How To Build A Hammam? The 80 Top Answers

WHAT IS A HAMMAM?

A hammam is a public bathhouse. Historically, a hammam in Turkey was a place where friends would meet, bathe and socialize. For many women, it was usually a place where you would meet for a hen party with women from both families.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A HAMMAM?

When you enter a hammam, you will be asked to change clothes and then sit in the steam room to relax and loosen up your muscles. You will then be taken to the main hammam. Traditionally, the interior of the main hammam is marble with seating around the room and a large central island. There are also faucets around the main hammam. While waiting for the person to exfoliate your body, you can leave the faucet running and use the small bowl to pour water over yourself (this is called a “tas”). If the person who is exfoliating you is a man, they are referred to as “Tellak”. However, if it is a woman, she is called “Natir”.

It is often quite hot in the hammam room. The person who is exfoliating your body is calling you to lie down on Marble Island. Here they will start pouring water over you with the tas. The water is often hot, so brace yourself and let her know if it’s uncomfortable. You then begin to exfoliate your body with a “kese”. A kese is a rough cloth glove that helps open pores and remove dead skin. You would then exfoliate the front of your body and the back (excluding the private parts). When they finish, they would wash you with soap.

In a hammam you can expect to be steamed, soaked, scrubbed and washed. You will feel really relaxed and clean.

WHAT DO YOU WEAR IN A HAMMAM?

Traditionally, a Turkish hammam towel (also known as a pestemal) is worn. We have a selection of beautiful hammam towels, our particular favorites are the Santorini hammam towel and the Sardinia hammam towel. Most hammams may offer you a hammam towel, but others may ask you to bring your own. They can also ask you to bring your own soap, slippers and kese. For men, the hammam towel is tied around the waist. For women, it ties around the chest to cover your chest down to your hips. Depending on how comfortable you feel, you can either wear your underwear or bathing suit under your hammam towel. Some places offer you disposable underwear. You’ll be exfoliated while wearing the pestemal, but you can remove your hammam towel when you’re wearing your swimwear underneath so they can exfoliate your stomach and back.

IS HAMMAM MIXED GENDER?

Traditionally, men and women had separate hammams, or the times for men and women to enter the hammam were different. This is still the case in some hammams, but may not be the case in hammams in tourist locations. You should inquire about this before booking a session and choose the option that you are most comfortable with. Regardless of where you go to a hammam, you won’t regret investing in a hammam towel. Owning a hammam towel has many benefits.

WHO WOULD WASH ME IN THE HAMMAM, A MAN (TELLAK) OR A WOMAN (NATIR)?

Traditionally, a tellak washed a man and a natir a woman. However, please note that in some tourist spots there may be only one tellak. For example, on a holiday in Marmaris, Turkey, I went to the hammam and a man washed me. This didn’t bother me because the hammam was full of women and men and I was wearing my bathing suit. If you are not comfortable with a tellak, you must request a natir when booking your session.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

The wash itself doesn’t take long, but you can often stay in the steam room and sit in the hammam for as long as you like unless told otherwise.

WHY PESHTEMALL?

We bring you a taste of the Anatolian tradition of hammam towels (pestemal) with contemporary designs and colors. Our products are handcrafted by family workshops on traditional looms. They are made from 100% OEKO-TEX certified cotton and AZO-free dyes. Our hammam towels are unique and special because they are soft, light, absorbent and compact. What we also love about them is that they are versatile, meaning you can use them indoors (bathroom and home) and outdoors (beach, park, travel and sports) – check out the different ways here how to use your hammam towel.

Thank you for visiting our website and we hope you enjoyed your time here 🙂

Before we end this blog, we would like to leave you a quote:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed in the things you didn’t do than in the things you did.” – Mark Twain

If you haven’t heard of Hammam, you probably will soon. This treatment is known around the world as a relaxing and purifying Moroccan ritual that is centuries old.

Hammam is a little different from the traditional thermal bath. While both are deeply relaxing and kind to the skin, hammam treatments use hot steam instead of thermal water to promote a deep and invigorating cleansing.

Many hammam treatments also use olive-based soap, which is rich in vitamin E and is known for its skin conditioning and exfoliating properties. Additionally, some treatments may contain Rhassoul Clay, an antibacterial mineral that effectively and safely removes toxins and impurities from the body, reduces sebum, and tightens pores.

Posted on 09/13/2017

The Arabic word hammam means “heat dispenser”. On the one hand, it can be interpreted literally, because hammams consist of different steam baths and spread a lot of heat. But they also spread warmth in a figurative sense: Moroccans go to the hammam to meet friends and socialize: Moroccans do business or even arrange marriages.

Visiting the hammam is a very important ritual in Muslim culture: bathing and cleaning is an integral part of the life of a Muslim, also because water is considered sacred in Islam.

The hammam is probably the oldest surviving bathing tradition in the world. The ritual dates back to both the Ottoman and Roman Empires. It then spread around the world. Especially in the Middle East, it is important for the bride to go to the hammam before the wedding to ensure the softness and cleanliness of her skin.

Where can you find a hammam?

Along with the community bakery, a fountain, the madrasa (school) and the mosque, the hammam is one of five traditional elements found in every Moroccan neighborhood. Sometimes the hammam is located next to the communal bakery because the two buildings share heat. So if you see a bakery, chances are there is a hammam nearby. When in Morocco you will most likely find a hammam in every city, while Marrakech has some of the finest hammams in the country.

Family and community play an important role in Moroccan culture and are valued higher than in more western parts of the world. That is why everyone visits the hammam and usually does not go alone, but with friends or family. It is a ritual to go to the hammam once a week for at least two to three hours! However, there is none for mixed gender. It is often the case that the steam baths are reserved for women during the day, while men go in the evenings.

So… How does a hammam work?

A typical community hammam consists of three different rooms with different temperatures. The temperature changes stimulate blood circulation and encourage the body to sweat out impurities.

1. Get ready

First you enter the entrance hall. You could compare it to a changing room in a swimming pool. Here you undress. This is also the room where people relax after the hammam. Many hammams serve tea and coffee in this room, so you’re surrounded by other guests while changing.

However, be sure to cover yourself with a towel when changing. Frontal nudity is considered offensive. Some Moroccans go completely naked, but it’s also normal to wear underpants. As a tourist, you should only set off completely naked if you see that Moroccans are doing it too.

I find it fascinating that nudity is not an issue in Moroccan bathing culture. Women often wear hijab and long dresses that cover their bodies in everyday life, so the uninhibited nudity strikes me as surprising. But maybe that’s just my twisted Western perspective: I don’t want people of my gender to see me naked in a safe atmosphere, but at the same time show a lot of skin on the street.

2. The ritual

The next room is the warm room. Here you adapt to the temperature and wash your body of surface dirt. Then you come into the hot room. The warmth in it opens your pores and makes your body sweat. The “Ghasoul”, a lava clay used to exfoliate the skin, helps loosen dead skin and unclog pores. How long you want to stay in the warming room depends on your ability to handle the heat. However, Moroccan women like to hang out and gossip here.

After you have enough warmth, the actual treatment begins, for which you go back into the warm room.

You get scrubbed! The peeling is performed with a unique black olive soap called “Sabon Beldi”. Either ask a friend or family member to rub your body, or the staff can help. Everyone scrubs each other in the bathhouse – that’s another cultural thing that can be a bit odd for someone more at home in Western culture. Rubbing and removing the skin can be painful at first, but you should still try to relax and enjoy it. The bather uses a “kiis,” a glove made from handmade goat hair that has been transformed into a loofah. The foam and dead skin cells are washed off with clean water. Afterwards you will feel reborn! And your skin feels like a newborn’s skin, too. Of course you can also wash your hair here. After all, it is a purification ritual.

