The Hammam is an ancient beauty ritual, in fact the first evidence dates back to around 1400 years ago and it is still a very widespread practice in Arab countries, especially in Morocco.
The word "Hammam" derives from the place where the ritual takes place, it literally means Bath, in fact it was born as the place used for the personal hygiene of the communities . Subsequently, in addition to being a building where you could wash, it began to have a meaning more focused on well-being , self-care , as well as being a place of conviviality and meeting .
In fact, in Morocco, the Hammam is where " everything begins and everything ends ": traditionally the Hammam marks the beginning or end of a journey , it is a fundamental step of the wedding henna (typical Moroccan hen party), in both the bride and the groom go to the Hammam accompanied by friends and relatives, after giving birth to allow the new mother to rest and regenerate, before the start and after the end of school and so on. It is to all intents and purposes a moment of purification that marks and dictates the rhythms of the Moroccan communities. Furthermore, the Hammam unites local communities and transcends social, ethnic and cultural differences. In fact, Morocco, which represents a splendid North African melting pot, finds union and homogeneity in the practice of the Hammam.
The Hammam (place) generally consists of three rooms with increasing temperatures and involves staying in a place where the humidity can reach 100% at a temperature of around 48°/50°.
The first room , the one with the "lowest" temperature, is dedicated to " savonage ", here, in fact, you wet your skin and apply black soap , then you move on to the room at an intermediate temperature where you rinse your skin and begin to acclimatise. to then get to the room with the highest temperature, where the highest percentage of humidity is reached, this is where the scrub is carried out with the Kessa glove.
The heat and humidity of the rooms reconcile relaxation and well-being , the heat promotes relaxation of the body's muscles, freeing it from accumulated tensions, the humidity instead dilates the skin pores, making exfoliation with the Kessa glove (Ablak), even more effective.
Contrary to what one might think, the Hammam ritual is not inextricably linked to the place just described, in fact in Morocco, this ritual is a mandatory weekly appointment and in the absence of access to the Hammam, it is recreated at home.
At home, just turn on the shower water at maximum temperature for a couple of minutes before getting in, so that the steam forms , lower the temperature as desired, wet the body evenly, proceed with savonage with Blamane, rinse with hot water for 4-5 minutes, then proceed with the scrub with the Kessa glove.
To have an impeccable result, it is good to keep in mind that, when carrying out the Hammam, exfoliation with the Kessa glove must be the first thing to do , as if the skin is exposed to shampoo, conditioner or shower gel, these they can leave residues that would make scrubbing less effective .
In summary, first you do the Hammam and then you can proceed with washing your hair and cleansing it with shower gel, cleansing oils or cleansing gels.
At the end of the whole process, once the skin has been dabbed with the towel, it ends by applying Argan oil (Argamane), which not only gives hydration , nourishment and elasticity to the skin, but will leave an inebriating jasmine fragrance on the skin .
The Hammam is a beauty treatment that should be done once a week and is suitable for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or lifestyle. It is a very versatile treatment , it can be done in the evening after work or on Sunday morning directly at home, dedicating time to yourself, taking care of your body. It is a pleasant moment of muscle relaxation after a workout. Combined with wellness practices such as Yoga and meditation it can be an opportunity to spend time with friends or even a beautiful gift idea , both in terms of the experience and the Hammam kit.