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Sep 09, 2023

6 Cheap(ish) Things to Bliss Up Your Bathtime in 2023

After a long day, there’s no better feeling than settling into a warm bath for some “you” time, but creating a serene scene in your home could require upgrading your day-to-day essentials. We’ve

After a long day, there’s no better feeling than settling into a warm bath for some “you” time, but creating a serene scene in your home could require upgrading your day-to-day essentials. We’ve rounded up a few Wirecutter picks that can help you make your home a place for indulgent self-care on the cheap(ish). With the right supplies and maybe a little tidying up, your bathroom can easily become the haven you want it to be.

Having everything within reach means you don’t have to get up to grab anything once you settle into the warm water. The Mind Reader Bamboo Bathtub Caddy Tray, one of our bath tray picks, keeps everything from your phone to a full wine glass up and out of the water. Storing the bath tray in a closet and pulling it out for special occasions—such as a night of pampering yourself—can also help preserve the bamboo bath tray’s longevity. Just make sure to measure your tub before buying, since this tray isn’t adjustable.

This affordable bath tray looks lovely and is easy to use, but it isn’t adjustable.

Turn down the overhead bulbs and light up a candle. We’re fans of the Target Project 62 Lavender + Eucalyptus Ceramic Wellness Candle for its subtle, soothing scent, which our tester describes as “slightly soapy and powdery, so it would be good in a bathroom.” It’s our least-expensive sweet and citrusy candle pick, and we estimate that it will last for about 37 hours of burn time, so you’ll get plenty of use out of it for the price. (And when you’ve finished it, you can reuse the chic jar.)

This candle has a soft, natural-smelling scent, though the lavender and eucalyptus both come through clearly.

May be out of stock

A shower speaker can be great to add some sound to your self-care routine, but if you’re not ready to splurge on one, the Tribit XSound Go might be a good option. This portable Bluetooth speaker is compact and waterproof, and it provides good-quality sound for everything from music to podcasts to audiobooks. You can also use the speaker to listen to a guided meditation from the free Healthy Minds Program app, which we think is one of the best meditation apps.

The Tribit XSound Go is the best speaker we’ve heard in its price range, and it’s compact and waterproof to boot. But it can’t play as loud as our larger, more expensive picks.

Lush’s bath bombs have been our favorite bath bombs for years because they provide the fizziest fizz of all those we tested—and their pleasing, powerful scents are unmatched. The luxurious experience (they’re infused with skin-softening oils) is worth the price. And with 39 whimsical varieties to choose from, including a fruity peach-shaped bomb and a rainbow-colored rabbit, you’ll be able to find a scent and shape that leaves you tickled pink (or any other color).

These little gems fill your tub with gorgeous color, long-lasting fragrance, and skin-soothing oils.

Having a hotel-grade towel like the Frontgate Resort Cotton Bath Towel could make getting out of the bath your favorite part of the whole experience. This bath towel is the softest, warmest and plushest towel we’ve tested, and we found that it still feels great even after several washes. Although the towel is plush, it’s still plenty absorbent. It’s currently available in more than 20 colors.

This is the softest towel we’ve ever tested, and it comes in a wider variety of colors than any other we’ve found.

To round out your evening of self-care, end the night by applying a sheet mask like the Dr. Jart Cryo Rubber Mask with Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid. With the Cryo Rubber Mask, you apply the included face cream before affixing the rubber-like mask. This mask stays in place while you move around, so you can do a range of things like sip a beverage, paint your nails, or find a movie to watch while the mask works away on your skin.

This mask-and-serum set containing glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and hyaluronic acid stays put (even if you don’t) and feels luxurious.

This article was edited by Alex Aciman and Catherine Kast.

Gabriella DePinho

Gabriella DePinho is an updates writer at Wirecutter. Previously, she worked at NBC News writing about deals and product launches. She loves working in product recommendation but personally hates shopping—and she knows that doesn’t make sense.

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