3. Cooling down

In the cold room you can lie down, have a drink to rehydrate and relax a little more. In some hammams you can also get a massage. If another bather offers to give you a massage, that’s not a suspicious offer at all! It’s a very kind gesture that isn’t usually financially motivated, although something in return is expected.

beauty and other benefits

Beauty benefits you get from a visit to a hammam are radiantly fresh skin, a good exfoliation and thorough facial cleansing. In addition, you can relax. As a tourist in Morocco, life on the streets can be quite tiring. An hour or two in the hammam can be a nice retreat from the stressful life outside.

A hammam is also a good place to meet locals! As a tourist in a hammam you get a lot of attention! Unless you use too much water, or make another big mistake – water is scarce in Morocco – don’t be surprised if some of the local Moroccans invite you over for drinks or dinner!

All in all, a visit to the hammam is good for you in many ways. Besides the beauty and health benefits, it helps you understand and immerse yourself in Moroccan culture. It’s always best to do as the locals do. And what could be better than taking part in an essential ritual of Moroccan everyday life?

© All photos via pixabay.com

How to Hammam by Katharine L’Heureux

Briefly describe how the hammam tradition in Morocco looks like in a social context? (community, ritual, etc.)

What are the main steps and components in a Moroccan hammam? Are most of these ingredients local?

What Are the Skin Care Benefits of the Hammam?

What are the benefits (skin or psyche) of some of these local ingredients like orange blossom, eucalyptus, argan, etc.?

How often should you do hammam?

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Organic Spa Magazine to talk about the hammam ritual in Morocco for their May/June issue. Read the full transcript here. There are really two different types of hammam experiences in Morocco, private or public. A private hammam is a luxurious, detoxifying spa ritual. The public hammam, which most Moroccans choose for social and financial reasons, offers the health and purification benefits of the hammam in a community setting. Individuals usually gather weekly in the hammam to cleanse themselves. Women are often accompanied by friends or family members as this can be an opportunity to meet and socialize away from men. You will often see many generations of women bathing together in the public hammam. After you undress, a companion named “Kess” leads you to a shower for rinsing off. Then the “Kess” applies a Moroccan black soap or Savon Noir to the body in a hot steam bath. The Moroccan black soap is a mixture of pure saponified olive oil that women buy at the market on their way to the hammam along with other necessities such as shampoo. On the market, these can have any scent you like, but the most typical scent is eucalyptus. We sell a version called Moroccan Beldi Soap at Kahina Giving Beauty that’s scented with a choice of eucalyptus, neroli, or rose essential oils. Let the soap sit on your skin for about 20 minutes while the pores open in the steam. Then “Kess” scrubs the skin vigorously with the “Kessa Mitt” scrub. The skin literally rolls off! After scrubbing, buckets of water are poured over the head and body to rinse them. The “Kess” washes the hair with the shampoo provided. Finally, Kess massages you with argan oil to moisturize the skin. Hamam benefits include cleansing and detoxification, improved circulation, exfoliation and hydration. Essential oils of orange blossom, eucalyptus and rose have a very calming effect on the skin and on the nervous system. Olive oil and argan oil are incredibly nourishing and soothing to the skin. These ingredients, even if you repeat the ritual at home, can take you somewhere else and help you relieve stress. The full hammam ritual of extreme heat and vigorous scrubbing should be done once a week, but Beldi Moroccan soap and argan oil can be incorporated into your daily cleansing and moisturizing routine without the full hammam experience.

The best hammams in Marrakech

Alex Mellon / © Culture Trip

Paula Hardy November 26, 2019 View

Covered in goo, smeared in mud and scrubbed to the bone, what sounds like an unappealing adventure sport is actually a delightful Moroccan hammam treatment. Keeping your skin fresh and dewy this close to the Sahara takes extreme measures, and the Berbers have been perfecting their beauty regimen for a millennium.

Moroccans visit the hammam not only to cleanse themselves, but also to clear their minds, reconnect with loved ones and purify themselves before the important Friday prayers. The Prophet Mohammed recommended the hammam for health, longevity and fertility, and it remains central to religious and cultural life in Morocco.

Hammams can be both private and public, although historically only the wealthiest families could afford a home. Along with the communal bakery, fountain, madrasa (religious school) and mosque, the public hammam is one of five traditional elements found in every neighborhood of Marrakech’s medina. Closely related to the obligatory ablutions required before Muslim prayers, you can usually find them next to a mosque.

Hammam is an important weekly ritual for all Moroccans | © Georg Berg / Alamy Stock Photo

Hammam architecture

The ruins of the oldest Islamic hammam in Morocco are in Volubilis and date back to the 8th century when the Arabs arrived. They are modeled on their Roman predecessors and mostly consist of a similar three-room structure. There’s a hot room where bathers begin to stimulate circulation and open their pores; a warm room for scrubs and mask treatments; and a cold room to relax and rehydrate at the end.

There are no bathing pools in an Islamic hammam, as still water is considered unclean by Muslims. Instead, rooms are usually lined with faucets from which running water can be drawn (hence the need to bring a bucket or bowl to the public hammam). As a result, Moroccan hammams tend to be hot and humid rather than steamy. You’ll also be bathed in a soft half-light falling through small glass windows in the dome roof.

Traditionally, the heat for the hammam was provided by the farnatchi, the man in charge of heating the fire beneath the bathhouse that heats its floors and walls. Women visit the Farnatchi on their way to the hammam to drop off foods to be cooked, such as the tangia (a traditional stew prepared in an amphora), which is then cooked over the hammam fire for hours.

Hammams are sometimes architectural masterpieces | © Nisangha/Getty Images

The Social Scene

All Moroccans, regardless of their social class, visit the hammam once a week. The busiest days are Thursdays and Fridays before Friday prayers. Visiting the hammam is always a social activity for Moroccans who go in family groups and spend at least two to three hours there. Typical of Islamic society, the sexes are separated or planned separately in different areas.

In the past, when the hammam was one of the only places women were allowed to visit, this weekly ritual was a great moment of well-being and escape. Mothers may go to the hammam to look for future wives for their sons, and even today it is the site of important rituals, such as the pre-wedding bath or the post-pregnancy bath. Even scrubbing for each other is seen as an expression of habibi (love).

Bathed in a soft half-light, hammams are said to evoke a sense of calm | © Danita Delimont / Alamy Stock Photo

The Purification Ritual

Whether you check in at a public hammam or the luxurious Royal Mansour, the bathing ritual is the same. After a quick rinse, bathers make their way to the hottest room, where either you or an attendant slather your skin with slippery Savon Noir (also called Savon Beldi), a black soap made from the oil and macerated pulp of black olives. This paste softens the skin and prepares it for the peeling.

After relaxing in the hot room, bathers go to the warm room to rinse off the black soap and do the scrub. In public hammams, friends and family wash each other up, but if you’re alone you can pay a lifeguard (tebbaya) to do the service. For many people, this can be an intimidating experience, as everyone is naked except for their underwear, and the scrub covers every inch of your body, including your breasts, forearms, and inner thighs. Performed with a kess (rough glove), it is firm, even painful for some, as the goal is to remove dead skin. If the pressure is too much, say bshwiya (slower).

Many layers of dead skin later, you’re finally ready for a hydrating Rhassoul mask. Rhassoul is a soapy clay found in the Middle Atlas that is typically mixed with a variety of aromatic plants (e.g., rose petals, clove, eucalyptus, lichen, and chamomile). It is made into a liquid paste with water and applied to the body and hair. Rich in mineral salts, Rhassoul draws toxins to the skin’s surface, tightens pores and regulates sebum secretion. After rinsing, a skin tonic with orange blossom water or lemon juice follows.

