Lately I’ve found myself tumbling down a YouTube rabbit hole of “Onsen porn.” An Onsen, for those not steeped (pun intended) in bath culture, is a natural hot spring, usually situated next to a traditional inn, known as a ryokan. The POV videos follow tourists as they bounce from one sparsely appointed ryokan to the next, traversing the Japanese country side in search of their next best soak.
But where is my next best soak going to come from? That is the question YouTube can’t answer. Jenni Kayne, on the other hand, can. The designer’s skincare line, Oak Essentials, makes an aromatic foaming bath oil that, while not Onsen-kosher, goes very well with a glass of chilled red and a fantasy of yourself as someone who will one day own a fully marble bathroom.
Oak Essentials Cloud Foaming Bath Oil
The wise words of filmmaker Lulu Wang spring readily to mind: “There’s just something really grounding about getting in a bath.” That’s partly due to the relaxing effect of warm water, but also thanks to the oil’s light scent of lavender and sage.
Conveniently, the extended Oak Essentials universe offers everything I need to complete my ritual, which involves lighting a candle, applying a face mask, and drenching myself in oil afterwards. (I also confess to sometimes putting a few tablespoons of food-grade olive oil directly in the water.) It’s a moment of holistic self-care that I cap off by slipping into my silk pajamas from Olivia von Halle. And then, quelle surprise, I crawl back onto my couch, pull up YouTube, and start dreaming all over again.
Sean Santiago is ELLE Decor’s Deputy Editor, covering news, trends and talents in interior design, hospitality and travel, culture, and luxury shopping. Since starting his career at an interior design firm in 2011, he has gone on to cover the industry for Vogue, Architectural Digest, Sight Unseen, PIN-UP and Domino. He is the author of The Lonny Home (Weldon Owens, 2018), has produced scripted social content for brands including West Elm and Streeteasy, and is sometimes recognized on the street for his Instagram Reels series, #DanceToDecor
