Beauty Diaries: How A Trip To Seoul Changed The Way I Experience Aesop Fragrances
A journey through scent
In this instalment of BURO’s Beauty Diaries, we follow Beauty Editor Red on her trip to Seoul with Aēsop ahead of the new Aurner fragrance launch.
Aēsop is a brand that, in short, is highly coveted. After all, nothing elevates a vanity like the brand’s minimalist amber bottles. Whether it’s the luxurious lather of its iconic hand soaps or the all-encompassing aroma of its well-loved hand balms, one thing is for sure—it’s the beauty accessory to have.
READ: Beauty Diaries: I Spent a Week in London With Aēsop—Here’s Everything I Did
That said, while its skin and body care collections are fabulous, there is one line in the brand that I feel is wholly underrated: the fragrances. If you think about it, perfumes make a lot of sense for Aēsop. Considering the brand first rose in popularity due to its luxurious hair and body scents, bottling up its storied history in perfumes only feels right.
The latest scent to join the Aēsop family is none other than the Aurner Eau de Parfum. Created by perfumer Celine Barel—also the nose behind Aēsop’s Tacit—Aurner ushers in a new era for the brand. Floral, fresh and green, Aurner is all about contrast and subversion; a fascinating and complex concoction.
READ: 7 Surprising Things You Didn’t Know About Aēsop
To get an in-depth look at the new scent, I joined the brand on a three-day trip to Seoul for the launch event. Ahead, find everything I did while I was away:
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DAY 1: MONDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2025
Following a sleepless red-eye flight from KL, I landed in Seoul at a sobering hour. Thankfully, the freezing cold weather woke me right up! Once I’d arrived at the Park Hyatt hotel, I managed to check in immediately and get freshened up.
My room was stocked with all the essentials, including a travel-sized Aēsop skincare kit, full-sized Aēsop toiletries and a very enticing bathtub. After a quick shower, I got dressed and promptly headed out to explore the city. There is so much to see around Gangnam (it’s a huge neighbourhood), but I pottered around Seongsu to shop and snack. PSA: For anyone who isn’t familiar, it’s better to walk wherever you can as the city’s traffic is notoriously heinous.
Once I’d gotten my fill of the outdoors, I headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner with the Aēsop team. On the menu for the evening was Korean barbecue—specifically, Tteurak’s famous three-week aged tenderloin. The restaurant served up classic Korean delights like doenjang jjigae, assorted kimchi, and mulnaengmyun for us to nosh on. Absolutely delicious!
Needless to say, I left the restaurant two kilos heavier and much, much happier. From there, it was back to the hotel for a deep sleep ahead of tomorrow’s packed itinerary.
DAY 2: TUESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2025
We started the morning off strong with a tour of three of Seoul’s Aēsop boutiques. As is true globally, each boutique’s interior was distinct, drawing design inspiration from the surrounding neighbourhood. To say I learned a lot is an understatement. The first stop was Aēsop Hannam, a cosy escape from the hustle and bustle of Seoul. Before the brand had breathed life into the space, it had existed as an Italian restaurant. Now, it has been completely made over, inspired by the glittering façade of Seoul’s famed 63 Building. The original supporting structures have been preserved, but the store has been dressed up with deep walnut wood panelling and brass accents, creating a contemporary space that honours the building’s history.
The second was Aēsop’s Parnas Mall location. Intended to feel like a home away from home, its quasi-domestic setting is quaintly tucked away from the ambient rush of the shopping centre. Upon entry, guests are greeted with warm, raw interiors, from the beige-soaked travertine mosaic on the walls to the plush furnishings that populate the intimate seating area.
Of the three stores I visited, Aēsop’s Seongsu store was my favourite. Opened in 2021, the sun-soaked interiors harness age-old Korean building techniques to create a warm and welcoming space. Better yet, the decor champions sustainable practices, from its repurposed timber furnishings to its earthen walls—perfectly in line with the certified B-Corp’s quiet commitment to our planet.
Now, each of the stores is uniquely distinct, but there are a few core tenets that tie them together. Firstly, in each store, the products take centre stage, displayed proudly and abundantly. Secondly, every Aēsop store across the globe is fitted with generous sinks to allow each customer to pamper themselves with the products. Each store is also equipped with a fragrance armoire—unique in design across the board but united in function. With the armoire, customers can discover their new signature scent and even immerse their belongings in their favourite aromas. And, in line with the theme of discovery, a skincare nook is a staple in each store, filled with Aēsop’s skincare offerings. Finally, perhaps the most important of all is the pot of Aēsop tea that greets every customer.
We then took off to Veggie Weekend for a spot of lunch and a crafts session with artist and longtime collaborator, Jiyoon Yang. Inspired by the Aurner fragrance, we used hanji—a traditional Korean handmade paper—to create a blooming magnolia flower. Hanji is Yang’s preferred medium in her work, and it was lovely to be able to connect with her art and the local culture in such a special way.
Finally, after working up an appetite, we headed out for a very special dinner at the two Michelin-star restaurant, Kwonsooksoo, to meet with Celine Barel. The 11-course meal was an indulgent way to end the day (the kimchi cart was a particular highlight for me), and the lively conversation was the perfect pairing for the meal.
DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2025
Our final day in Seoul was reserved for the highlight of the trip—the Aurner launch event. Aēsop had taken over Kir Studio, transforming it into a multi-room discovery. The event began with a welcome drink and a spritz of the fragrance that would follow me throughout the experience.
The first room was decorated from floor to ceiling with countless metallic flowers, calling to the “defiant bloom” of the scent. From there, we stepped into the Aēsop lab, a living installation breaking down the core notes of the scent. Finally, we stepped into a fragrance masterclass led by Barel, who illustrated the full body of the scent through the deconstruction of its raw materials.
We also got to take a peek at the brand’s first-ever foray into jewellery, the Aurner ear cuff. Crafted in rhodium-plated 925 sterling silver by fine jewellery designer Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura, the ear cuff’s construction blends Thai craftsmanship with the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi to create a truly novel piece. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to shop the cuff in Malaysia, but there are 200 pieces available in selected countries should you be travelling anytime soon!
Alas, my own travels had come to an end, and my time with Aēsop in Seoul was over. So, after a quick and bittersweet farewell bite with the team, I headed to the airport to catch my flight home. Fin.
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