So, what exactly is a Moroccan hammam?
Traditionally, private baths and showers were not common within a home in Morocco so hammams provided a place where locals would visit (usually once a week, and bath together. They were usually found near mosques to allow the cleansing of the body and soul before prayers. Nowadays, hammams can be found all over Morocco and there are 2 main types – a public hammam and a private hammam.
When I first visited Morocco, I’d never even heard of a hammam! Can you imagine that?! Because of that, I only visited one a day or 2 before I left the country, and it was a private one. I desperately wished I’d known about it sooner and hope to go back and have a more traditional experience in a public hammam.
So, I write this to say…make sure visiting a hammam is on your bucket list when visiting Morocco!
What to expect in a private hammam?
Steam room, hot water, Moroccan black soap and deep, exfoliation.
To fully enjoy a hammam, I recommend a session of at least 45 minutes.
- You will be asked to undress and may be given disposable underwear.
- You will then be escorted to a hot room where hot water is poured over your body.
- Savon beldi (Moroccan black soap) will then be applied and rubbed all over your body and after a few minutes, rinsed off.
- After a few minutes of rest, using a kess(Moroccan exfoliating glove), dead skin will be scrubbed off your entire body. You’ll be asked to change positions during this process to make sure your body is completely exfoliated.
It’s important to note that a kess is quite rough and may feel harsh at first. Make sure to communicate if it’s too harsh on your skin!
- The lady in my hammam repeated this process a few times. She would leave in intervals, allowing me to relax in the steam room and would return to rinse my body.
- This is followed by a purifying rhassoul clay mask, used to absorb impurities from the skin and hair.
My hammam experience was followed (and topped) by a full body massage using argan oil to rehydrate the skin. My skin has never been so happy!
Visiting a hammam may initially feel uncomfortable or even embarrassing to some, but it’s a unique and beautiful experience. The peace, relaxation, and tranquillity you will feel both physically and mentally afterwards is completely worth it!
