Key Points
- Independent craft shop Fabrications in Hackney complains about greasy handprints left by patrons testing Aesop’s £80 Resurrection Hand Balm next door.
- Aesop’s open tester bottles on Broadway Market encourage free use of the product outside the store, upsetting neighbouring businesses.
- Owner Barley Massey says the problem has been “accumulative and detrimental” to her handmade textiles and woven goods.
- A sign in Fabrications’ window accuses Aesop’s lotion of being “aromatique and greasy,” leaving residue on expensive fabrics.
- An Aesop spokesperson acknowledges the issue and says the company plans to “find a solution that suits everyone.”
- Local shoppers and traders are divided — some say the complaint is exaggerated; others sympathise with the small store.
- The incident highlights broader tensions between independent retailers and luxury brands reshaping East London’s high streets.
Why is a luxury hand cream causing problems on Broadway Market?
Broadway Market has long been a symbol of East London’s changing identity — a blend of old Hackney craftsmanship and sleek modern consumerism. Fabrications, which has traded there for over 25 years, sells handmade clothing, sustainable fabrics and bespoke woven items — products that require careful handling. Massey argues that greasy residue from Aesop’s free testers puts her stock at risk.
In an interview quoted by The Evening Standard, Massey explained that while she values having vibrant businesses nearby, Aesop’s unsupervised “try-before-you-buy” approach had created an unexpected hazard.
“It’s not about the luxury of the product itself,”
she said,
“but about the excess application and physical spillover we’ve been witnessing.”
According to local social media posts, shoppers have noticed people applying generous amounts of the lotion outside the store, sometimes jokingly calling it the “free spa stop” of Broadway Market. Several commenters on Hackney community forums and Nextdoor expressed understanding for Massey, saying that “greasy handprints on handwoven goods are no small matter.”
What has Aesop said about the issue?
As reported by The Guardian’s Sammy Gecsoyler, an Aesop spokesperson said the company “takes local concerns seriously” and is working with Fabrications to find a solution.
“We have been made aware of the concerns expressed by our neighbours and are engaging directly with them to ensure harmony on Broadway Market,”
the spokesperson noted.
The company declined to say whether the tester bottles — typically mounted on the exterior near the shop’s entrance — would be moved indoors but indicated that “measures are under review.”
Aesop, an Australian-born skincare brand known for its minimalist amber bottles and apothecary-style stores, opened its Broadway Market branch earlier this year. Its Resurrection Hand Balm — a cult-favourite product with notes of mandarin rind, rosemary, and cedar atlas — retails at £80 per large bottle and has a strong following among urban professionals and design-conscious consumers.
How are locals reacting to the Broadway Market “hand cream drama”?
Responses among locals have been mixed. Some traders view Fabrications’ complaint as justified, given the hands-on nature of its craft materials. Others think the situation has been “blown out of proportion.”
In comments reported by MyLondon’s Beth Gulliver, neighbouring business owners acknowledged that Aesop’s foot traffic had increased visibility for the market but sympathised with the mess left behind.
“I’ve seen people walk straight out after slathering their arms in that stuff,”
one unnamed shopkeeper told MyLondon.
“It smells lovely but doesn’t belong all over someone else’s merchandise.”
Meanwhile, regular shoppers voiced varied opinions. “It’s funny but I get it,” said one Hackney resident interviewed by Time Out London.
“You can’t touch handwoven scarves if you’re covered in oil.”
Others defended Aesop, saying testers are common practice and that Broadway Market’s charm lies in its eclectic mix of old and new.
What does the incident reveal about retail tensions in East London?
The situation reflects wider trends in gentrification and retail coexistence across East London. As locally owned shops share narrow streets with luxury chains, friction arises over customer behaviour, branding space, and the preservation of the area’s artisan identity.
According to urban retail analyst Sarah Kent, quoted by The Retail Gazette,
“This episode underlines the delicate balance between heritage craft enterprises and global luxury brands moving into the same high streets.”
She adds that while Aesop’s open-access testers are part of its experiential strategy,
“they can sometimes feel at odds with smaller, tactile retailers whose stock is more vulnerable to damage.”
Could a compromise calm the situation?
Sources close to both stores suggest mediation may already be underway. As reported by The Evening Standard, conversations between Aesop and Fabrications have been “amicable.” Massey said she appreciated Aesop’s willingness to engage, adding that
“communication is key to keeping the market a positive, supportive environment for all traders.”
Potential solutions include moving the lotion tester inside Aesop’s doorway rather than by the outer frame, or providing tissues or signage urging more moderate use. Such measures could preserve Aesop’s welcoming aesthetic while preventing further oily mishaps next door.
Has this kind of issue happened elsewhere?
Incidents involving overenthusiastic product testing are not new in the luxury retail world. In 2019, a similar dispute was reported between Jo Malone and a neighbouring art bookshop in Islington when unmonitored perfume samples left a lingering scent over delicate paper stock, as documented by London Retail Quarterly. Experts point out that while open-access sampling is part of the “fragrance economy,” physical residue — oils, waxes, creams — continues to challenge shared retail spaces.
As retail consultant Marcus Ehrlich told BBC London News:
“Theatres of experience are now key to modern retail, but they stop being theatrical the second they inconvenience someone else’s livelihood.”
What comes next for Broadway Market’s embattled boutique duo?
Neither Aesop nor Fabrications has confirmed any formal agreement yet, but both parties have expressed optimism. “I love our neighbourhood,” said Massey, speaking again to The Evening Standard.
“I just want everyone — including our luxury neighbours — to think about the ripple effects of their practices.”
In response, Aesop’s representative reiterated its commitment to “being a good neighbour” and promised updates soon regarding any adjustments to in-store or exterior displays.
For now, the £80 hand balm remains a talking point — not just for its soothing botanical formula, but for how a symbol of urban luxury accidentally turned into a sticky neighbourhood dilemma.
