Jaboneria Marianella is a luxury soap store with a family-friendly backstory.
The company formed in 2007, when artist David Foote teamed up with his mom, Marianella Febres-Cordero, to bring their family's handcrafted soaps to everyone.
Febres-Cordero grew up making soap in her grandmother's kitchen using ingredients from Venezuela. Now, they make many of those bath and body products in their Soho store. (And yes, it also makes their products ideal for Mother's Day gifting.)
The Soho storefront looks like a New Yorker’s dream bathroom, with Instagram and Pinterest-friendly white and floral decor. There's a glowing neon “Soap!” sign, while the hanging flowers kid you into thinking it's not snowing out.
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Oprah’s not the only celebrity fan of the brand - a small sign shows Queer Eye’s breakout star Jonathan Van Ness singing the luxury line’s praises, next to soaps, serums, and creams. Rosario Dawson, Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, and designer Timo Weiland are also fans.
Down a white spiral staircase, a small spa offers facials and massages. I opted for a $190 CBD oil massage in the small black and gold treatment room. Other options include the Body Caviar Black Lava Polish and a Lymphatic Drainage Massage.
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My masseuse explained that CBD oil was so effective he’d recently gifted his mother with a bottle of the stuff. He uses it to unwind even before his shift, dabbing the oil on his pressure points.
It was hard to tell which part of the relaxation came from the oil (a copious amount was used) or the massage itself.
After a weekend of long haul flights, any type of massage was a welcome relief - and while I certainly felt more relaxed than ever during my treatment, it could have been because of the sheer quantity of CBD oil used.
The CBD massage is their signature treatment and it’s used to “ease aching muscles, reduce pain, relieve stress and anxiety.”
And while the benefits of CBD have yet to be proven in the United States, it’s quickly become extremely popular, popping up in everything from brownies to smoothies.
The alleged benefits are plentiful. It can help with pain relief, alleviate stress, speed up muscle recovery, and help treat sleep issues.
I certainly slept beautifully that evening.
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