Profile: How pioneering spa brand Cowshed is marking its 25th anniversary

Cowshed started with a simple mission: to inject a little country calm into people’s busy lives. The very first Cowshed spa opened alongside Babington House in Somerset in 1998. The brand’s story started in the Walled Garden, which is where the ingredients of its essential oil blends were grown. Since then, their products and global spas have expanded – but the founding principle has always remained the same: to create an indulgent botanical-based range that replenishes the mind, body and soul. 

Cowshed’s name actually bears a link to its beginnings. An old cowshed is where it began for the brand. Soho House’s Founder Nick Jones created the original Cowshed spa as a retreat within a retreat, extending the hospitality of the House into wellness and wellbeing for guests. Babington House turns 25 this year and to celebrate this milestone, Cowshed launched a limited-edition product hamper and a botanical led facial treatment which honours Babington’s heritage as the original country house escape.

The limited edition Babington House Hamper celebrates where it all began for Cowshed and features a selection of pampering favourites from the range of moods created to help people unwind while enjoying an at-home spa experience at home. The collection features eight products: Relax Bath and Shower Gel, Awake Bath and Shower Gel, Active Body Lotion, Soften Shampoo & Conditioner, Relax Shower Scrub, Refresh Hand Wash & Hand Cream, Morning Noon Night Book and House Robe. All products collectively bring the House experience home.

The brand’s Babington Botanical Facial uses Cowshed products and botanicals sourced directly from the Walled Garden at Babington House. The award-winning products use the very best organic and wildcrafted plant extracts and essential oils to nourish the mind, body and soul and feature within the treatment. Members will also experience a soothing, 5-minute flashmasque by Patchology, which is packed with Aloe Vera and helps to de-puff and calm irritated skin. It is now exclusively available at the Cowshed Spa at Babington House.

In 2019, Cowshed refreshed the brand aesthetic with a focus on evolving design while maintaining quality and ensuring a commitment to natural, uplifting ingredients remained at the core of everything they do. The brand also introduced new mood names including: Active, Awake, Balance, Cosy, Indulged, Relax, Replenish and Sleep plus larger 500ml bottles to sit alongside the original 300ml. Formulated with wildcrafted plant extracts and essential oils, the Cowshed Moods are named after the benefits their ingredients provide. For those who are burnt out, the calming Lavender and uplifting Eucalyptus in their best-selling Relax range can help.

The Industry.Beauty spoke to Sarah Graham, Head of Communications at Soho House Retail, about how it’s using its very special milestone to elevate members’ wellness experiences.

Can you tell us about the partnership between Cowshed and Babington House?

It is more a natural extension of the vision created for members at Babington House in Somerset, our first club to open outside of London 25 years ago. When Babington opened its doors in 1998, it offered a relaxed home-from-home space in the countryside for members; something different to the traditional country house hotel experience - a bathtub in a bedroom, a garden to table menu where ingredients came from the walled garden and were changed daily. Cowshed was the logical next step; members wanted to relax when they got to Babington so a spa made sense. Cowshed was born, taking inspiration and ingredients for the essential oil blends from the walled garden.

What can members expect from the botanical led facial treatment? 

When it comes to treatments, we aren’t prescriptive, the treatments are truly unique to each guest. To celebrate 25 years of Cowshed and Babington House, Cowshed have launched the Babington Botanical Facial, using Cowshed product and botanicals sourced directly from the Walled Garden at Babington House. Building on our existing facials, this treatment includes a soothing 5-minute flash masque by Patchology. It is packed with Aloe Vera to de-puff irritated skin and calm redness on contact whilst you indulge in complete relaxation and relieve tension with a scalp, hand or foot massage. The rosemary, sage and lavender leave behind a protective barrier which fights against free radicals long after your treatment comes to an end.

Who are Cowshed and Babington House targeting with the new launches?

25 years is a moment to spotlight a true original, Babington House and the home of Cowshed. It’s intended to enhance our member experience and celebrate their home in the countryside, as well as delight our Cowshed customer with new products and spa treatments.

How will this milestone collaboration elevate members’ wellness experiences?

We spoke to our members about what mattered to them. One of the things they told us was that they wanted to be the first to experience new treatments and residencies. We have responded to this by hosting a wellness event and retreat with a programme of wellness practitioners including Self Development Coach and Speaker Roxie Nafousi, Aromatherapist Abi Titterington Lough, Breathwork Coach Michael James Wong and Yoga Instructor Shona Vertue. We also launched the retreat with a residency from Acupuncturist Ross J Barr, alongside our exclusive Babington Botanical facial. We also created our Babington House Hamper – packed with Cowshed pampering favourites which will allow customers to recreate the spa experience in their own homes.

The Babington Botanical Facial is priced at £105 for 60 minutes and is exclusively available at the Cowshed spa at Babington House.

The Babington House Hamper is priced at £225 and available online now at cowshed.com and at marksandspencer.com.