Aesop is not your regular leading high end brand. There are no celebrity endorsements, no big promises, no glossy packaging and no real advertising. Yet, this 25 year old skin care company has managed to grow at a rate of 30 percent per year and is now reportedly worth $200 million.

Aesop provides a marvellous combination of science and nature, moving away from the rigmarole that defines the rest of the beauty industry. All the products by the brand are paraben free, botanical and infused with parsley seed extracts which are rich in antioxidants. The packaging consists of their trademark brown glass bottles which look like they were taken straight out of a 19th century pharmacy. They are used to keep the ingredients fresh for a longer time.

As you might have guessed, the name of the brand was inspired by Aesop’s Fables. Since the company puts in so much time in coming up with the correct formula of each product, they hardly change products with seasons. A distinct brand characteristic is their stacked books and props in store which are completely unrelated to their products, and sometimes, they also keep scrumptious chocolates and olive oil. Every store is completely different from the other and the location is directed towards their specific consumer and niche products. The company has about 60 quirky and dinky shops which look like a cross between art galleries and science labs, with rows of tinted brown apothecary bottles on untreated wooden slabs.

Aesop had started off with haircare products and then skin care products followed. And now, the brand even has a dog shampoo listed. Aesop is expanding across US, Europe and Asia through trendy locales. Since the brand likes to stay away from advertising, most of its growth is a result of word of mouth, brand associations and partnerships with personalities within the architecture and art world.

None the less, there is no denying that Aesop is one of the biggest brands in Australia and it’s hopefully it will keep growing.