Aesop’s gift sets are perfect for those who are into design, and quality honest-to-goodness no-frills skincare items.
The kits are always beautifully packaged with an illustrated sleeve, and a re-usable toiletry box.
This year’s sets – named Pursuits of Passion – are inspired by the naturalist illustrators of yore, and designed by Norwegian artist Bendik Kaltenborn.
There are six to choose from, and my pick is The Ardent Illustrator, named after the 19th-century naturalist Genevieve Jones.
An avid collector of birds’ nests and eggs, she also paints vivid images of her rare finds.
Nest of a Wood Thrush, Plate II, 1879, Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Nest of a Black-Billed Cuckoo, Plate III, 1879, Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Inside The Ardent Illustrator set is a skincare trio of the signature items from the Parsley Seed range.
The Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser (200ml) foams up easily to cleanse and gently exfoliate the skin; the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum (100ml) provides lightweight hydration; and the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Eye Serum (15ml) nourishes the fine skin around the eyes.
Available from November, S$224.
The other sets:
The Avid Explorer, named for Maria Sibyl Meria (The Metamorphosis of the Insects of Surinam, 1705)
Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash (500ml); Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm (75 ml); A Rose By Any Other Name Body Cleanser (200 ml); Rejuvenate Intensive Body Balm (120 ml), S$155.
The Constant Gatherer kit, named for Minamata Kumagusu (Shirahama museum and Minakata Kumagusu Archives, Tanabe, Japan, 1900s)
Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser (500 ml); Rind Concentrate Body Balm (120 ml), S$101.
The Impassioned Wanderer, named for John Muir (Yosemite Natural Park, 1890)
Nurturing Shampoo (200 ml); Nurturing Conditioner 200 (ml); Rose Hair & Scalp Moisturising Masque (120 ml), S$105
The Intrepid Gent, named after Andrew Leith Adams (The Birds of Cashmere and Ladakh; Wanderings of a Naturalist in India: the Western Himalayas and Cashmere; Notes of a Naturalist in the Nile Valley and Malta, 1848-1873)
Fabulous Face Cleanser (100 ml); Moroccan Neroli Post-Shave Lotion (60 ml); Coriander Seed Body Cleanser (200 ml), S$126
The Persistent Collector, named for Etheldred Benett (Organic Remains of the County of Wiltshire, early 19th century)
Fabulous Face Cleanser (100 ml); B & Tea Balancing Toner (100 ml); Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream (60 ml); Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque (60 ml); Face Cloth, S$191
The Beauty Gazette 