“You Never Regret Having A Bath” – How Estée Lalonde Turned Self-Care Into A Business
In the world of digital content creation, few figures are as open and relatable as Estée Lalonde. Over the years, she has shared the highs and lows of her life, from breakups and loss to moments of pure excitement. Her audience – of over 1 million subscribers on YouTube and close to 700,000 Instagram followers – knows every facet of her personality, as well as her unwavering love for one simple act: taking a bath.
“You never regret having a bath,” says Lalonde, smiling. To her, it’s a slice of heaven on Earth. It’s more than just a luxurious soak in warm water; it represents a moment of self-care, reflection and relaxation. It’s about finding a sanctuary within the chaos of life, a practice that can help take the edge off and restore balance. It was this connection that led Lalonde to embark on a new journey – the creation of her own bath and body care brand, Mirror Water in late 2021.
From indulgent oils and balms to bath salts and exfoliators, the full Mirror Water experience promises to take your inner peace to new heights. Its signature Smooth Body Oil includes a ‘downtime activ-essence’ essential oil blend; a mix of vetiver, cedarwood, Canadian black spruce and bergamot. The result? A ‘grounding and uplifting fragrance’.
Alongside the products, Mirror Water aims to build a community for like-minded people, sharing articles on its website from experts in the wellness industry, on everything from the traditional Japanese onsen bathing tradition to reflections on motherhood.
“Launching this brand has really shaped me as a person,” says Lalonde. “I have so much respect for anyone who has put something out there – whether that be a podcast or a product, anything! It takes a lot of work to find the courage to do it.” Mirror Water embodies the essence of self-care, while also being a testament to the strength of Lalonde’s own community, which she has spent so many years nurturing.
Estee Lalonde’s 5 Steps To Creating The Perfect Bath
1. The Ambience – I am all about creating an atmosphere when I have a bath. First up: lighting. This involves turning any main lights off and lighting candles, because who is still using the ‘big light’ in 2023? I like to use candles to create warmth. A scent I love is the Boy Smells Kush candle.
2. The Entertainment – Baths are my reset time, so I try to keep the stimulation to a minimum. This usually means I’ll catch up on an episode of a series, read the next chapter of my book or finish a podcast episode. Always have things queued up, because there is nothing worse than having to get out of the bath – dripping, cold and naked – to hit ‘play’. Most of the time, I like to bathe in complete silence and totally zone out. I have my best ideas in the bath!
3. The Salts – I love simple, hot baths. I’m a bath salts girlie through and through and there’s nothing better than Mirror Water Soak Bath Salts (but maybe I’m biased). They’re formulated with magnesium flakes, Epsom salts and pink Himalayan salts, with a grounding blend of woody essential oils to make me feel like I’m bathing in a hot spring, deep in a forest. I love to feel like my bath has really accomplished something for my skin and overall wellness, so I like to use products that have skin and muscle benefits.
4. The Scrub – I have a bath at least once or twice a week. It’s something I always prioritise, because it’s something that truly helps me unwind and recentre. I will often do a face mask, hair mask or some kind of treatment that warrants time. I love to use Mirror Water Buff Body Exfoliator in the bath, because you can scrub and soak at the same time. As you apply it to your skin in the bath, it becomes lovely and silky; exfoliating and nourishing at the same time. Most importantly, because my hands are messy it means that bath time is a no phone zone!
5. The Oil – Finally, after I have pulled the plug and slowly resurfaced from the bath, I think it is important to continue to radiate this ‘bath energy’ I have created to keep myself completely relaxed. So I will usually do my skincare routine, then drench my body in Mirror Water Smooth Body Oil to hydrate my skin, put on my favourite PJs and get into bed. Top that all off with a herbal tea and I can guarantee I’ll feel much more relaxed than when I started the process.
Pia Brynteson is site editor at Service95
