I wasn’t at an Aesop boutique in Brooklyn to visit the $17 toothpaste—I was there to visit the $39 hand soap. I say “visit,” because the other ways to describe going into a store to look at a product all imply that some sort of purchase might be in my future. I just wanted to stand in a beautiful boutique for a second and see something ridiculous while I waited for a ride home from getting my glasses adjusted next door.

Aesop is one of a growing stable of brands turning the mundane tasks of personal hygiene into luxury experiences, with the price tags to match. Washing your hands or putting on deodorant can now come with a full aesthetic experience. Even defecating can to read on the john.