside it correctly. It is thick enough to hydrate dry skin without multiple applications, light enough that it absorbs in a few minutes rather than leaving a film. The 500ml jar is a lot of product, but at this price per use it is not extravagant.
The formulation centres on geranium leaf extract with mandarin rind and bergamot. The scent on application is clean and botanical, with the citrus notes forward and the geranium underneath. It does not perform like a fragrance and fades within an hour, which is appropriate for a body product. The nut oil base does the actual moisturising work; the rest of the ingredient list is botanically sourced and free from parabens and mineral oil.
Aesop’s packaging is consistent across the range: dark amber glass or matte black plastic depending on the product format, always legible, never fussy. The balm comes in a wide-mouthed jar that works easily in use. The design has not changed meaningfully in years, which is not inertia but accuracy.
At £64 for 500ml this is not cheap. It is, however, significantly better than most of what occupies the middle tier of the body care market, and the price-per-use calculation across a 500ml jar is more reasonable than the sticker suggests.
£64 - aesop.com