This Exfoliating Washcloth Will Turn Your Shower Into a Japanese Spa

In lockdown, showers have become my most sacred ritual, and for the first time ever, I’m sparing no detail for a complete mind and body reset. In my exploration of the most tried-and-true strategies, such as hanging eucalyptus and returning to the humble bar of soap, I’ve landed on another time-tested accessory: the washcloth. But not just any ol’ washcloth: Since Goshi’s shower towel entered my life, it’s been hard to imagine my at-home beauty strategy, or the long winter ahead, without it.

Tapping into a decades-old tradition of Japanese exfoliating towels while harnessing modern designer elements, the soft, woven Goshi towel, made in the region of Gunma, is a gentler alternative to its rougher predecessors, but no less effective at sloughing off dead skin cells to smoother, silkier effect. (I say this as someone who suffers from keratosis pilaris, the common skin condition that manifests as small, rough bumps—I’ve had to approach body exfoliation with figurative kid gloves.)

With its two different threads, one thin and tight for lathering, and the other just textured enough to polish away rough patches, it strikes the right balance for my sensitive skin, buffing off the top layer of dead skin so that it looks and feels smoother, as well as helping the hydrating serums and lotions I’ll slather on later penetrate more deeply. (In the spirit of avoiding over-scrubbing, once a week is plenty.) Given that my days are much more stationary amid social distancing, I also appreciate that a gentle scrub stimulates blood flow and promotes lymphatic drainage. This is all to say that when I exit the shower post-Goshi treatment, cover every inch of my body in a rich hydrator, and slip into my pajamas, it’s like emerging anew.

On top of the results, what I love most about Goshi’s shower towel is the transportive experience it provides me in my tiny clawfoot-tub shower at home. I think about the spa culture of Japan, built on centuries-old wellness practices. It may be a simple concept, but for me, a slow, deep scrub is an Old World act of self-care that yields an especially revitalizing full-body reset in this time. Not only will it have a permanent spot in my weekly rotation, but I’m looking forward to gifting it to loved ones this holiday season. If ever there was a time to shed the old layers, it’s now.