I can’t even keep track of all of the side projects and Goop-branded projects Gwyneth Paltrow is involved with at this point. There’s so much – there’s her Goop-branded “In Goop Health” summits, the Goop site which has Goop-branded clothing, lifestyle products, the makeup line, the vitamins line, and like a million other things. Well, Gwyneth’s latest is a Goop-branded line of bath salts. Of all the dumb pseudo-science sh-t she peddles, I’m not offended by Goop-branded bath salts. If she claimed that her bath salts cure cancer, then I would be offended, but she’s not saying that. She is saying that she needs an hour-long soak in the bathtub every single day though. Hm.
She take a bath every night: “I take a bath every single night. I got really into taking them when I was 22 and shooting Emma in London. I fell in love with the ritual of it—lighting a candle and having a cup of tea or a whiskey, depending on my day.” For Paltrow, bathing before bed helps her to decompress and “wash the day off”.
She always carves that time out for herself even though she’s a mom: She says she needs that time to “daydream and not be on [my phone]. It’s non-negotiable. It’s just like, I do it every night. My kids are welcome to come in and chat with me if they need to—it’s not like I’m in a meditation or something. But I just need that time and so I just take it. It’s really the only time I take for myself every single day regardless of what is going on.”
How she came up with her own bath salts: “Over the course of time in going to various countries where they use different salts, different oils and different ingredients in baths, I got really interested in the therapeutic part of a bath. Just for me personally, if I swim in the ocean that is dense with salt or a lake with algae or a stream, there’s just a feeling you get that you don’t get from being in a pool or in a shower. So I wanted to create a bath line that really answered the needs of the modern person and that would kind of bring those incredible elements of nature into your bathtub.”
Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I actually soaked in a bathtub. I find showers relaxing and they help me start the day or end the day, depending on the day. I just haven’t had the time or the inclination to really take baths as an adult though. I do side-eye Gwyneth’s whole “my bathtime is non-negotiable, every single day for an hour” thing just because… do most working moms have that kind of time? Probably not. But then again, everybody has to cope with their sh-t in whatever way they can. My “daydream/decompress” time is “walking on the treadmill” and “watching tennis.” Both of those things calm me so much. I don’t begrudge Goop. But I’m sure her bath salts are stupid and overpriced.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Instagram.
Ok so that’s cool she can afford an hour a day to herself. I think if it’s possible, more people should find that time for self-care. But her kids can come in and chat if they want? While she’s in the BATHTUB? Is she NAKED?? I mean, her kids aren’t toddlers and babies anymore….
Are you serious? I used to always chat with my Mum when she was in the bath right up to leaving home. Nothing weird and I won’t shade Gwyneth for it.
Well I’ve seen my mom naked countless times since i was a kid, and, granted, i don’t have a boy sibling, but ive seen other families that normalized the naked body and it made the Boys in it much more comfortable around women but in a good way. I think when you make a point to hide your body to your children you send the message that it is shameful, you are wrong or a perv of some sort?
It’s just a naked body really. In a tub. Full of bath salts and foam probably.
I totally agree with normalized family nakedness. We have two little ones (5 and two, boy and girl) and we don’t make a big deal out of being nude. Nothing sexual or inappropriate. Just our natural bodies. Hope it helps them with self-love when they are older. I don’t even want to get my two-year-old a Barbie, because I can remember being young and wanting to look like that. Sucking in my stomach and sticking out my chest. There are so many beautiful shapes out there. I want her to love her shape.
It’s ok, it’s just a body. I understand some people are uncomfortable with nudity, especially around parents/kids, but if her family are ok with it I don’t see the big deal. We don’t have to all adhere to the same standards, and I personally don’t see why the human body has to be sexualised to a point where a kid walking in on mum in the bath is a big deal. But, to each their own. Including goop.
Agreed.
Eh, I don’t have a problem with this. I take a bath every night and more often than not my 2 1/2 year old is in there with me. I’ve definitely thought about how much longer it can last, but if he really wants to talk to me in there when he’s older, I’ll just pull the curtain.
You seriously see a problem with this? Why wouldn’t they see their mom naked? It’s a natural body, it’s your mom, it’s your shared house, it’s life.
My mother and sisters and I have shared more change rooms, saunas and spontaneous skinny dips than I can count. Let Gwyneth be naked!
I don’t find it too weird, but maybe she has a curtain or opaque door or something, she didn’t say her kids were in the bath with her or anything.
my two come in for a visit and a chat while I’m in the bath. get over the prudishness about the body.
Hey as long as the bath salts aren’t $7000 and shoved up your hoohah…you do you Goop.