It’s time to take your new baby-soft skin to the cold room, where you relax and rehydrate with some tea or water. In some hammams you can also get a massage here. A typical one includes a thick layer of emollient argan oil, another uniquely Moroccan product rich in essential fatty acids that protect skin from dehydration and sun damage.

The peeling ritual is an expression of habibi, a form of love shared between friends and family | © Tuul and Bruno Morandi / Alamy Stock Photo

Public Hammams

In each communal hammam you will need your own bowl or bucket to draw water, a plastic mat to sit on, savon noir (black soap), a scouring mitt, flip flops, a towel, your usual toiletries (shampoo, razor, etc.) and underwear to change into – you will be expected to wear yours during treatment so it gets wet.

Entry costs around 10-20 Moroccan Dirhams (80p – £1.60) or 50 Dirhams (£4) if you would like a scrub (let the receptionist know when you enter).

Mouassine Hammam Spa Facebook Email Twitter Pinterest Copy link Share Dating back to 1572, the Mouassine Hammam is the oldest in Marrakech. Inside it is rather plain, with three rooms with ceramic tiled floors and walls lined with cones, and vaulted tadelakt (plastered) ceilings. Bathers sit on mats on the floor, clapping and scrubbing each other. Entry is 10 dirhams (80p) and the price for a gommage (scrub) and rhassoul mask is 150 dirhams (£12). If you would like an additional application of henna the total cost is 200 dirhams (£16). Here you can also rent all the equipment.

Hammam Essalama Spa Facebook Email Twitter Pinterest Copy link Share This small local spa is just outside the Medina, near the Majorelle Gardens. Inside, the rooms are lined with modern tiles that mimic traditional Zellij mosaics. Few people speak English here, but they are friendly and helpful to beginners, and the treatments (Dirhams 150 or £12 for a scrub, mask, massage and tea) are well executed. You need to bring a towel but can pick up soap and glove here.

Public spa hamams

Hammam de la Rose Spa Facebook Email Twitter Pinterest Copy link Share This hammam in upscale Mouassine is theatrically decorated with brightly colored rooms and sparkling, mosaic-tiled bathing areas equipped with central sinks and showers. There are benches for scrubs and mask treatments. Besides the traditional hammam, they offer beauty treatments such as rose facial masks, hot stone massages and pedicures. Hammam options range from 250 to 450 dirhams (£20 to 36). Advance reservation is recommended.

Les Bains de Marrakech Spa Facebook Email Twitter Pinterest Copy link Share Les Bains de Marrakech are located right next to the Saadien Tombs | © Lonely Planet/Getty Images This popular spa hammam has recently been renovated and is located in the Kasbah district. It has an oriental vibe with intricately carved stucco interiors, hand-carved brass lanterns, and stained glass windows. It offers couples treatment rooms and hammams alongside other larger bathing areas, a central swimming pool and a relaxation room. Hammam treatments usually last 45 minutes and cost 220 to 450 dirhams (£18 to 36). Advance reservation is recommended.

Riyadh Hammams

Farnatchi Spa Spa Facebook Email Twitter Pinterest Copy link Share Part of a hotel, this day spa occupies the entire historic riad (courtyard house). The beautiful central courtyard is decorated with creamy plasterwork and graphic black and white zellij tiles. There are two hammams lined with marble benches where you can sit or lie while the tebbaya performs the scrub. Most bathers follow with a massage. Masseuse Ahmed Bihssa is one of the best in the business, a sensitive therapist who uses intoxicating Nectarome and ila Spa essential oils to tailor treatments to iron out knotted tension. Hammam treatments cost from 350 to 550 dirhams (£28 to 44). Advance reservation is absolutely necessary.

Les Bains de Tarabel Spa Facebook Email Twitter Pinterest Copy link Share This is a beautiful spa in a historic riad connected to the adjacent guest house by a secret mirrored door. Manager Arkia el Baz previously worked at the Royal Mansour and her in-depth knowledge, professional manner and gentle personality is reflected in the expert massages and tranquil atmosphere. There are two hammams, each large enough for a couple, and upstairs treatment rooms that offer treatments using fragrant organic oils from Moroccan brand Nectarome. Hammam treatments cost 500-600 dirhams (£40-48) and include a foot bath, black soap scrub and two different rhassoul wraps. Advance reservation is absolutely necessary.

Luxury hotel hammams

Royal Mansour Royal Mansour is perhaps the most decadently decorated hammam on this list | © Isaac Ichou The best hammam in Marrakech is at the Royal Mansour. Though it represents supreme luxury, the Mansour’s hammam treatment is also thoroughly authentic: bathers lie on the warm marble floor and are doused with water from hand-engraved silver buckets. The products are the best that Morocco has to offer from the marocMaroc range. The signature Rhassoul scrub contains rose, basil, chamomile, eucalyptus, lichen, lavender and argan powder. Various treatments and masks are available depending on skin type, all costing between 1,400 and 3,200 dirhams (£113 and £258). Advance reservation is absolutely necessary.

Four Seasons Spa Spa Facebook Email Twitter Pinterest Copy link Share The Spa at Four Seasons is set in its own building and has its own relaxation garden. As with a traditional hammam, men and women have their own bathing areas, including a sauna, steam room, and hammam room, ending at a circular cold plunge pool. There’s also a Jacuzzi pool, a private hammam suite, and 15 treatment rooms, one of which is for couples. The decor is beautiful and the staff are consummate professionals. Try the Escape Hammam, which includes a honey and amber scrub for 1,000 dirhams (£80).

One of the best ways to travel like a local in Istanbul is to indulge in the ancient bathhouse culture. Turkish baths, or hammams, have been a popular method of cleansing and relaxation for centuries. Today, locals and tourists alike can find traditional Turkish baths throughout the city, ranging from the simplest to the most lavish, luxurious experiences.

Regardless of the level chosen, the principle of the Turkish bath is the same. It begins in a relaxation room heated with hot, dry air. Bathers proceed further into an even hotter room before immersing themselves in cold water. After a body wash, exfoliation, and massage, the experience concludes in a cold room where guests can sit and relax.

Budget-conscious travelers will want to explore the Sofular Hamami in a secluded part of town near Aksaray Square. This hammam is no-frills, but it’s made for travelers who want what the locals experience. The 16th Century Twin Hammam is a two storey house with pool and fountain. There are separate areas for men and women, and bathers can relax with traditional tea and coffee. Entry is around $8.50, which grants access to the relaxation rooms, and a scrub is included for an additional $3 for one of the cheapest hammam experiences in Istanbul.

Cemberlitas Hamami, moving up the price scale, is located in the Cemberlitas district near the Grand Bazaar. The building dates back to 1584 and inside, bathers are treated to an experience reminiscent of an ancient and royal hammam, with high, vaulted ceilings and Islamic-style archways. There are 38 wash bays, and a large, heated flagstone slab under the broad dome is illuminated by glass spheres that capture the outside light from all angles. Bathers can choose from self-serve bathing, a scrubbing sultan bath, and aromatherapy or reflexology. Admission is around $15, and a massage brings the price up to around $23.

One of the most indulgent hammam experiences in Istanbul is the Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamami. Not least because of its location directly between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, it is worth seeing. However, the experience inside is just as impressive, and for those with deep pockets: prices range from around $83 to $167.

The 16th-century hammam was built on the site of the Baths of Zeuxippus for the religious community of Hagia Sophia. Designed in classic Ottoman style, bathers will find stained glass, soaring domed ceilings, and elegant white marble inside that surrounds the bathing spaces. Both the men’s and women’s departments have three simple, interconnected rooms: the dressing room, the cooling chamber and the warming chamber.

The basic package includes a bath with a gold-plated tub, a care set, a traditional body scrub, a bubble wash massage and a head and neck massage. The most expensive package includes a skin-refining scrub, body tone mask, fruit platter, aromatherapy massage, and tea with apricot and walnut dessert.

In case you haven’t had the chance to enjoy one of the two traditional oriental massages… What have you been doing since you landed here?

Seriously, enjoying a Turkish and/or Moroccan bath in Dubai is a sort of right of passage to life in the emirate and a must-do for every expat at least once.

Despite the horror stories you may have heard about these types of massages – especially if you’ve spoken to someone who has experienced a real Turkish bath in Turkey (it can get a little embarrassing) – they are both extremely relaxing and great for you body and mind.

Over the years, these two beloved bathing traditions have continually evolved from a simple massage technique to a complete cleansing and refreshment regimen that has a history stretching back years. In fact, when you experience a traditional bathing ritual like this, you’re enjoying a routine that people have experienced for themselves over many years.

Do you want to buy hammam soap? Will it be Moroccan black soap, the famous Aleppo soap or the original Turkish hammam soap? Once you start searching, you will see the wide variety of hammam soaps on the market. Few of these, however, are made from recipes that have been passed down for generations. These soaps are known for their skin care products based on ancient (hammam) rituals. Only recently have these soaps become coveted beauty products in the West. If you’re a conscious shopper and care about what you wear on your body, you might be interested in finding out what these are. But also, what’s her secret? We have delved into the world of hammam soaps and in this article we try to answer EVERY possible question about it. Of course, we also share our top tips on which hammam soap to buy!

Table of Contents

A whole manual on hammam soap? Yes! We think this old product deserves some attention. Almost forgotten over the years, it is interesting to see it being rediscovered and with it the beauty wisdom it contains. In doing so, we address the following questions:

What is hammam soap?

Well, the simple answer is that hammam soap is a type of soap used in public bathhouses in parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. The bathhouses are called Turkish baths or hammams (meaning “heat dispenser” in Arabic). If you find these hammams in different parts of the world, you will also see that different types of soaps are used there. That’s why it’s difficult to give a definitive answer as to what hammam soap is. Especially today there are many different types!

However, some of them have been in use for a long time and share some common characteristics. These traditional hammam soaps are really mild (they have a low pH), are made entirely of natural ingredients, and often come in the form of a hard bar (as opposed to a liquid soap). Although there are some exceptions to the form, as you’ll discover as you read on. Due to their mildness, these soaps are suitable for many different skin types.

How about the history of hammam soap?

Zosimos of Panopolis (also known as Zosimus the Alchemist) was an Egyptian-born Greek who wrote the oldest known book on alchemy. In it he also describes the process of making soap. So we know for sure that soap was already in use around 300 AD. The origin of the various hammam soaps is intertwined with the history of public bathhouses. These public bathhouses date back to ancient Rome (where they were called thermae) when bathing was a communal and daily activity. (Consider how we now view a spa day as a luxury!) No soap was used, however. At least not much, because it was a real luxury item that most people couldn’t afford. It probably wasn’t that popular either, since soap was made from animal fat back then and didn’t smell that great…

Cleanliness is half of life

In the centuries that followed, the Islamic world adopted the bathing culture of the Romans and embedded it in their own culture. The hammams came into being. As the Islamic world expanded in the 7th and 8th centuries, so did the use of hammams across a larger region. Around the same time (8th century) soap making became an established industry in the Levant, the eastern Mediterranean region of western Asia. Olives grew in abundance in this region. Olive oil became the main ingredient in soaps after people discovered its skin benefits (scroll down to read more). As hammams spread with the expansion of the Islamic world, soap became more accessible and popular with its users.

After the Crusades in the 11th century, soap was brought to other parts of Europe. However, it was not until the Ottoman period that hammams began to spread across various parts of Europe, North Africa and Central Asia, and with it the use of hammam soap.

What are the ingredients in hammam soap?

Since there are different types of hammam soap, there is no general answer to this question. However, as previously mentioned, one thing that the more traditional hammam soaps have in common is that they tend to be made entirely of natural and organic ingredients. Soap making became a real industry in the 8th century in the Levant, where olives grew in abundance and people discovered the benefits of olive oil for the skin. Even today, olive oil is the key ingredient in the more traditional hammam soaps.

Olive oil is one of the purest oils available and is high in vitamins (especially A and E) and antioxidants. Homer (the Greek author of the Iliad and the Odyssey) even called olive oil “the great medicine”. [Note] Olive oil soaps often have a buttery feel, are highly nourishing, moisturizing, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Sometimes other natural ingredients such as eucalyptus are added to the recipe. Since soap made from 100% olive oil has a distinct smell that not all people like, these soaps often contain natural fragrances or essential oils as well.

How is hammam soap used?

Traditionally, hammam soap is used as part of a ritual that takes place in the hammam. We will describe here the ritual in Turkish Hammams. While the rituals may vary slightly by country or even region, the basic principle is the same everywhere. It’s about the intelligent use of heat. Heat causes the skin to perspire, opens the pores and frees them of toxins. It also prepares the skin to rub off dirt and remove dead skin cells.

So, as for the ritual in a Turkish hammam, you start by undressing. You can keep a hammam towel or your swimwear on. You then shower and go into the cold room and from there gradually into hotter rooms. The famous Turkish steam bath is your last stop. Then one of the staff members will wash your body with a kese (an exfoliating glove) to remove all dirt, toxins and dead skin cells. If you’ve ever tried this, you might know that it’s not the prettiest of experiences as it can feel pretty rough. But we’re sure you’d agree that it’s so worth it! Your skin will be thoroughly exfoliated and will feel SUPER smooth afterwards. (Once you’ve done this once, you should do this at least every half year or so to feel that clean again.)

After the peeling comes the reward, the foam massage. This is where hammam soap comes into play. The staff uses a special technique with hammam towel and soap that leaves thick layers of foam on your body. He or she will then begin the massage, after which the soap will be rinsed away and you will be splashed with a bowl of warm water.

How to use hammam soap at home?

Of course, if you can’t visit a hammam any time soon, or simply don’t prefer “public bathhouses,” you can bring the hammam to your home. To create a hammam experience in the comfort of your own home, you really don’t need much. Hamam soap and a kese (exfoliating mitt) will suffice. Of course, you can go with candles, music, and additional body lotions as you wish, but to emulate the traditional hammam ritual, this really isn’t necessary. You can perform the hammam ritual yourself as previously prescribed. So start by exfoliating and follow with a lathering massage with the soap. However, looking out for a good (original) hammam soap can make all the difference. Especially when it comes to smell, as it appeals to one of our strongest senses and can transport you to ancient, oriental places where the hammam originated.

What are the benefits of hammam soap?

Depending on the hammam soap you buy and the ingredients that make it up, the benefits will vary. As mentioned above, more traditional hammam soaps are made using only natural, organic ingredients. A major benefit of this is that these soaps are often mild (low pH) and suitable for many different skin types, even the very sensitive. As previously mentioned, many of the traditional hammam soaps are made from olive oil. This is one of the purest oils that makes hammam soaps very nourishing and moisturizing. Therefore, these soaps are suitable for dry skin, but due to the anti-inflammatory properties, acne-prone skin can also benefit greatly. And what almost makes it a miracle soap, the high amount of polyphenols (high in antioxidants) and vitamins A and E help fight the skin’s anti-aging process.

What hammam soap is used in Turkish bathhouses?

In Turkey, it is common for Turkish Hammams to use 100% pure olive oil soap. There are various well-known brands that have been on the market for a long time. These are, for example, Duru, Dalan, Daphne, Evyap, Komili and Eyup Sabri Tuncer. Most likely one of these soaps will be used if you visit any of the hammams in Turkey.

Can you use hammam soap on your hair?

Since the more traditional hammam soaps tend to be made with only natural ingredients, there is no problem using hammam soap on your hair. For example, Aleppo soap (scroll down) can replace shampoo, conditioner, and shaving cream if you want. So these traditional hammam soaps are also very inexpensive…

Is Hamam Soap Good for Dry Skin and Acne?

Also, when answering this question, we will consider the more traditional hammam soaps made exclusively with natural ingredients (mainly olive oil) as a point of reference. And then, yes, hammam soap can be used for dry skin and acne. It is actually said that particularly dry skin and acne can benefit from these soaps as they are very nourishing and have anti-inflammatory properties.

What is the difference between Turkish Hamam Soap and Moroccan Black Soap?

Moroccan black soap is also called Beldi soap, which means “authentic” or “natural”. The recipe varies by region, but generally, Moroccan black soap is made with crushed black olives (a type of olive pulp) and potassium hydroxide (potash). Real olives are used to make this soap, not just olive oil. These olives give the soap its dark color. Contrary to what was previously mentioned, Moroccan black soap is not a solid soap bar. It’s actually a very soft soap, like butter, so you can scoop it up. Shape and ingredients distinguish it from the Turkish hammam soap.

Beldi soap is widely used in Moroccan bathhouses and is strongly associated with it. As part of the Moroccan hammam ritual, Beldi soap is massaged into the skin and left there for about 10 minutes. It prepares the skin for the peeling. The soap is rubbed off with a kessa (scrubbing mitt) along with dirt and dead skin cells. Moroccans consider Beldi soap to be an ancient remedy for healthy skin (note). For example, they often use it to fight acne and black spots (note), but also to improve uneven skin tone, razor burn and skin quality. Not that much scientific research has been done to examine these beneficial claims.

…and with African black soap?

Originating in West Africa, African Black Soap is made using a traditional recipe that has been passed down for generations. The recipe consists of ashes from dried peels and locally harvested plants mixed with coconut oil, palm oil and/or shea butter. The ash gives the soap its dark color. Black soap is popular for its benefits for oily and acne-prone skin. The similarity between African back soap and the original hammam soap is that they are both made from all-natural ingredients and have been used for centuries. The difference is that African black soap is not part of a ritual in public bathhouses and is made from different ingredients than traditional hammam soap. For example, olive oil (the main ingredient for Turkish Hamam soap and Beldi soap) is not used in African black soap.

A well-known brand of African black soap that we would recommend is Shea Moisture. It was founded in 1912 by Sofi Tucker, who sold African black soap and other homemade beauty products in Sierra Leone. Her recipes have been passed down for decades. Nowadays the soaps are made by women in Africa. With every purchase you invest in the local communities they belong to. Shea Moisture stands for fair trade, sustainable production, the use of natural ingredients.

…and how about the Indian Hamam soap?

If you google hammam soap, you’ll likely come across hammam soap (note only one “m” in the spelling) as one of the results. Hamam soap is a brand name. It used to be a leading soap brand in India and is still very popular. Introduced in 1931, hammam soap is widely used by families as it is a really mild soap and therefore safe for the skin. It is composed of neem (a tree native to the Indian continent), tulsi (a plant native to the Indian continent) and aloe vera. Hamam soap promises to protect the skin from various problems such as rashes, pimples or body odor (note). Contrary to what the name might suggest, it is not a soap related to the Hammam culture. The ingredients are also very different from the more traditional Turkish and Moroccan hammam soaps.

…or the Aleppo soap?

Aleppo soap has been made for thousands of years. It could be considered the mother of all soaps. Remember when we were talking earlier about the establishment of the soap industry in the Levant? We talked about Aleppo soap. It was the world’s first authentic hard soap. (A notice).

The recipe has been passed down for generations, but the processing method is still a little secret. Aleppo soap is made from olive oil, caustic soda, water and laurel oil. The last ingredient distinguishes this soap from others. Bay laurel comes from the evergreen tree Laurus nobilis, which is native to the Mediterranean region. In herbal medicine, extracts from this tree are used to treat open wounds. The laurel content of Aleppo soap determines the quality and price. You can tell by the color. Is the soap pale yellow in color? As a small laurel was used. is it golden brown A lot of laurel was used.

Aleppo soap is a purely natural product with skin-friendly properties. It is popular for its disinfecting, cleansing and moisturizing properties. You can see that it is a real hammam soap, intertwined with the history of hammams, a bar of soap and made mainly with olive oil. The real Aleppo soap is made in Syria.

…and finally castile soap?

Crusaders brought Aleppo soap (see above) to Europe in the 11th century. Europeans tried to make the soap themselves, but didn’t have access to its distinctive ingredient, laurel. They decided to remove it from the recipe, and the soap that came out of it was called Castile Soap. Castile soap is a hard soap made from olive oil. This is true of many soaps, hence it became the name of a type of soap.

dr Bonner is a brand that has been making castile soap for a while. We would recommend them because the soap is suitable for vegans, meets the highest standards of ecological and social sustainability, is fair to suppliers and employees, but also invests in reducing their footprint (e.g. by investing in packaging innovations).

Which hammam soap would we recommend?

Well, if you want to buy real hammam soap, you have a couple of options. We discussed them above but will summarize them here. Real traditional hammam soap is Aleppo soap, Turkish hammam soap and Moroccan Beldi soap. They are all made from only natural ingredients, with olive oil being the most important. They are part of the hammam ritual and intertwined with the history of this bathing culture. If you want to buy Turkish hammam soap, we recommend that you choose one of the following brands that have been on the market for a long time: Duru, Dalan, Daphne, Komili, Evyap or Euy Sabri Tuncer.

What do you think of hammam soap? Do you have questions that we haven’t answered? We like to hear from you!

Secular place in Morocco, the hammam is a real place of purification of the body and soul, but it is also the place of all encounters. Where men, separated from women, talk about their lives. They introduce each other to the children and make friends.

What makes the Moroccan hammam so special?

It is a very different type of heat bath than the sauna, which is based on dry heat. It also differs from the Turkish bath, which is almost completely steamed. The Moroccan hammam heats up to half height with a coil system. Unlike the Turkish bath, it is wet but not filled with moisture.

Inspired by the Roman baths discovered by the Arabs to conquer Syria, the hammam currently and often consists of one or two parts for scrubbing. However, it is its shortened version that we know today. Traditionally, it includes several rooms (at least 3) whose temperature increases to reach the hottest room of 50 °. The goal is to develop within these parts by acclimating the body to gradually more intense heat. Thanks to this heat, the skin becomes more supple and the pores open.

The Moroccan hammam, a beauty ritual with many benefits

To enjoy the benefits of a hammam, stay there for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 1 hour, rest and lie on the floor or on the benches. During this time, a kessala (name of the women who do the scrubs in the hammams) can apply natural Moroccan black soap all over your body. Then, after a pause of about fifteen minutes during which rest is required, the kessala will rinse the black soap out with a kessa mitt before rubbing your body to remove impurities.

Thanks to these different steps, it’s a really deep exfoliation, which is sometimes incredible for beginners, as the dead skin comes off and gets clogged. After a thorough rinse, the Moroccan Rhassoul clay is applied to the body and hair. Excellent washing product, Rhassoul will definitely wash the body leaving it soft and supple.

