Aesti is an Estonian skincare brand that channels the natural freshness of bogs. The peat in bogs, having formed over thousands of years, has unique bioactive ingredients that invigorate the skin. I tried and tested their entire peat-themed shower range: shampoo, conditioner and shower cream. Here’s what I thought.
Words: Johanna Raudsepp
Image credit: Aesti.ee
As to first impressions, the packaging is simple, and I quite liked the size of the bottles. They had a handy size. Unlike other peat products I have tried before, the Aesti range does not smell like dirt. The products had a nice herbal or floral smell. They are not purely made of peat, but are combined with natural oils, like argan oil and olive oil, to give them a smooth feel. My favourite was the shampoo, which had a familiar scent resembling Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. The bioactive traits of peat seem to work wonders. The shampoo had a light lather effect and was easy to rinse out, leaving my hair incredibly clean. You know how regular shampoo can sometimes still make your hair feel sticky after washing? The Aesti shampoo didn’t do that. It cleaned my hair thoroughly and kept it cleaner for a longer time. The only shocking part was when I first poured the shampoo onto my hand and it was pure black liquid.
"There I was, standing in my shower and trying to get clean, yet I looked like I had just gone mud wrestling."
Image credit: Aesti.ee
The conditioner was more of a brown colour and had a thicker consistency. It kind of reminded me of chocolate mousse, now that I think about it. I put it on and left it in for a little while, as one does with conditioner. The scent was nice. I would describe it as herbal and fresh. It is, again, easy to rinse out, and doesn’t make your hair ridiculously slippery, which I liked. I feel as though the conditioner didn’t fully shine with my hair. Despite being a good product, I believe it didn’t suit my hair type. Perhaps it takes a longer time for hair to get used to it, or I needed to use more product – I’m not too sure. But, it should be noted, that it’s a good conditioner and could very well work for your hair.
"The only shocking part was when I first poured the shampoo onto my hand and it was pure black liquid."
Image credit: Aesti.ee
The Aesti shower cream was enjoyable. Much like the shampoo, it was liquid (or slightly creamy) in consistency and had a black tone to it. But as soon as I put it on my body and looked down, I started laughing. There I was, standing in my shower and trying to get clean, yet I looked like I had just gone mud wrestling. It was quite the experience. They have used olive oil in this product, which was a nice surprise. It added that extra softness to my skin, which I really liked. The product rinsed off nicely. Only thing I noticed with this (and the other peat products) is that it tends to leave a light residue in the bottom of my bath tub. Not to be alarmed, though, because it can be rinsed away after you shower.
Image credit: Aesti.ee
Overall, I must admit, trying the Aesti peat shower range was quite funny for me. First impression of the products was a bit shocking. Pouring black product onto my hand and rubbing it on my hair and body … it just didn’t feel right. However, they definitely fulfilled their job of cleaning my hair and made my skin feel softer. Aesti has a solid shower range: it’s natural, it’s safe to use, it delivers the cleansing and soothing effect of natural peat without any nasties. I think the added oils really helped with overall dryness that peat can normally create. The only downfall, as I mentioned, was that the conditioner did not suit me. Would I recommend this to a friend? Absolutely, even if it is just to see their shocked face when they see the black product.