As an adventure travel writer, I’ve coursed the globe and experienced all kinds of spa treatments in the furthest reaching corners of the world.
I descended from a beach atoll into an underwater spa amidst a coral garden for a massage at Huvafen Fushi, experienced a Cleopatra milk bath and coffee scrub in Egypt that prepped me for a reiki treatment that massaged my aura that was hovering six feet away from my body, and I’ve taken a turmeric scrub in a rose petal bath following a fully immersive, holy swim in the Ganges.
I take two baths a day—sometimes three—if I can get away with it.
On good days, at home in Hollywood, I take two baths a day—sometimes three—if I can get away with it. Bathing is an art to me, as are the products I choose to put on my face and body. Here are a few of my must-haves.
Kneipp Dream Away Bath Oil & Bath Salt
Kneipp Dream Away
At the end of the day, a Kneipp Dream Away aroma, salt, and color-therapy bath has become my most-favored ritual. As soon as the bath oil hits the seas and the jets suck it in, the scents (mainly Valerian, said to ease a racing mind, and Hops, which promotes a deep, restorative sleep) take me to my fantasy spa. It’s a great place to escape, think about my work, and destress in Dream Away Bath Oil’s cerulean blue waters. I often become so inspired in my jetted tub when using Kneipp Oils that, whenever I have writer’s block, I draw a bath, sometimes more than twice a day.
This bath oil is one thing I don’t want to live without, and lately, it’s been not only challenging to find, but costly. My fear of it going away recently caused me to order valerian, hops, eucalyptus, and camphor essential oils to create my own version. However, as excited as I was to be a scent builder, no combination came close to Dream Away.
Luckily, for the times I haven’t been able to find it, their Kneipp Dream Away bath salts do the trick for a similar price, lasting up to 10 baths (I am beginning to wonder if they are phasing out the oil in favor of the salt). The company offers several other oils and salts, with The Pure Bliss Red Poppy and Patchouli & Sandalwood being the standouts.
Natura Lotion and Byredo De Los Santos
Natura Body Lotion for after-bath care
After the bath, I slather my body in Natura Body Moisturizer Ekos Maracuja Soothing Body Lotion. It’s made with crude maracuia (passionfruit seed) oil, which is rich in fatty acids and ethically sourced from the Amazon. The lotion soaks in quickly, doesn’t feel like I have it on once it dries, and leaves no greasy residue.
It has a pleasant passion fruit smell, but before applying, I spray Byredo’s De Los Santos perfume for my ritual. I’m obsessed with this scent, which is heavy with Palo Santo, Musk, and Sage and is said to pay homage to the traditions of Día de los Muertos and All Saints Day by “translating scent into a ritual of remembrance.” I find the lotion helps make the perfume last longer without overpowering it and acts as an excellent carrier for the heady smokiness of Palo Santo.
Skin Authority Nutrient 9X Oil for Face, Hair & Nails
Skin Authority Nutrient 9X Oil
I do a lot of home renovations, like tiling, painting, and woodworking, which use chemicals and involve a lot of hand-scraping. No matter how hard I try to protect my hands, I end up with dry, sore fingers full of hangnails. Skin Authority’s Nutrient 9X Oil is made up of nine protective oils that soothe the pain and softens cuticles like no other product I’ve tried. It has a permanent spot on my workbench and has become a regular part of my project cleanup routine.
Scott Goetz
Scott Goetz is a luxury adventure writer whose travel stories have appeared in publications including Men's Journal, Robb Report, and Elite Traveler. His adventures have sent him to 96 countries and led to partnerships with Virgin Produced and Delta Airlines, to bring his travel brand to the screen. His Hollywood home is overrun with treasures from his travels and is the setting of a TikTok/Instagram travel series debuting summer 2024. On good days he takes two baths, three if he can get away with it.