You seek rest in the bedroom, nourishment in the kitchen, and entertainment in the living room. But is your bathroom living up to its potential as a relaxing respite? We’d argue it’s the most important room in the house to set an intention for the day ahead or recharge at night, because it’s the one space designed for solitude. That means you need to invest in luxury bathroom essentials that elevate the experience.
Our homes greatly influence our moods. Clean, organized spaces that are thoughtfully designed with pieces you love can make you feel more creative, productive, and calm. We’ve been testing elevated bathroom essentials that turn mundane routines into mindful rituals. We prioritized items that live at the intersection of style and design—that are beautifully engineered to not just enhance the optics of your space, but make whatever task at hand more efficient and enjoyable.
You might not put much thought into brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and lathering up in the shower. They’re a means to a hygienic end. But with these luxury bathroom essentials, you’ll savor those fleeting moments with greater awareness for long-lasting bliss.
Luxury Bathroom Essentials That Fuse Style and Design
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1. School House Wide Stripe Bath Mat
Greeting mats invite you indoors, but bath mats welcome you home. Allured as we are by teak, there’s something oddly comforting about stepping out of the shower onto a plush, absorbent mat (not to mention, functionally, it keeps water from puddling on the floor). Opt for something minimalistic yet striking. This cream-colored cotton loop mat is contrasted by thin, flat-woven black stripes. Its wide dimension and lofty weight let it drape beautifully over your tub—but it’s just as beautiful residing on the floor. Bonus: It’s durable enough for a tumble in the wash—no dry cleaning required.
Some people love an old-fashioned loofah; others let their hands to the dirty work. We’re a fan of assistance. Public Goods’ all-natural, eco-friendly sea sponge is far more refined than your 99-cent plastic shower puff. It’s also better for the environment. Sustainably sourced from Greece, this “hardhead” variety of sponge doesn’t contain any synthetic fibers, phthalates, dyes, or BPA. It’s antibacterial and antifungal—great since the shower is obviously a damp place; biodegradable and durable; and makes for a better lather. It’s soft enough to use on a baby, but robust enough to gently exfoliate.
If you want something with greater scrubbing potential, nab the Ayate Bath Strip. Its long length (25″ long x 4″ wide) and double handles let you really get into those hard-to-reach areas between your shoulders and back. Derived entirely from agave plants, the coarse texture is brilliant for deep exfoliation. Another benefit to those handles—aside from letting you “floss” and slough off dead skin—is you can hang dry the strip to mitigate mold and mildew buildup. To prolong its longevity, it can also be machine washed.
Instantly recognizable and unanimously adored, Aesop products are all about luxuriating in the routine. Washing your hands becomes a meditative, sensory experience with Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash, typified by mandarin rind, rosemary leaf, and cedar atlas. Nourish skin with the same-scented balm. A medley of oils—sweet almond, coconut, macadamia, cedarwood, and mandarin orange peel—and aloe leaf juice moisturize skin with a greaseless finish. Citrus Melange Body Cleanser and Rind Concentrate Body Balm are equally rousing and herbaceous, working in tandem to cleanse and moisturize. This quartet of hand and body essentials is dedicated to Voice of Witness, a human rights charity advocating for those impacted by social injustice (hence the kit’s name: The Advocate). We also love that it’s packaged in a recycled paper pulp case.
For those with sensitive skin or just an aversion to scents, Nécessaire gives the option to go fragrance-free, The Shower Ritual set stiff-arms sulfates, silicones, and parabens and harnesses the skin- and scalp-healing properties of niacinamide, omegas, and vitamins C and E instead. If you do, however, prefer a scent, you can do so with The Body Wash and The Body Exfoliator (we recommend Sandalwood). The packaging is sleek, clean, and unfussy—just what you want for on-display toiletries.
Winter months sap skin of valuable moisture—it’s the double whammy of biting winds and frigid temps outdoors and dry heat indoors. Buff away dead skin with OSEA’s Undaria Body Polish in the shower, then apply Undaria Algae Body Oil when you step out and skin is thirsty for hydration. As the name suggests, the duo is infused with undaria seaweed that softens skin’s texture and appearance. Some body oils tend to sit on top of skin, leaving you slick, but this formula absorbs seamlessly, leaving skin impossibly smooth.
Crave sumptuously soft bath towels that are ultra-absorbent? How ’bout ones that are plush but quick to dry? Parachute’s handsome Soft Rib Towel set modernizes a classic. They’re made entirely from long-staple Turkish cotton sourced from the Aegean region, renowned for its textiles, not to mention Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified, meaning they pass the top standards of testing for harmful chemicals and synthetics. The sculpted rib design hits all the right marks aesthetically (it also hastens water evaporation), as do the modern colorways (ochre shown here). Suffice to say these towels will absolutely be the reason morning showerers show up late to work.
