The ability of chiral β‐amino alcohols to catalyze the direct asymmetric aldol reaction was evaluated for the first time in aqueous micellar media. A family of cheap and easily accessible β‐amino alcohols, obtained in one step from naturally occurring amino acids, was shown to successfully catalyze the asymmetric aldol reaction between a series of ketones and aromatic aldehydes. These aldol reactions furnished the corresponding β‐hydroxy ketones with up to 93% isolated yield and 89% ee. (S)‐2‐phenylglycinol and Triton X‐100 proved to be the best organocatalyst and surfactant, respectively. Chirality 25:119–125, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.