Author: Nick Carvell
@nickcarvell
Whether you’re getting ready for work or winding down before bed, any time you spend solo in the bathroom is a chance to relax, expand your mind and work on becoming the best version of yourself. Start and end your day right by checking out our monthly recommendations for bettering your bathroom experience below...
The soundtrack: Certified Lover Boy by Drake
Having first worked on the material while he was on tour in London in 2019, Drizzy has been teasing his new album for almost two years now. Originally slated for release this past summer, the release date has now been set for some point this January. Few details have leaked about the contents of Certified Lover Boy , but if the lead single “Laugh Now Cry Later (feat. Lil Durk)” is anything to go by, it’s going to be a ballsy set of tracks. Set up an artist alert on Spotify now.
The podcast: Home Cooking by Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway
If your new year’s resolution is to be better in the kitchen, you need to listen to Home Cooking a foodie podcast with a difference. Hosted by chef Samin Nosrat (who you might know from from Netflix’s Salt Fat Acid Heat ) and podcast producer Hrishikesh Hirway, it’s a feel-good call-in show where both answer listeners’ questions. The result? Lashings of humour, anecdotes and expert advice. Listen on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
The product: Caffeine High Exfoliator by The Other Saint
There’s no getting away from it: after the festive break, January is a real downer of a month. Beat the start-of-year blues with our Caffeine High Exfoliator, which will not only help to slough off dead skin cells caused by the joyous combination of chilly winds and central heating, but its rich coffee scent will perk up even the dreariest morning. £19, theothersaint.com
The tech: Withings ‘Body Cardio’ Wi-Fi enabled smart scales
Look, we all know that your weight is by no means a marker of your overall health. Thankfully bathroom scales have evolved to reflect this - or at least this Body Cardio smart scale from Withings has. Connected via Wi-Fi to your smartphone, these scales can track all manner of variables of your body composition to make sure you’re getting the best picture of your overall health. Whether it’s your fat mass, bone density, water retention, or muscle mass, all these weight factors can be analysed and measured by this machine - not just for you, but for up to eight people. It can also assess your heart health and you can set specific goals for areas of personal improvement on it if you’re on a health kick for 2021. £129.95, withings.com
The book: No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings, Erin Meyer
Netflix isn’t just a company that’s become famous for its binge-worthy programming, it’s also renowned for its revolutionary attitude to its employees. From unlimited holiday requests to personal expenses not requiring approval, these “no rules rules” of management were codified into the media giant’s freedom and responsibility practices by the company's co-founder and co-CEO, Reed Hastings. This book (shortlisted for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award 2020) explores what’s worked, what hasn’t and what anyone who runs a business can learn from their experiments.
£17.99, waterstones.com
The kit: Dressing gown by British Boxers
Because shuffling around the house on a Sunday morning is infinitely better when you’re wrapped in a chill-beating brushed cotton dressing gown. This one from British Boxers ‘Braemar’ brushed cotton Dressing Gown by British Boxers in a zingy blue and red check is definitely not your granddad’s robe.
£89, at wolfandbadger.com
The essential: Chambray shower curtain by Ferm Living
A chambray shirt is one of the most relaxed-yet-smart pieces of clothing a man can own - so why not take that vibe to your bathroom too? Ferm Living’s selection of chambray shower curtains, lined with water-repelling acrylic coating, are a rare combination of luxurious and laid-back. Available in solid sandy beige and light wash denim blue, my pick of the pack is the eye-catching striped iteration. £78, fermliving.com