Some of the most potent all-natural skincare is coming from Italy these days. Furtuna Skin is one such example. The brand wild forages ingredients for its balms, toners, and face oils from its very own property, then extracts the skin-loving properties using sound bath to preserve the integrity. Its Forza D’agrò After Shave Serum does double duty, repairing dull skin while conditioning facial hair. Organic olive oil, borage oil, and shea butter nourish without clogging pores; prickly pear calms and strengthens the skin barrier over time; and lime, bay laurel, juniper, and rock rose lend soothing scents. Using this elixir each morning will take you on an olfactory journey through Sicily.
This tub duo is available in two scent profiles: No. 1 comprises amber, cedar leaf, lemongrass, tonka bean, and medjool date, while No. 2 is bright with notes of pink pepper, gurjun balsam, lemon, and cedarwood. Toss a handful of bath salts in while the tub is filling; the Dead Sea salt has a host of minerals like magnesium, sodium, and potassium to help soothe muscles and help skin’s hydration. The soak is made of dehydrated coconut milk powder that’s rich in vitamin C; it’s said to soften and hydrate skin, while easing inflammation.
Here are some too-good-to-believe stats: Compared to your typical plastic toothbrush, the Sonicare 9900 Prestige removes up to 20 times more plaque, leaves gums up to 15 times healthier in just two weeks, and delivers 100 percent stain reduction in under two days. How? Its partner app is powered by artificial intelligence. As you brush, it collects data and syncs to the app to deliver guidance on better technique. It also helps that the head imparts up to 62,000 bristle movements and dynamic fluid action to deep clean—leaving no tooth untouched for a dentist-level result morning and night. Charge it on the charging base—with or without its frosted stand—and tote in the vegan leather travel case while away from home.
10. Corpus Deodorant, Cleansing Bar, and Body Wash
Still hesitant to go natural (read aluminum-free) with deodorant? No one wants to be a smelly-pit pariah, we get it. Some formulas aren’t the most effective at neutralizing odors, but Corpus has cracked the code. Unlike some natural deods that defer to baking soda to eliminate odor—which can be drying and irritating—Corpus employs a water-based formula that’s vegan and naturally derived from plants. Seed oils moisturize and flower extracts tone and soothe, while certain enzymes eliminate odor. The Nº Green scent is citrusy yet complex with notes of bergamot, pink lemon, orange blossom, and cardamom—extracted from roots, seeds, pulps, and rinds. Another thoughtfully designed product, the sleek vessel is made of climate-conscious aluminum.
If you like an old-school bar of soap, it’s hard to beat this creamy lather. That’s thanks to a coconut base boosted by extra virgin olive, marula, and squalane oils, skin is scrubbed free of excess oil and dirt but also nourished. Essential oils and natural fragrances are triple milled to obtain peak scent and texture. The Neroli scent has an invigorating blend of, you guessed it, neroli, orange blossom, bergamot, and ambrette seed.
And for those who can’t part with liquid body wash, Corpus’s formula is long-lasting. A little goes a long way in sudsing your whole body. Winter months call for Santalum, a warming mix of sandalwood, cedar wood, and amber.
This calacatta viola marble slab is stunningly versatile. Position it on your bathroom vanity with an assemblage of products like Aesop’s The Advocate set, your go-to fragrances, trinkets, or a candle. It adds visual intrigue and functionality, serving as an anchor point with which to display your most treasured essentials. (It also looks brilliant atop a dresser, coffee table, or kitchen counter.)
Spa robes have a time and place, but for a robe that functions outside the bathroom, Lahgo’s got a wear-everywhere winner. Its Restore Double Faced Robe is fashioned from a pima cotton blend. It features oversized pockets and a hood with a classic belt tie. Rib trim and double-faced color contrasting in black and mercurial grey heather (how fitting?) add subtle yet impactful design elements. It’s a sophisticated robe meant for loafing about with coffee in hand.
Diffusers work beautifully to impart fragrance that breathes life into your space—without accosting the senses. In the bathroom, go for something fresh like Apotheke’s Sea Salt Grapefruit. Juicy, tangy citrus fruit is balanced by sea salt, black pepper, and tarragon to imbue the seaside. Replace after three to four months.
There’s no reason slippers why shouldn’t boast next-level craftsmanship. Mulo’s have a lot going for them. The London-based brand sources high-quality British corduroy for the upper, Italian suede for the sidewalls, and recycled moleskin for the lining of its entirely handmade slipper. The all-natural rubber soles lend durability, while elasticated side inserts allow for proper flex. While they’re available in backless or original, we like the versatility of the closed back for a coffee run. Choose among camel (shown here), cognac, or blue corduroy, as well as brown tweed. Once you break them in, they’re a shoe-in for best slipper.
