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Seasoned esthetician and Botnia founder Justine Kahn knows that in order to achieve great skin, a good facial is only 10 percent of the picture. The rest of it is up to what you do on your own time, at your own home. “As a practitioner, one of the most challenging things about our job is the compliance our clients have with the regimen we prescribe them,” shares Kahn. In her opinion, many people will give up because they don’t have an inspiring space that supports their morning and nighttime rituals. “A lot of bathrooms don’t start with, how do I have a routine inside here?” says Kahn. But naturally, her own renovation did.
Before
Kahn’s design outlook is reflective of Botnia’s holistic approach to skincare. Her line of products, which she launched back in 2017—16 years into her career as an esthetician—is all plant-based, with many of the ingredients grown on the company’s micro-farm in Sausalito, California or in Marin and Sonoma. Every element, down to the recyclable aluminum bottles, has been thoughtfully considered and is void of extra gobbledygook. Her bathroom overhaul followed the same considered principles.
Two Bathrooms Are Better Than One
Having lived in their 1800s Sausalito farmhouse with her husband and daughter since 2011, Kahn knew exactly what she loved and didn’t love about their space when they embarked on the remodel. For starters, the family really needed two bathrooms, not just one. With the help of builder and designer Julian Snellgrove, Kahn was able to revamp the existing bathroom with a walk-in shower and turn what was once the laundry area into a soaking room.
Each space serves a slightly different purpose. The newest addition is all about nurturing the nervous system. “I wanted a space that you wanted to be naked inside of,” says Kahn. Built-in bookshelves surround the old clawfoot tub, which Kahn had reglazed. There’s almost always some sort of reading that’s happening in the bath. “Our world is so tech-centered. Having a place to relax that’s not just an armchair in the living room was really important for me,” says Kahn.
The shower area is more focused on efficiency. A deep mahogany chair rail lines the perimeter of the room, acting as a shelf so Kahn can easily access all her products (plus little bits and bobs like hair ties and jewelry) as she’s getting ready for the day.
Into the Redwood Forest
Kahn is used to tapping into her surroundings when she’s concocting new oils and serums for Botnia, so of course she took the same approach when coming up with a design scheme for the bathrooms. The famous redwood forests, as well as the old-school 1970s architecture in the area, fueled her vision of fully paneled bathrooms. Snellgrove and Kahn were able to track down dismantled water storage tanks made from old growth redwood and reused the siding in both bathrooms as wainscoting. “It’s always a good thing when you get to give a special material a second life,” says Snellgrove.
A New Point of View
It’s no accident the medicine cabinet is offset in the shower room. For Kahn, one easy way to encourage calm is reconnecting with nature—not staring back at herself while she’s brushing her teeth. “It’s funny because as an esthetician, mirrors are very important—we’re always looking at skin,” she says, “but I think there can also be this self-judgement that creates negative cycles in how we care for our bodies.” The mirror is set on a track, so when she does need to use it at the sink (or get to something within the cabinet), she can simply slide it over.
For Snellgrove, bringing fresh air into the space was an important part of the remodel. In the tub room, they also installed a large window with a 3-foot-wide awning, “so you can have it open even when it’s raining,” he says.
No Drawer Drama
Even though Kahn shares the bathrooms with two other people, she didn’t need loads of storage. In truth, they don’t have that much stuff. “Simplifying the amount of products we have in our lives actually creates the compliance that I’m really after,” she says. The top drawer in their primary vanity holds toothbrushes and floss; below that, there’s a nook for things like makeup and nail clippers. The lower cubbies have outlets so they can easily plug in hair tools. At the very bottom, there’s even room left over to stash cleaning supplies.
A Warm Embrace
Being naked in a bathroom is kind of a no-brainer, but feeling good about being naked in the bathroom isn’t a guarantee. Lighting matters, which is why Kahn opted for minimal fixtures over the vanities as well as pink-hued glass sconces that create a tinted glow. “You get this warm pink light that’s covering the room as you’re getting out of the tub and it’s on this gorgeous redwood…it feels so luxurious,” she says. Not pictured: a full length mirror on the back of the door that directly faces the tub. “I’ve found that being naked in front of a full body mirror in a warm space encourages self love. You’re like, dang I look good!” adds Kahn.
The terracotta pots that dot Kahn’s family farm outside inspired the warm-toned shower tile, while the brushed nickel is a subtle nod to Botnia’s aluminium packaging. For literal warmth, she added radiant heat underneath the new limestone herringbone tile floors.
Practice Makes Perfect
We couldn’t let Kahn go without asking her to break down her morning and nighttime routine. Like her bathroom remodel, it’s refreshingly simple.
Her A.M.: “I always start with a cleanse. Right now, because it’s winter time, my cleansing routine is the Balancing Oil Cleanser mixed with a little bit of our Gentle Cleanser. I take my time massaging that into my skin, rinse it off, and go immediately into the Ponderosa Hydrosol, which is made from a ponderosa pine tree that my family harvested this past summer. I follow with our Well Serum, a brightening, plumping serum that helps my skin produce more of its own natural retinol. Then I go in with my Restorative Face Cream and I put sunscreen on top of that.”
Her P.M.: “At night, it’s pretty much the same routine except instead of sunscreen, I add in our Wisdom Oil on top of my skincare. Once in a while, if I’m feeling very dry, I’ll add in eye cream (I’ll even use it around my lips). I’ll utilize our body oil after I turn off the shower so that my skin can absorb the moisture that’s still on it. I massage the water and the oil together until it’s fully absorbed, and then I will wrap myself in a towel.”