With so much more time spent at home over the past couple of years, the good and bad parts of our spaces have been emphasized. There has undoubtedly been a surge in home redesign, and the pandemic even changed the way we shower and bathe — possibly forever. Since so many bedrooms have become home offices, bathrooms are where many of us retreat for a moment of silence and relaxation. And for those set on making it a self-care oasis, every detail matters — right down to the towels.
In our humble opinion, a towel can make or break a relaxing bathing experience. With the wrong one, your skin can feel dried out and scratchy after even the sudsiest shower. But the right fluffy bath sheet can leave your skin feeling revitalized and soft, and freshly shampooed hair shiny and bouncy as if you just got a professional blowout. And that’s not even mentioning the transcendent effect of wrapping yourself up in the plush comfort of a vast, fluffy bath towel — it’s enough to mentally transport you to the most luxurious of five-star hotels in the blink of an eye.
We’ve written previously about how a super-soft microfiber towel is ideal for your hair, because the gentle, low-friction material is able to efficiently wick away moisture without roughing up the cuticle. (Note: Just make sure you’re blotting your hair instead of rubbing it, as the latter can cause damaging breakage and split ends.) And when it comes to skin care, Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says that soft fibers like cotton are great for reducing harmful friction on the skin.
So, whether you’re looking for a new set of high-quality, Egyptian cotton towels, quick-drying towels with a sumptuous waffle weave to recreate a spa-like setting right at home, or you’re wanting to try your hand at a bathleisure look, we’ve rounded up our top picks for the best bath towels that are ultra-absorbent, ultra-soft, and straight-up indulgent.
Home is where the heart is, sure — but it’s also where we live our beauty lives. So, we teamed up with the editors at AD to bring you tons of great design tips, trends, and tricks for making over your bathrooms, showers, and vanities. For more like this, click here.