Just another sign of the phoniness of Goop; I remember reading a story about how she used to front about not having a nanny. Except she did. She gave the nanny the job title “assistant” so she could keep up the charade. Any moms feeling guilty remember that when some star shows up having lost all the baby weight in 3 weeks and has “no nanny”. Side eye that claim hard.
I would get bladder infections if I soaked for an hour every night. She’s probably got a cure for that.
Oh, please, like it’s a challenge for her to carve out ‘me time.’
Her skin, sheesh.
I know, right? It baffles me everytime that Goop with that skin and that hair is some kind of wellness guru.
And regarding this: “my bathtime is non-negotiable, every single day for an hour” thing just because… do most working moms have that kind of time? Probably not. But then again, everybody has to cope with their sh-t in whatever way they can.” The answer is not probably not but deffinitely not. And at least for me, I do not get to always do the things that help me cope with my shit, bwcause there is not enough time in the dayvto do that, but i get to read this site everyday to just help me to relax and take my mind of shit.
Sheesh good or sheesh bad? I’ve never seen her skin close up.
I love a nice hot sweet-smelling relaxing bath (with drink and book) so I see nothing to sniff at here other than the likely price of her bath salts range.
First time I ever thought I’d say this….I wholeheartedly agree w G, baths for me are my Prozac. Need them as often as possible.
I take a bath every night as well, though not for an hour. It helps me relax more than a shower before bed. And I’m all about the bath salts (anything with eucalyptus) and candles as well. It’s definitely one of my favorite self-care rituals. But I also don’t have kids, so I have the time.
Of late, I add a generous squirt of bergamot and mint oil to the running water. The smell and feel is wonderfully soft and fragrant and it leaves my skin feeling really silky.
That sounds really good! I love bergamot, so I might have to try that.
Same here, not every night but at least a couple times a week. I like to soak in epsom salts because I have back/muscle issues and it helps a lot with my pain. I try different bubble baths, bath salts, oils, etc too.
I do go on my phone while I do it but I’m trying to phase that out. I like that she doesn’t.
I take Epsom salt baths as well! Sometimes I’ll add in a lavender bath bomb or some kind of lavender bath oil. Sooooo soothing and gets me prepped well for sleepy time. I have a hard time falling asleep most nights, but this, more often than not, works wonders!
I took a bath every night when I was in Japan. If you have a great tub, it’s not so hard to do.
I LOVE the Japanese “concept” of bathing (and I’d give anything to take a bath in Japan!). When I had a separate bathtub and shower, I started showering, then scrubbing with a body brush, and THEN hopping into the tub with a packet of “Japanese milk bath,” which claims to be similar to what you can get at a hot springs bathhouse.
I could start doing this again, but it takes a while for my current bathtub/shower to… drain.
I think as a woman its a good idea to have atleast 1 or 2 baths a week,not necessarily for an hour though.
Oh I feel this. I have a bath every single night. Even if I get home super late, I’ll try to soak for at least 20 minutes. It’s just so soothing.
My newly divorced young mother self would be sad that I don’t soak in the tub everyday now that I can. How I used to long for it! My little ones would get up to all kinds of high-jinks* when I tried for even 15 minutes. I usually wait for a weekend, but I climb in with a book and stay for at least an hour.
* My son saying, “Go on Mommy, you have your bath and I will fix us a sandwich”, Turning to his sister “Would you like a peanut butter sandwich?” Sister: ” No thank you, dear I’m not fond of peanut butter, could I have a cheese sandwich?” Brother: “Yes, I will be happy to make a sandwich for you”. Off I went to the tub, tears in my eyes because I had the sweetest children in world. I came out to find peanut buttered bread stuck to the wall, and they were gaily squeezing grape juice boxes and dipping tissues into the juice and attempting to throw the tissues up to stick on the ceiling! They were 5 and 3 I think. They were marvelous teachers because every time I said to myself that I couldn’t cope (with infidelity, divorce, etc.), they would immediately get up to something that I had to cope with!
hee hee, nice image of loving family chaos!
This is such a sweet story. Your children are so sweet, creative, little monsters 😉 I hope they got to keep that spark.
Wow, first time I relate to her. I am a rubber duckie fan!
It’s not that normalizing your body is a bad thing or that nudity is a bad thing or that your kids seeing you naked is a bad thing…it’s about boundaries and teaching your children personal space and privacy.
to each their own.
I have to wash my tub each time before a bath because of how infrequently I do it which limits the times I do it…vicious little cycle! But I do enjoy with a cold glass of white wine and sometimes my husband if he doesn’t take all the bubbles 🙂
I’m sorry but no.
Baths are a luxury that more than half of the population of this world can’t afford to enjoy. Some because they are too poor to afford that amount of water and many because of the freshwater crisis. Expensive bath salts here or there, I hate it when (especially) celebrities like her and Emma Watson promote this way of ‘relaxation’ with such serious environmental consequences.
