How to develop a rejuvenating bathroom ritual like a clean-beauty expert

As the head of a brand that wants to introduce you to the best of the clean-beauty boom, Onda founder Larissa Thomson does a lot of product testing. But it’s hardly a chore—the fashion industry veteran finds much more joy these days in slathering and spritzing the latest from buzzy skin-care brands than browsing clothing racks.

And once you peek around the lust-worthy bathroom in her chic New York City apartment, you immediately understand why. Her Tribeca home is a sprawling boho dream pad filled with Western-style accents and, of course, the perfect bathroom for a woman who’s all about her self-care time.

To get a sense of what the devoted lotion-and-potion tester favors for her own skin, Thomson—and her super-sweet pup, Lucky—welcomed a few members of Team Well+Good into the place where the (glow-boosting) magic happens.

“The scents and actual ritual of using products and feeling and smelling them is a de-stressing moment I have at the beginning and the end of my day.”

“The energy of this room and space is sacred to me,” Thomson says of her city sanctuary, with its clawfoot tub, spa shower, and ample shelf space for all kinds of sweet-smelling jars and bottles—as well as plants, pictures, and a few well-placed crystals.

“My natural beauty ritual has become something I carve out for myself,” she adds. “The scents and actual ritual of using products and feeling and smelling them is a de-stressing moment I have at the beginning and the end of my day—I spend a lot of time in the bathroom. And I take the longest showers.” You would too, if you had a set-up like this (sigh).

Keep reading to get some serious top-shelf inspo from this natural-beauty pro

In addition to the latest releases, Thomson also has go-to products that she uses again and again. “When I want to wash with an oil cleanser, I’ll use the Vitamin B Cleanser from One Love Organics,” she says. “Sometimes I’ll use the Shiva Rose Pearl Milk Cleanser, or this cream Onda carries exclusively from Australia from the Little Alchemist that smells so heavenly.”

Moved by scents and textures, Thomson admits her regimen can vary depending on her mood and what she wants to smell. “So much of beauty for me is the tactile experience,” she explains.

Shop her routine

One Love Organics Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil $42

Shiva Rose Pearl Milk Cleanser $45

When it comes to skin care, Thomson swears by layers. “A lot of people think it’s way too much, but the whole thing takes about three minutes,” she says.

Her faves to slather on include various serums and oils—all power players when it comes to radiance. But they go on after she spritzes with a toner. (You didn’t think she had a one-step routine, did you?) “I use Marie Veronique’s Pre + Probiotic Mist,” says Thomson. “And right now, I really love using Joanna Vargas products during the day.”

Nighttime involves Marie Veronique’s Gentle Retinol Serum and either Uma’s Ultimate Brightening Oil or the Neroli-Infused Marula Oil from African Botanics. Needless to say, her top shelf is packed.

Shop her routine

Marie Veronique Pre + Probiotic Daily Mist $40

Joanna Vargas Rejuvenating Serum $100

Marie Veronique Gentle Retinol Night Serum $110

Uma Ultimate Brightening Face Oil $150

African Botanics Neroli-Infused Marula Oil $120

In the shower—with a gorgeous teak-wood floor and matching shelf lined with cleansing products—Thomson has a separate regimen. Her clear-skin secret? Masking as she takes care of the rest of her body.

“In the shower I’ll use May Lindstrom’s Honey Mud and leave it on the whole time,” she says. “If my skin’s red or breaking out, I’ll mix it with Clean Dirt or The Problem Solver in the little bowl and put it on while I’m washing my hair and let it sit.” To exfoliate her body, she’ll use Australian Brand Grown Alchemist’s Intensive Body Exfoliant.

For her hair, Thomson uses clean brands Yarok (Feed Your Moisture Shampoo) or Reverie (the simply named Shampoo and Conditioner). “I love the smell of both,” she says. “After the shower, I love Goe Oil’s body moisturizer. It smells like the beach and feels like a cream—but it’s an oil.”

Shop her routine

May Lindstrom Clean Dirt $70

May Lindstrom Problem Solver $100

Grown Alchemist Intensive Body Exfoliant $59

Yarok Feed Your Moisture Shampoo $42

Reverie Nude Shampoo $38

Reverie Nude Conditioner $40

Jao Goe Oil $50

It’s hard to look at the beauty pro’s bathtub and not have the urge to draw yourself one, stat. Her stand-alone, clawfoot tub has its own shelf—and it’s surrounded by crystals and cool art.

“I’m a big bath taker. When I’m in one, I use handmade goat milk soaps and either the Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose scrub or Coconut Milk Bath Soak, which makes you want to drink the water,” says Thomson. “It’s so delicious.”

And she turns her soak into a full-on rejuvenation session (no surprise here). “I usually light candles, and my husband’s really cute—he brings me Pimm’s and ginger ale,” she says. “It’s my favorite cocktail.”

Shop her routine

Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose Body Polish $36

Herbivore Botanicals Coconut Bath Soak $32

Thomson’s gemstones align with her de-stressing time as well. “Clear quartz is a mother of all crystals because it creates clean energy that keeps negativity away,” Thomson explains. “And it brings in your higher self and intuition. Amethyst is similar—I think having them where you spend your decompressing time only adds to the benefits.” With a sanctuary like this, who would want to leave?

Scroll down for more bathroom inspo from Larissa Thompson’s personal sanctuary.

This post was originally published on June 22, 2017; updated on August 17, 2020