I soaked my troubles away in this Wicked-themed bath experience at NYC’s Lush Spa
On a frigid winter afternoon, I escaped New York City’s chill by slipping into a decadent bath experience at the Lush Lexington Spa on the Upper East Side. As the bathwater turned pinkish green around me, I realized it was the first time I’d felt truly warm—and gloriously disconnected—in days.
But this isn’t any ordinary soak. Lush collaborated with Universal Pictures to make a Wicked-themed bath experience complete with products inspired by the movie, a soundtrack and even an Oz-influenced drink. It’s bookable now for $75 with appointments through late 2025. I left feeling almost like I could defy gravity.
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Let’s start at the beginning: When Lush reached out to ask if I’d be interested in trying the Wicked-themed book-a-bath experience, it was an immediate yes. I’d written about the spa when it opened in fall 2023 but had yet to try it myself. Considering Lush invented the bath bomb, I had a feeling they were going to take this bath experience to the next level—and I was not wrong about that.
When I arrived at Lush Lexington Spa, I had a few minutes to walk around the sales floor and sniff all the products. I spotted several Wicked-specific items, like the Glinda’s Wand bubble bar, the Shiz University massage bar and a green shower elixir, to name a few.
When it was my turn for the bath, I headed upstairs to the cozy spa. Unlike a lot of other spas in the city that keep the design stark and white, this oasis felt more like a beautifully designed home with its green walls, farmhouse-style kitchen sink, plants in the windowsill, plush chairs and a large wooden table. I grabbed a chair at the table to meet with an expert who asked me questions about my skin as she determined the best cleanser and moisturizer for me. She then scooped a bit of each one into a jar for me to enjoy in the bathtub.
She also showed me the other products I’d get to use in the bath. First, there was the Pink Fizzes Good With Green bath bomb, which combines pink and green colors representing Ginda and Elphaba. Expect a bright rosy scent with rich woody vanilla notes. It’s packed with coarse sea salt, almond essential oil, rose oil, cedarwood oil and vanilla absolute, which made my skin feel soft and nourished. The second product was the Emerald City soap, which is actually shaped to look like the Emerald City. With its cinnamon and lime notes, the soap shockingly smells like cola!
Finally, I read an invitation on a fancy piece of parchment: “You are summoned to the totally Ozmopolitan Lush Spa in the wonderful city of New York. Indulge in the most uniquely magical bathing experience.” I already felt pampered and relaxed, and it was now time for the main event.
My spa expert Melissa led me to the bathtub room, where warm water was waiting in the gorgeous clawfoot tub. A golden metal bath caddy extended across the tub with my cleanser, bath bomb, soap, terrycloth mitts to wash off my cleanser and a cozy fabric headband to keep my hair dry. The counter across from the tub was stocked with the moisturizer I’d chosen, a Wicked-themed body spray, hair ties, bobby pins, toner and body lotion. A fresh mint water perched on a tiny table next to the tub. The room is stocked with towels, and there’s a bathroom attached in case you need it. It was clear that the space had been meticulously cleaned before I arrived.
The design of the room evoked the magic of Oz with glimmering greens and golden accents. If you look closely enough at the ceiling wallpaper, you’ll see it actually says “Oz” on repeat in an intricate design. My personal favorite part, though, was the real taper candles flickering away in wall-mounted sconces.
The spa technician explained that the Wicked-themed music would soon begin. When my 30-minute session in the tub was over, a bell would ring indicating that it was time to dry off and get back to the real world. She left the room and closed the door, leaving me in a bathroom fit for the Wizard. You’ll be in complete privacy during your session, and birthday suits or bathing suits are welcome.
At last, it was time to remove layer after layer of clothing and slip into the warm water. I dropped the bath bomb into the water and watched transfixed as it fizzed and turned the clear water colorful. I sank into the experience, listening to instrumental versions of Wicked songs. The staff assured me that I could sing along if I wanted to and that nobody would hear me, but I refrained, instead just enjoying the peace and quiet. I realized I forgot to silence my phone (rookie mistake!), but thankfully I was too blissed out to care about the notifications buzzing away across the room.
The experience fills a niche for New Yorkers. Many New York City apartments don’t have workable bathtubs—or bathtubs at all. I’ve heard tales of NYC bathtubs that are only a few inches deep or ones that are too grody to use or others where you have to keep your foot on the stopper to keep the water in. For all of those folks, the book-a-bath experience is a welcome treat. It felt like an escape where you can truly be pampered.
After 30 minutes of gently splashing around, sudsing up and ultimately ignoring the world outside of these four walls, I heard a bell ring. Though I wish I could have stayed in the tub for a bit longer, it was time to dry off. I slathered on my facial moisturizer and bundled back up into my winter gear.
But another surprise awaited me! Back in the main room, I sat down on a couch with my spa advisor to chit-chat and was presented with an unexpected and refreshing Wicked-themed beverage. I sipped slowly, enjoying all the flavors before heading back out into the city feeling revitalized—and practically ready to defy gravity.