I don’t have anything against people taking a bath couple times a month, but this is ridiculous.
How often do you shower then?
That is not really relevant to my point, but since you asked, it depends on the level of activity I have during the day. If I don’t go to the gym, I take a shower every other day with the occasional scrub down with a wet cloth if needed.
I have nothing against hygiene, I just can’t help but shudder at the amount of water that is wasted when the same effect can be accomplished with half as much water and time that I’d rather use to relax in some other way.
Some older houses still don’t even have showers, just bath tubs. What are they supposed to do? Shower in the rain?
I live in an old house with an old bathtub and lo and behold I don’t wash myself with rainwater and manage to shower.
Nowhere was I suggesting you start off grid living, I just said it was wasteful. Cause I can guarantee you she doesn’t bathe in 3 inches of water.
My shower could fill my tub at least twice. I know this because my toddler plugs and fills the tub at least twice every time we shower. Using a bath instead would consume 100% less water.
I take bathes, but then I shower and actually wash up while showering. LOL I can’t do just a bath. I get bored?! I can’t just sit still for an hour. That’s just my personality. I save my ‘me’ time for reading.
I’m sure her bathroom is amazing!!!!!
I love a daily bath. Not for an hour because the water gets too cold but even just 15-20 minutes of soaking away the tension of the day. Bath salts or a nice bath oil leave my skin feeling soft & smooth & smelling pretty. My tub also has whirlpool jets and it’s like a mini massage when I use them
Well this is a surprising development. I can relate with Goop. I’m perhaps even worse with my baths as I take one in the morning and one in the evening. And God forbid I’m sick, or having one of my migraines or simply feeling rough because that bath number increases lol. True, I don’t spend an hour soaking, but I have to have loads of thick, foaming, aromatic bubbles. I also keep the water running because I have to have hot water, and I like the sound and movement. Still waters and all lol. So yeah, I spend far too much on bubbles, salts and creamy washes and water bills. I do everything while taking a bath too. Facials, beauty treatments, whatever. But I promise, this is my only indulgence! I don’t really spend on anything else, don’t eat out normally and I don’t splurge on clothing and accessories (haven’t since I was in my 20s to mid 30s… kids). I do like everything delivered though so there’s that ;p.
I think we are the same bath person. Although for times sake i will sometimes shower in the morning.
My partner makes fun of me for the running water too, because sometimes he will come in and the tub will be only partially filled with me in it and it slowly filling.
I’m joining the bathers here, too!
I take a bath every morning – I get up early to do it. It’s my one moment of total peace before I start my day and I wouldn’t give it up for anything!
I can’t believe that Goop and I have anything thing in common, but I take a bath every night and a quick one in the morning. I don’t care for showers much, I only bathe and it has kept my body soft and blemish free. The whole soak, then get rid of excess dead skin cells on knees and elbows and moisturize and put on my cotton jammies…its a ritual I’ve done since my teens.
I would never buy her lies/salts because I know they are way overpriced.
The way it’s phrased is weird. Like, who’s she negotiating with? Are her fiancé and kids really begging her not to bathe?
I love goop. haha
I put a bathtub in my backyard, under the lavender bush on the deck. I have one of those hoses that grow from small to large-it hangs in the tree above the tub with a shower head- the other end we connect to my shower in the house and we use that for hot water. I’m kinda ridiculous but I love my outdoor baths.
Real talk? I occasionally suffer from pretty crippling bouts of anxiety, and I’ve re-discovered after many years that a good, long, foamy soak in the tub with lots of Mr. Bubble (no fancy ish needed!) does wonders for my nervous system and can even completely put it on “reset” for a few days after. Sometimes just knowing that I have it to look forward to when I get home is enough to help me cope with particularly tough days.
All that being said, soaking for “an hour” every day of the week sounds like a nightmare to me. And idk how good it can be for vaginal health esp if she’s loading each one up with all sorts of salts, oils and potions. Yikes!
Well, Moses is going to be 12 in April. He’s a little too old to see Mum naked in my opinion. Just my opinion. I can be a prude about that stuff though and I’m not a parent, so what do I know. I LOVE baths as well. But I thought she worked out with Tracey Anderson for 3 hours per day – isn’t that ME time as well??? Methinks she lies.
I dunno man. I’m all for baths – but the whole “only time I take for myself” thing is hard to swallow. Is she seriously THAT busy with (not) acting, and with goop, and kids? I’d be super interested to see her daily schedule. I’m sure there’s yoga in there or some form of exercise, but that’s not “for her”? Who’s it for then, dear goop ? I can’t stand that this woman speaks and the plebes lap it up. (I am happily a plebe, just not one who thinks goop has a clue.)