Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash + Hand Balm Set | Cleansing, Skin Softening, Hydrating | 16.9 oz + 2.6 oz

Why it's worth it

Aesop's Resurrection hand wash and balm come in packaging that looks like it costs more than it does. The citrus-rosemary-cedar scent is widely loved, and there's no size, taste or tech risk to get wrong.

This is the gift to buy when you're three months in and genuinely don't know her yet. There's no size to guess, no account to set up, no strong opinion required. The wash is a gentle formula with orange, rosemary and lavender oils; the balm is thick enough to fix the cracked knuckles you get from washing your hands all winter. She'll put both on the bathroom counter, and they'll look good there.

Presentation does a lot of work with this one. Aesop's amber bottles and clinical labels read as expensive on sight, which matters when perceived value is part of the point. The set arrives ready to give — you're not scrambling for a gift bag at nine at night. Everything Aesop makes is vegan, which is a quiet plus if she cares about that sort of thing.

From our review of 8 gifts for girlfriends

What we like

• +This is the gift to buy when you're three months in and genuinely don't know her yet
• +Presentation does a lot of work with this one
• +It's also a consumable, and that's underrated

What to know

• –The scent is assertive
• –For hand soap and lotion, it's expensive, and that's the whole nature of the gift