Over spring break, I left snowy and cold Boston for even snowier and colder Iceland.  While Iceland is only slightly to the north than Boston, the wind and cold was significantly more aggressive.  The lack of trees and the abundance of glacial surfaces emphasize the effects of the powerful gusts, thus making it rough on the sightseer.  While I had a fantastic time visiting all the waterfalls, volcanoes, caves, and architectural havens, the many hours spent outside resulted in cracked nails, dry and flaky skin, chapped lips, and brittle hair.  Five layers of moisturizer and generous amounts of argan oil were not enough to combat the effects of the cold; therefore, upon my return to Boston, the first item on my to-do list was to pick up some products that would help soothe my skin.

I was on my way to the CVS on Newbury Street when a little basement shop caught my attention.  Maybe it was the similarity of the store name to the Icelandic language that drew me in (e.g. móðir).  Perhaps it was the clean storefront design, with all the bottles meticulously lined up.  Whatever the reason was, I was hooked and immediately ventured inside to explore.

The simplicity of the store layout was incredibly soothing.  The floor and the shelves were constructed from a light oak, which contrasted nicely with the dark glass bottles that were sitting on top of it.  The left wall housed the skincare products, the right wall displayed body care products, and the front wall showcased hair care products.  Each of the walls housed 4 rows of shelves, with each shelf supporting a different line (e.g. dry skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, etc).  From there, each of the shelves were further broken down into smaller sections that addressed different concerns (e.g. split ends, hydration, anti-aging, etc).  This organization makes it not only visually pleasing but also makes it incredibly easy and quick to find the product that is right for you.

Many other stores also organize their products in a similar fashion.  However, what sets Aēsop apart is the attention to spacing.  When I first entered the store and experienced the products, I was not visually overwhelmed like I would have been at CVS.  The amount of negative space between the rows and the sections allows me to learn about the entire store with one sweep of the room and then entices me to lean in closer and learn more about the products.

However, my favorite aspect of the store layout has to be the wash basins placed in the center of the store.  This feature unites the three different walls because all the testers are placed behind the basin.  Allowing the customer to try out the products greatly enriches the shopping experience and makes them more excited to make a purchase.  I was eager to try out the various creams to address my cracked skin and was grateful to have been able to wash off the product if it was not to my liking.

After happily trying out various products, I inquired into the prices.  Let’s just say that with the dent in my wallet (a side effect of travelling in Scandinavia) and my proclivity to scoring killer bargains, Aēsop products did not fit within my student budget.  However, the sales associate there was kind enough to give me an incredibly generous amount of samples (we’re talking $40 worth of product for free!).  The ease and the simplicity of the store layout was enough to draw me back, but the five-star treatment that I received here may be enough to convince me to splurge one day (perhaps after tax returns?)

This whole time, I thought the shop was a local one unique to Boston (hence this review).  However, after reading the brochure that the sales associate had given me, I found out that Aēsop is an Australian skincare brand with several shops around the world.  However, no two Aēsops look the same.  The retail designer behind the Aēsop stores wanted to make sure that the store fit into its surroundings, rather than having it stick out like a sore thumb.  He collaborates with architects and artists from the various cities in order to make the design as consistent and seamless as possible with its environment.  For the Boston shop, the retail designer teamed up with William O’Brien Jr., a local assistant professor at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning.  Therefore, I think it is safe to say that Aēsop Newbury qualifies as a local Boston shop.