(Photo: Courtesy of Aesop)

• Aesop

  232 Elizabeth St., nr. Prince St.; 212-431-4411

  In a world of unpronounceable lab-developed ingredients and dubious claims (oxygenating! Firming! Regenerating!), this Aussie beauty brand has earned a fervent following based on simplicity, honesty, and effectiveness. Staffers at its three local shops, all of which opened in the past six months, are even trained to do what most beautifiers would consider unthinkable: encourage product junkies to pare down their skin-care routines to just a few key potions and lotions. The company’s philosophy is that plant-based skin savers should work with your skin’s properties, rather than overpowering them with chemicals. Ingredients like chamomile bud, tea-tree leaf, and primrose tame breakouts; jojoba, rosehip, and shea butter soothe sun damage and dryness; walnut shell and aloe vera exfoliate.

From the 2012 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine