Skin
Aesop's First Cream-Based Cleanser Is Here—And Their R&D Director Explains How It Was Made for Dry Skin
by Ida Aldana
Published on May 1, 2025
I've always had sensitive, dry skin—the kind that gets patchy in the heat and flaky in the cold, no matter how much lotion I slather on. So when it comes to cleansers, I've stuck to one rule: cream-based or nothing. They're gentler, don't strip my skin, and somehow still make me feel clean and hydrated—even in the Philippines' unforgiving humidity. Even when I lived in New York or traveled through chilly European winters, I always packed a trusty cream cleanser. (Bonus: they're way more hygienic and less messy in your suitcase.)
So when I got the chance to try Aesop's new Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser—a body wash in emulsion format—it instantly made sense. As Samy Hamada, Aesop's Head of R&D, explains, "We've harbored a desire to offer a nurturing, emulsion-based cleanser for the body" for years.
Inspired by the success of their Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser and Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk, Aesop wanted to create something similarly "non-disruptive, non-aggravating but nonetheless efficient" for the rest of the body—especially for those of us with skin that needs a little extra care. "The formulation was designed with dry skin uppermost in mind," Samy says—and if you ask me, my skin would agree.
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Everything You Need To Know About
Aesop's New Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser
We got to ask Samy a few questions about what went into the making of Eleos, the skin needs they wanted to address, and why this new body cleanser is worth a spot in your shower lineup.
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Photo: Aesop
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On Ingredients And Benefits
Can you tell us about its key ingredients and how they work to cleanse and nourish the skin?
Key to the efficacy and benefits of Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser is the emulsion base containing mild surfactants which combine with a considered suite of emollients and humectants in the formulation to effect a gentle yet thorough cleanse.
The emollients in the formulation—including Shea Butter and Jojoba Seed—alongside the humectants Glycerin and Saccharide Isomerate, work in concert to help prevent moisture loss during cleansing, ensuring that while skin is immaculately cleansed it is not stripped or dry: skin is left feeling refreshed, soft and supple. Essential oils of Cedar Atlas, Patchouli and Clove Bud are included for their renowned purifying properties, lending further, gentle support to the product’s cleansing efficacy, in addition to conferring a comforting warm, herbaceous, woody and spicy aroma.
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What can you say about the texture and skin feel of Eleos? How does it compare to other body cleansers in Aesop's range?
Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser represents our first body cleanser in emulsion format, and offers a cream-based alternative to our existing gel-based cleansing formulations. This emulsion-based format allows for inclusion of significant levels of nourishing emollients, which work together with a considered blend of mild surfactants and hydrating humectants to effect a gentle yet thorough cleanse.
The blend of ingredients makes it an ideal body cleanser for those with dry, dehydrated skin and those seeking an alternative to our gel-based cleansers. The skin is left feeling refreshed, soft and supple.
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Photo: Aesop
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Who do you think will love Eleos the most? Is it for a specific skin type or lifestyle?
Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser is a formulation that we envisage will appeal to new and existing customers alike.
As an emollient-rich and cream-based formulation, this introduction to our Body Care range is ideal for those with dry or dehydrated skin seeking a mild yet effective cleanser.
For those with preference for cleansers in emulsion format, it offers alternative to our gel-based body cleansers, while existing customers who enjoy products with warm, woody or spicy aroma profiles—such as Resolute Hydrating Body Balm, Redemption Body Scrub and Rejuvenate Intensive Body Balm—and of course similarly scented Eleos Aromatique Hand Balm, may find it offers apt aromatic complement.
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On Ritual And Pairing
If someone wanted to create a full Aesop body care ritual, what other products would pair well with Eleos?
When it comes to recommending partner products, we encourage being guided by personal preference, and we invite our customers to explore, interpret and combine products in their own way.
That said, the following products with similar aroma notes or profiles—notably possessing similarly warm woody, spicy or herbaceous aromas—may offer apt aromatic complement:
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On The Campaign And Collaboration
Aesop used dance to express the launch of Eleos, collaborating with choreographer Nayoung Kim. How does movement connect to the experience of using the product, and how did this partnership bring the story to life?
Inspired by the fluidity of dance, our campaign film expresses the essence of Aesop's body care, connecting mindful movement with daily rituals. We seek to explore the sensory experience of cleansing and caring for your hands and body, and the joy and daily repetition of this act.
As part of this campaign, we have created a bespoke piece of motion that captures strikingly choreographed scenes showing everyday ablutions through an extraordinary, evocative lens. Performed by five characters—dancing solo, in pairs, and in groups—it highlights moments of connection in daily acts, culminating in a raucous, elated dance where bathing rituals overlap and overspill.
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Where To Buy Aesop's Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser
The Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser is available at Aesop's stores:Aesop Greenbelt: Space 1-044 Ground floor, Greenbelt, 5 Ayala Center, Makati City Aesop Rockwell: R1 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City Aesop SM Aura: 137A - 138A1 Level One, SM Aura Premier, 26th Street Corner McKinley Parkway, Taguig City
It's also available online on Aesop Philippines' official website and on Aesop's official flagship store on Lazada.
The 500mL variant is priced at P2,900 while the 180mL variant is at P2,000.
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READ MOREIda is a New York-trained and Manila-based lifestyle journalist who lives out her words by seeking the latest in beauty, style, travel, entertainment, and food. She has a master's degree in publishing from NYU. Currently, she is referring to herself in the third person.