J.P. Mastey helped make Baxter of California into the cult-favorite grooming brand for stylish men that it is, then built Baxter Finley, LA’s premiere barber shop in West Hollywood. In 2018, J.P. founded Corpus Naturals, which specializes in vegan, cruelty free products for men who don’t wish to sacrifice quality for the sake of going natural. So when it came time to gather a list of all the best products to step up your bathroom, he was the guy to call.
“Stepping up your bathroom game should be a goal for any guy. At some point you move on from the body sprays and bright blue shower gels. Nothing signals class and taste quite like a collection of products that are designed to elicit happiness and an elevated experience. This curation of brands and products can say a lot about you and your sophistication. This does not necessarily mean that you have to invest a lot of money, but quality usually comes with a price.”
SKIN / BODY
“I not only love the packaging aesthetic, which is a large part of upgrading the look and feel of the bathroom, but these brands also make a GOOD clean product.”
SHOWER / HAIR AND BODY
“While most of this is on display in the shower only, I cannot tell you how many times a guest has used my bathroom and asked about a product from my shower – people look! Here is a collection of clean, cool products that will make you feel like you’re treating yourself on the daily.”
HAIR STYLE
“I have spent over a decade obsessed with men’s grooming products, and while these are personal and highly dependent on hair type and looks, I love these brands which offer a variety of options for your different hair needs.”
SHAVE
“Although I don’t really use a razor these days, when I did, I used a badger hair shave brush and traditional cream (no foams). Here are some beautiful items that work great.”
HAND CARE
“I think the guest bathroom hand soap has become a statement item. After attending countless open houses in Los Angeles, it has become obvious that the Aesop hand soap bottle is more obligatory than anything else! Still a favorite of mine, I opt for the reverence scent that comes with pumice stone for that added exfoliated clean feeling. Here too are some other alt options to keep it cool outside of Aesop.”
CANDLES/INCENSE
“Candles should have a life in the bathroom and should be used. A collection of unburned candles looks contrived, so burn them and trim the wick often to avoid a smokey mess, and aim for a small collection in a corner of the bathroom or counter top. The scented paper incense makes for a nice refresh and you won’t need to worry about an unattended burning candle if that stresses you out.”
ACCESSORIES / HOLDERS / TRAY
“I am someone that believes in the notion that there should be a place for everything and everything should be in its place. This holds true for a room where many items can either be a chaotic mess or a well organized and beautiful assortment to store and display the products we use most often.”
LINENS / TOWELS
“I don’t think people purge and upgrade towels often enough. It’s like socks and underwear. Once you open a new set, you often ask why you waited so long. Invest in quality and go for a full set. Personally I love the linen towels as they dry really fast and have the bonus of lasting longer than cotton, get softer over time and, maybe most important, are naturally antibacterial.”
