What is Moroccan bath (hammam) treatment?
Growing up in Morocco, going to the hammam was part of my weekly routine. Every Saturday afternoon, I would begin the pre-Hammam ritual with my mother and aunts, which involved preparing the ingredients and preparing my hair and skin for Moroccan bath treatments.
Moroccan baths, also called Moroccan Hammams , are one of the best detoxifying spa treatments. In Morocco, women take a Moroccan bath every week. It is a non-negotiable time that can last up to two hours. It is meant to deeply cleanse and nourish the skin and hair, but also to reconnect with the body's senses and relax.
After trying many relaxing massages and spas, there is honestly nothing like being in the steaming hammam, where every inch of your muscles relaxes and every pore opens for a deep cleanse. Once you are done with the Moroccan bath, you feel completely clean and relaxed, as if you were just born.
Because I don't have a Moroccan bath here in Romania, I tried to create the same effect at home, which is almost as good as in a traditional hammam. You can easily find the products online (I'll share my links below). Once you try it, there's no going back!
What is Moroccan bath ( hammam ) treatment?
Moroccan baths are a traditional Moroccan beauty ritual in which Moroccan men and Moroccan women go to a gender-separated public bath to benefit from its purifying and skin-detoxifying virtues.
Hammams in Morocco are everywhere. You can find them in almost any neighborhood. They are one of the most appreciated cleansing and relaxing beauty treatments in Morocco. In fact, it is very rare for women in Morocco to go to regular SPAs because they can get everything they need in a Moroccan bath.
How to make a Moroccan bath at home
Here are the detailed steps to follow to make your own Moroccan bath at home, as well as some useful links to amazing Moroccan products that will take your Hammam experience to another level.
STEP 1 - Apply an oil treatment to your hair
The first step to preparing for a Moroccan bath is to nourish your hair with an oil treatment and leave it for at least a few hours, under a warm towel.
In Morocco, the most used hair oil is argan oil . Argan oil - applied to the ends of the hair - is perfect for deeply nourishing the hair, applied to the scalp - is one of the best treatments for having beautiful, thick hair and stopping hair loss.
To get the best results, make sure you choose a organic argan oil pure and of good quality . Use only a few drops.
STEP 2 - Prepare your bathtub or shower and steam the room
Once the hair treatment has penetrated deeply into the hair and scalp (after about 2 hours), you can begin to prepare your environment for hammam .
The idea is to get as much warm/hot steam as possible in your shower. To produce enough steam, leave hot water Let it run for 2 to 3 minutes until the shower starts to steam.
STEP 3 - Prepare your skin with Moroccan Beldi Soap
Once your shower is hot and steamy, the next step is to open your skin pores. To do this, set the water temperature to hot, get in the shower, and let the water run over your entire body for about 2 to 3 minutes, including your face. This will open your pores.
Then apply all over the body traditional Moroccan beldi soap .
Moroccan beldi soap is a traditional Moroccan beauty product essential for Bail Hammam.
It is a paste made from dried olive shells and dried herbs. Once it comes into contact with wet skin, it will foam like soap and penetrate the skin, preparing it for the deep cleansing to come.
Again, it is best to use a 100% natural Moroccan Moroccan beldi soap . A full teaspoon will be more than enough for the entire body.
STEP 4 - Cleanse your hair and apply a deep conditioner
This step is simple and consists of cleansing your hair of the oil treatment while giving a little more time for the black soap to penetrate your skin.
For cleaning hair, use a gentle shampoo and make sure to thoroughly cleanse your hair, scalp, and ends. Once you're done, apply the conditioner deeply.
STEP 5 - Start exfoliating with the Moroccan Kessa Glove
Now that the Moroccan black soap has penetrated your skin and your body is ready to be purified, it's time to start removing dead skin! For this, you will need a Moroccan Kessa glove.
The Moroccan Kessa glove is a popular bath essential in Morocco, used to remove dead skin.
The most important part here is choose the right Kessa according to your skin sensitivity .
I recommend using a Kessa loofah glove. It will respect the skin barrier and allow for deep exfoliation. This Kessa Hammam glove it is one of the best you can find on the market. Keep in mind that a Kessa glove will always be a little rough, so always rub gently, never too hard.
The Kessa glove will remove dead skin from the entire body, gently rubbing the skin , using circular movements. Thanks to the Moroccan black soap applied earlier, your skin will release a LOT of toxins and dead skin. You will be surprised!
STEP 6 - Apply a Ghassoul mask
Ghassoul Moroccan is a clay extracted from the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. It is a very unique and rich clay, full of minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium. You can find Ghassoul in powder, solid or paste form.
Ghassoul is also an essential part of the Moroccan Hammam experience. It has been used in Morocco since the 8th century by women to cleanse their bodies and sometimes their hair (if you have oily hair, it will work wonders!).
To use Moroccan Ghassoul, make sure to rinse your skin with warm water, then apply the paste to your skin, including your face. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Your skin will be smooth like a baby's skin!
This is the Moroccan clay that you can find in our store.
STEP 7 - Rinse the entire body and apply argan oil
You're almost done. Make sure your skin and hair are thoroughly rinsed and clean, then dry your skin with a towel. If you want, you can massage your dry parts with argan oil. You can even pamper yourself from time to time and massage your entire body with argan oil. You deserve it!
That's it. Your skin and hair will be clean, detoxified and oh so smooth . You will smell amazing and be deeply relaxed and in a good mood.
Try a hammam Moroccan bathroom every week or two and you will notice that your hair and skin will improve incredibly and look better.
