When we’re kids, we take baths for obvious reasons: The whole “learning to bathe yourself” thing, for starters. Mom & Dad can control the temperature (and don't have to get wet
themselves). Nothing is out of reach for those short arms. Rubber duckie time.
However, as soon as we graduate to the shower, baths are forever in the past—at least for most of us. Why would you soak in your own filth after waiting 10 minutes for the tub to fill, when you could be showered and done by the time it’s finished?
Well, that bathtub in your house could play host to your new favorite pastime. There’s a lot of untapped leisurely potential in that tub, and we would like to convince you to reconsider it. Maybe once a week—even just once a month!—but you also need to approach it with that leisure in mind.
Baths are kind of gross. Like, you’re soaking in the water with your sweaty feet and dirty backside. So, we say start with a quick shower to do the actual washing, shampooing, and so forth. Get yourself clean before you hop in the tub. That’s when the leisure begins—it’s not about bathing to get clean, but bathing to feel incredible, both superficially and spiritually.
Below are the products we recommend picking up to enhance the experience, and to turn your bathroom into a veritable spa. No, we don’t expect you to stock up on hundreds of dollars of products just to take a bath. But if you're in the market, picking up one or two will absolutely elevate your luxuriating.
Bath Oil
On its own, warm water can dehydrate your skin by extracting the natural oils in your skin. A splash of bath oil will yield opposite results: Those nourishing oils, which often include jojoba, moringa, and rosehip, instead leave skin soft, supple, and radiant. (I find it helps to wipe the tub down with a paper towel after the bath, when using oils—it’s a super easy cleanup.)
The Best Bath Oil
Tom Dixon bath oil
Bath Salts
Mineral-rich bath salts can soothe and nurture the skin—it’s like a full-body version of a relieving foot soak. There’s a reason that salt-rich bodies of water like the Dead Sea are sought out for their remedial powers, too; while you won’t reach 34% salt content or anything, you can get the same soothing benefits with a sprinkling of bath salts. Watch your agonies float to the surface as you soak in satisfaction.
The Best Bath Salt
Bathing Culture mineral bath salts
Bath Bomb
Bath bombs are typically a fragrant, mind-clearing mixture of bath salts, essential oils, carrier oils, and natural extracts that help calm and hydrate the skin. Drop them into the drink, and they’ll dissolve and do their thing.
The Best Bath Bomb
Prima CBD bath gem
Terry Cloth Towel and Robe
Every guy needs a really great bath robe (which inevitably turns into a house robe, for any and all occasions). The same goes for a set of bath towels, and not just because you want your guests to know that you take good care of yourself—but because you actually do take good care of yourself. In both cases, terry cloth checks all the boxes: It’s oh-so-soft, dries quickly, is easy to care for, and it looks far more expensive than it is. (A minor investment for major longevity and quality.)