After these treatments, a nourishing massage nourishes the skin and the little extra that remains is the mint tea to end this moment of incomparable tranquility.

Even if you’re not usually a spa type, visiting a Moroccan hammam is an essential part of any Morocco vacation. Don’t go in unprepared! If you are wondering what happens in a hammam, read this post before you go.

This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information see our disclaimer here.

I remember my first visit to a Moroccan hammam, back before the Internet contained all the knowledge in the world. It was a local hammam in a small town far off the beaten track. As I walked through the door, I suddenly realized I had no idea what to expect from a hammam.

What should I wear inside? What does a hammam treatment include? do i need a towel A mop? Soap? Was I even welcome there?

After being dragged through the process by a local woman with whom I didn’t speak a word of the common language, I realized it would have been a lot more fun if I had been prepared.

It was a real “experience” but far from relaxing or refreshing!

To help you avoid the same stressful and confusing experience, read on to find out…

What to Expect on Your First Visit to a Moroccan Hammam

Hammam Video Walk Through

Watch our video to explain the full Hammam experience!

What is a hammam?

Hammam is just another word for bathhouse.

As in most bathhouses around the world, you can expect to come out of a Moroccan bath steamed, soaked, scrubbed and sparkling clean.

For Moroccans, a hammam bath is also a social event.

When Stephen goes to the local hammam in Morocco, the men chat while bathing and even offer to wash each other’s backs. If you can speak Arabic, you can probably join this back scrubbing exchange if you want!

But don’t worry, no one has ever tried to chat with Stephen in the hammam or wash his back.

My first time in a local hammam was the first time I saw Moroccan women completely relaxed. There were children playing and women washing each other’s hair and scrubbing their backs. There was a conviviality in the air that I have never seen on the streets of Morocco.

For Moroccans, going to the hammam is the time to relax and unwind.

The two types of Moroccan Hammam

There are two different types of hammams in Morocco:

The local hammam

The tourist hammam

On your first visit, I recommend going to a tourist hammam, sometimes referred to as a hammam spa. Or simply treat yourself to a hammam treatment in your riad.

You’ll feel more comfortable (and get fewer looks). Also, since they assume you don’t know what to do, hammam spas have someone who can help you with the process.

Once you’ve settled into a tourist hammam, don’t miss a trip to a traditional Moroccan hammam, where you’ll experience an essential part of Moroccan culture.

Would you like to see Morocco like a local?

We did a bike tour in the mountains of Morocco and it was one of our best travel experiences so far! Find out how here.

Six steps for a Moroccan bath

Step 1: Undress – what do you wear in the hammam?

After you arrive at the hammam, a member of staff will lead you to a changing room, where he will give you a bathrobe and a locker and ask you to undress.

Women can go to the hammam either naked or with bikini bottoms or underwear. I always wear my bikini bottoms because, hey, it just makes me feel better!

Men must wear pants. You can wear underwear or a bathing suit, or sometimes you will be given disposable underwear to put on.

Once suitably undressed, put on your bathrobe and meet your hammam attendant.

Note for ladies: You can go to the hammam during your period. Just use a tampon or menstrual cup and wear good underwear!

Step 2: Relax for five minutes

The attendant takes your robe and leads you into a hot, steamy room where you can barely see. Your first task here is to sit back and relax. The steam will begin to open your pores and a few deep breaths will help you release the stress of wandering the Moroccan souks.

If you’re lucky, your hammam might also have a pool & spa like the one at La Roseraie (360 degree image).

Step 3: Lather up

After about five minutes, the servant returns with a bowl of thick black Moroccan soap. It looks a bit like molasses or crude oil, but don’t worry, it will feel great on the skin.

You have to get up, sit down and turn around while the attendant lathers your legs, feet, back and face. She could even reach under your underwear to get at your buttocks!

Once the soap is applied, you can gently massage it into your skin while you sit back and relax for another five minutes. I know, so stressful, right?

Step 4: Hot rinse

Depending on the hammam, the lifeguard comes back with a full wooden bucket or plastic bucket of water. She scoops out the water and uses it to rinse off your soap.

This water can be frighteningly hot – but I’ve never been burned!

Step 5: Rough scrub

Once the soap is all gone, the torture begins. No, I don’t want to freak you out, but this step can be extremely… uncomfortable.

The attendant will use a rough sandpaper hammam mitt to scrape off your outer layer of dead skin. We westerners tend to have an alarmingly high rate of aging skin – unlike Moroccans who regularly exfoliate their entire bodies.

Don’t be surprised if the operator is pretty rude to you. But if it’s too rough, don’t be too shy to tell her to take it easy!

Step 6: Hair wash

If you’re in one of the fancier hammams, your treatment will include a hair wash. Sit back and enjoy the rare experience of having someone else wash your hair for you. Such a treat!

The relaxation room at La Roseraie Spa was just beautiful (360 degree image).

And finally… relax with tea

Once you’ve been buffed and scrubbed, there is one final step that cannot be skipped. You’ll put on your bathrobe again and head to a relaxation area where you’ll be treated to a steaming cup of sweet Moroccan tea.

If you’re like me, at this point your body will feel like jelly and your mind will be free of worries. This cup of tea gives you a chance to wake up a little before confronting the outside world, a shinier, glittery version of yourself.

Tips for visiting a local’s hammam in Morocco

How to find a local’s hammam

As you stroll the streets of the medina near your riad, look out for these signs that a traditional hammam is nearby:

Stack of firewood on the side of the road

A door leading down a steep flight of stairs to a roaring fire

Two small doors at either end of a building labeled Homme and Femme

If you see any of these things, you’ve found a hammam!

This man stokes a hammam fire. If you see this, you will find a local hammam at street level.

What to bring to a Moroccan hammam

Unlike a tourist hammam, nothing is delivered to you in the local hammam. You need to prepare with:

Some money – the hammam costs around 10 dirhams

A towel

underwear or bathing suit bottoms

A hammam glove

Soap – You can use black soap, but locals often just use a bar of soap

You can buy soap and a hammam glove in the souk for a few dollars before you go.

What to wear in the hammam

Just like in a tourist hammam, women can either go naked or wear bikini bottoms or underwear. In the hammams I’ve been to, most women wear a pair of underwear. If you’re blonde down there, a pair of underwear will save you from a lot of questioning looks at your privates.

Men must wear underwear in the hammam. A pair of boxers is perfect, but you can also wear swim shorts or Y-fronts or whatever you have.

What to expect at a local hammam

Depending on the hammam, you may be able to hire an attendant to scrub you down. To arrange this it is helpful if you speak a little French. If not, I hope you are good at sign language as it is very unlikely that anyone will speak English in the hammam.

But if you want to do it like most locals do, take a DIY approach.

Once you’ve paid, you’ll be taken to a room with benches (maybe right by the entrance) where you can undress and leave your belongings. There will be no locker, so don’t bring valuables. Head into the next room where you can pick up some buckets. These buckets are for your hot water for the first few rinses, followed by cold water for the final rinse. Find a place to sit, fill your bucket and follow the steps at the top of the tourist hammam area. If you’re really comfortable, ask someone else to scrub your back and you can scrub theirs in return!

How often should you go to the hammam?

Going to the hammam is a truly thorough cleansing experience. Especially when treated by a professional, you won’t believe how much dead skin is removed.

For this reason, you should not go to the hammam every day, otherwise your skin will get very angry! If you’re not used to such scrubs I would suggest going maximum twice a week, but once a week is probably sufficient.

And that’s it! Now you’ve experienced a hammam in Morocco!

More Morocco travel tips

We hope this post has inspired you to be bold and try a hammam while in Morocco. It’s a great experience and will give you a glow you never knew was possible!

♥ Happy Mindful Adventures, Jane & Stephen

Pin for your Moroccan adventure!

Steam, where heat and high humidity are combined. The ideal preparation of the body for wet modeling on a hot stone and a true moment of complete physical and mental relaxation.

The Turkish steam bath does not look like a Russian bath or a Finnish sauna. The room is covered with stone tiles, there are marble benches along the walls and a warm marble slab in the center. Everything is drowned in a wet, spicy steam, spicy smells of aromatic herbs rustle in the air. For aroma, usually use eucalyptus and mint, which are an excellent preventive measure against colds.

The Turkish bath is more suitable for those who cannot stand 100-120 degrees of an ordinary Russian bath or Finnish sauna. A distinctive feature of the hammam is the temperature ranging from 30 to 55 degrees Celsius. It is ideal for those who do not like or cannot tolerate high temperatures.

Humidity in the steam room reaches 100%, but strangely, it is easily tolerated. In a warm couple lies the main secret of the Turkish bath. It saturates the body with moisture, gently opens the pores, allows tired lungs to “breathe” and literally “washes” the whole body. And in combination with traditional methods, a truly heavenly feeling of happiness is created.

Read the procedures (pVF service menu)

Hammam and sauna.

What are the differences?

The swimsuit test is upon us and there is an urgent need to tone our bodies to look good at the beach. A healthy way of toning our bodies is to eliminate toxins with the help of heat. The most popular methods include hammam and sauna.

The question arises: What are the main differences? Do they have the same benefits?

Difference between hammam and sauna

The main difference is the origin of the 2 holistic implants. The sauna is of Nordic origin, while the hammam is of Mediterranean origin.

The second parameter to analyze is the material from which they are built. Hammam is mainly made of marble (or stone), while sauna is made of wood.

The third parameter is the degree of humidity and heat. This is the main difference: the sauna achieves low humidity (around 10-20%) at a temperature of 80-90 degrees compared to the hammam, which has high humidity (80-90%) and a temperature of 35- reached 40 degrees. This difference also affects the times of use: a maximum stay of 15-20 minutes is recommended in the sauna at very high temperatures; In the hammam, the temperature is much lower and sessions can even be extended up to an hour.

Ghibli by Hafro – Hammam

Sauna and hammam benefits

Hammam and sauna have many physical and mental benefits.

Both sessions are suitable for relaxation and weight loss. Heat and steam are indicated to clear the mind from a hard day’s work, they also have positive effects on anxiety, stress and sleep quality.

On a physical level, the thermal bath supports the slimming process: one session can help you lose up to 300 calories (equivalent to an hour of brisk walking). The sauna and hammam also help to detoxify the body. The heat opens the pores and eliminates any toxins, free radicals and heavy metals present.

The sessions are also great for post-workout muscle recovery. Heat relieves muscle microlesions as it dilates blood vessels.

Cuna by Hafro – Sauna

Sauna and hammam in our shop.

Our wellness area offers the best hammams and the best saunas from 2 Italian companies: Jacuzzi and Hafro.

The attention to design and health has led the two companies to create products that combine the sauna or hammam with the classic shower, creating a perfect synergy between comfort and space saving so you can have a real spa in your bathroom.

Sasha by Jacuzzi – hammam and sauna together

Read our focus on mini pools. Click here.

37 shares Pinterest 37

Facebook

Twitter

E-mail

By: Lisa Fennessy

This summer my hubs and I spent 4 days in Marrakech, Morocco and I had to tick “Get a Moroccan Hammam” off my bucket list. I know, I know it was tough, but someone had to do it!

The word hammam means “the warmer” in Arabic. This is significant as a hammam is essentially scrubbing/cleansing in a very warm room. A hammam is based on the idea of ​​having places of extreme cleanliness – where cleansing of the body goes hand in hand with cleansing of the soul. And by AD 600, hammams also became places where important life events were celebrated and bathing rituals were incorporated into weddings and births.

In Marrakech you can find hammams of all different shapes, sizes and price ranges. If you’re staying in a riad (a mix between a boutique hotel and a bed and breakfast – we stayed in that one) you might even be able to get one there. The hammam is one of five mandatory facilities found in every Moroccan neighborhood, along with the community bakery, a fountain, a school and the mosque.

There are two different types of hammams; public and private. A public hammam is traditionally single-sex, with men and women having separate bathhouses or bathing times.

It’s also a more traditional, community-based hangout where friends, family, and children come once a week to clean up and catch up on the latest. If you choose to go to a public hammam, you will most likely be given a kit upon entering, which includes a mat to lie on, some black soap, and an exfoliating mitt. Then you can go ahead and either cleanse yourself or hire someone to exfoliate you. As a beginner I’m like; Where do I go? What can I do? do I lie down Sit? How long does the soap last? Are there rules for nudity? What about eye contact!? So basically, I’m trying to say that I totally freaked out and decided to go for the portable experience of a private hammam.

A private hammam is more like a treatment at a spa. You check in at reception, lock your belongings in a locker, bathrobes are distributed, you can opt for a private room, spa music plays, mint tea flows and it is designed to be peaceful and relaxing.

The hammam experience takes place between three simple rooms. A warmer waiting room with plunge pool. The treatment room with warm stones. And the cool relaxation room. Visitors move through these rooms where changes in temperature stimulate blood flow and encourage the body to sweat out impurities. The basic layout of my experience looked something like this:

Check in and be escorted to the changing room

Change and lock your belongings using the provided locker and lock (curse for not bringing your own swimming trunks – see below)

Be escorted into the tranquil student group waiting room with plunge pool

Wait

Be called to the warm stone wet room (this is a private room or you can choose to share a room with your friend/partner)

45 minutes of rest, sweating/detox, peeling + body masks

Soak in the waiting room plunge pool for 5-10 minutes to remove any product residue

Get dressed

Be taken back to a cool relaxation room to relax and await the massage

45-minute massage (private or you can opt for a shared room with your friend/partner)

Back to the relaxation room for cookies and mint tea

Leave when you’re done

If you do decide to go, here are a few things I wish I knew before I dive in.

1. You’re going to get naked – BYOB sister

Getting a full hammam experience is done in two parts. a scrub and a massage. You can also order these separately, but if you do, just opt ​​for the traditional experience and get both! The first part is the warm wet room peeling/mask/relaxation/detox (45 mins) and the second part is the massage (45 mins). You are naked for both. The rest of the time you wear a plush robe.

Apparently you can bring your own swimming trunks and wear them to scrub (file under: things that would have been nice to know yesterday!). But if you show up empty-handed, you’ll get a little pair of underwear that look like this. Nothing for your chest. Men are given disposable paper/cloth shorts.

2. Expect a FULL BODY peel

I’m talking boobs, butt, belly button – everything! I also have to mention that this is the first and maybe the last time that I will pay to have someone rub my boobs. I mean I knew I signed up for a full body scrub but I was surprised at ALL the parts they really hit. And hard! This was an aggressive scrub. Armpits, neck…even your face! (But to be fair, they asked permission to scrub my face and they applied very light pressure). They even shampoo and condition your hair!

For the scrubber, they use a mitt or scrub mitt called a Kessa. It’s a kind of mesh glove and some of them are made of goat hair. I thought it was great that you could take it home with you. (No reuse!)

The only parts that didn’t get scrubbed were my V and my toes. What I was slightly disappointed about the toes. They scrubbed my heels with a pumice stone but it was a no go on and around the toes.

If you want to try this at home, Kahina Giving Beauty offers a Moroccan black Beldi soap and a traditional kessa (scrubbing mitt). I have used both and they are fantastic! (I especially like their eucalyptus Beldi soap).

3. Drink plenty of water before you go

Most importantly, make sure you arrive hydrated. The first part of the treatment takes place in a heated, tiled wet room. The walls are heated, the floor is heated and the air is hot. A few times it got so bad it was hard to breathe. And we stayed there. FOR 45 MINUTES!

You know those signs in front of the steam rooms that say, “No more than 10 minutes”? Morocco did not get the memo. They gave us a small bottle of water after the first treatment in the hot room as we chilled in the plunge pool. I could have drunk 75 of these.

After the treatment we felt hot, parched, trimmed and SMOOTH. (Okay, so full disclosure; so we’d walked around all day beforehand and also shared a bottle of mushrooms at lunch, which didn’t help with dehydration either, but either way, NOTE.)

4. You’ll probably lose a pound of skin

So for the peeling part of the treatment, they applied two masks. The first was Moroccan black soap and the second was a clay-based mask. Everyone sat on it for about 15 minutes and then was removed.

Moroccan Black Soap is made from saponified olive oil and acts as a body mask, preparing and softening the skin for exfoliation. It’s also naturally rich in vitamin E. It goes on super thin and looks like it’s barely there.

After it sits on your skin for 15 minutes, the women come back with Kessa scrubbing gloves and basically remove your top layer of skin. And you know it because when you look at your legs and arms you can see the flaking skin that looks like twisted black leaflets adorning your limbs and torso.

AND my skin? Baby’s bottom status. Seriously like nothing I’ve ever felt before. And it’s not! After being freshly exfoliated, apply a clay mask to your entire body and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing off. The clay mask looks like this:

I could do this once a week.

5. The best Shavasana

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Do you know that moment at the end of your massage, when you are in that place between sleeping and waking? When muscles are like jelly and all your problems just melted away? And then the massage therapist leans in and says, okay! I’ll meet you outside when you’re ready. Take your time. I guess I wish you really meant it because I would love to indulge in this nap screaming my name right now. But unfortunately instead you say: thank you, and get up and go.

Well…this time, they were different friends. The massage ended and instead of “meet you outside” it said “stay here and relax a little”. WHAT!? BE STILL MY BEATING HEART! They let us stay on the tables for about 15 minutes while me and my husband fell into the best sleep/shavasana ever.

bits and pieces

A few other things worth mentioning…

The entire treatment, which took over 2 hours in total, was only $60 all-in. We went into the medina with Le Bein Bleu – a favorite among locals. You can go more upscale and pay upwards of $100, which is still a steal compared to US spas. Or you can go to a public hammam and make your own for between $10 and $30.

The plunge pool was a bit gross because you could see the pieces of product floating around in the water, either from your own body or from someone else’s.

They give you disposable cloth/paper Johnnys to wear in the co-ed plunge pool to keep you covered. Like a hose, crop top and cropped shorts.

At the end, refresh yourself with mint tea (the countries most popular drink) and biscuits in the relaxation room. Most places give you the choice to have your mint tea sweetened or not. I happened to love it both ways, but I’m partly too cute. They also pour it very loudly with the pot super high in the air to pack the expected head of foam.

Most of the women who performed the scrub only spoke French, so it was sometimes difficult to decipher their instructions. How can “face up” and “face down” sound exactly the same!?

The massage I got was more of a light, relaxing Swedish massage while my husband made him sore. No one asked us what kind of massage we wanted so I guess it’s just a wait and see situation.

Warming from inside and outside

One thing I totally didn’t expect was the feelings that came up when I was washed. As I sat naked in front of this woman washing my hair, I felt a childish sense of weightlessness. A fleeting feeling that passed as quickly as it came, but it was so strong it almost made me cry.

Maybe I was overcome with nostalgia. Maybe it was a glimpse into my childhood. Maybe I was just insane from dehydration, but all I know is that the weight of the world melted for just a second letting someone take care of me. It was such a tiny moment, but it made a big impact – one that still resonates. I didn’t expect a hammam to “spread heat” both inside and out.

Have you ever experienced a traditional Moroccan hammam? What are your thoughts and what would you say to a first-time visitor?

PS Check out how I look now after I stopped dying my hair!

I like? pin it!

In case you haven’t had the chance to enjoy one of the two traditional oriental massages… What have you been doing since you landed here?

Seriously, enjoying a Turkish and/or Moroccan bath in Dubai is a sort of right of passage to life in the emirate and a must-do for every expat at least once.

Despite the horror stories you may have heard about these types of massages – especially if you’ve spoken to someone who has experienced a real Turkish bath in Turkey (it can get a little embarrassing) – they are both extremely relaxing and great for you body and mind.

Over the years, these two beloved bathing traditions have continually evolved from a simple massage technique to a complete cleansing and refreshment regimen that has a history stretching back years. In fact, when you experience a traditional bathing ritual like this, you’re enjoying a routine that people have experienced for themselves over many years.

The Hammam is an ancient Turkish traditional bathing method that uses special techniques in the warmth of the Hammam room to cleanse and exfoliate the body of impurities. This includes a full body scrub by our Tellak (therapist) using a Kese glove, followed by a light foam massage. Our hammam room features 13 marble pools (kurna), each with an individual gold bowl (tas) for dousing yourself with water, and a large heated marble platform (gobek tasi).

What is a Hammam/Turkish Bath experience?

After showering, our guests must spend at least 20-25 minutes in our dry sauna or steam room to relax the body, open pores and soften muscles. After lying face up on our heated marble platform, the therapist (Tellak) will scrub the front of the body (including the face) followed by the back of the body using an exfoliating kese glove. The body is then doused with water. The 20-minute treatment ends with a light full-body foam massage.

​

What are the advantages of a Turkish Hammam?

The undeniable benefits of warmth and relaxation you receive from hammam therapy mean that there are few treatments in the world quite as effective. The healing properties and warmth of a traditional hammam make it incredibly beneficial for both body and mind. The heat of the hammam opens the skin’s pores, releasing toxins, bacteria and other impurities ready for deep exfoliation. It is also known to make breathing easier as it opens the airways and has a deep cleansing and decongestant effect on both the sinuses and the bronchi. We also offer a soothing foam massage on heated marble with special 100% natural soaps (Original, Rose, Olive, Lavender, Lilac and Chamomile).

​

Why do a Turkish Hammam treatment regularly?

Regular hammam treatments combined with a healthy diet and moderate exercise will help you lose weight and stay fit and healthy.

Restores health by eliminating toxins through regular sweating.

It burns about 300 calories per average session.

Heals sleep disorders, especially those caused by hyperexcitability, poor skin circulation, dry, cracked skin, muscle tension, muscle weakness in the subcutaneous vessels and sensitivity to sudden temperature changes.

The hammam promotes blood circulation and supplies cells, tissues and organs with oxygen.

One of the best therapies to combat stress and tension that we generally suffer from on a daily basis.

The skin eliminates impurities and becomes clear, elastic and soft.

Effective against bronchial asthma, bronchitis, cough, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract and hoarseness.

​

Traditional Kese Mitts and Hammam soap are available at reception. Please ask a member of staff for details.

Moroccan Black Soap or Beldi Soap is a type of soap originating in Morocco. It is a highly alkaline castile soap made from olive oil and macerated olives with a gel-like consistency. This gives the soap its characteristic dark greenish-black color.[1]

In the hammams of Morocco, black soap is used to cleanse, moisturize the skin and exfoliate.[2][3] A pinch of soap is rubbed onto wet skin. After 5-10 minutes, a coarse cloth washcloth called a kessa is used to remove dead skin. The soap is rich in vitamin E. Moroccan black soap should not be confused with African black soap as the ingredients and place of manufacture are very different.[1]