How to Do a Moroccan Hammam at Home

There's a reason the hammam has been part of life across Morocco and North Africa for centuries. Warm steam, a rich olive-oil soap and a good scrub leave your skin softer than almost anything else, and the ritual itself slows you down in a way a quick shower never does.

You don't need a marble bathhouse to get most of the benefit. Here's how to do a Moroccan hammam at home with a few simple products, and when it's worth booking the real thing.

What is a hammam?

A hammam is a traditional steam bath. In Morocco it's a weekly ritual: you warm up in the steam, coat your skin in beldi black soap, rest, rinse, then scrub away dead skin with a textured glove called a keesa (also spelled kessa). You finish with oil or cream while your skin is still warm. The result is skin that feels completely new.

What you'll need

• Beldi black soap: a soft, gel-like soap made with olive oil that softens skin and loosens dead cells.
• Exfoliating keesa glove: the coarse glove that does the real work.
• Body oil or a rich body cream to finish.
• A hot shower or bath, a towel and about 30 minutes.

Want everything in one box? The Hammam Ritual Gift Set has the soap, glove, coffee scrub, body cream, body oil and Sudanese bakhoor incense together.

The 5 steps of a home hammam

1. Steam

Run your shower as hot as is comfortable, close the door and let the bathroom fill with steam. Stay in the warmth for 5 to 10 minutes. This opens your pores and softens the outer layer of skin so the scrub works properly. If you have a bathtub, a warm soak does the same job.

2. Black soap

Step out of the direct water. Take a small scoop of black soap and smooth it over damp skin from your neck to your feet. Avoid your face if your skin is sensitive. It goes on like a thick gel, and you don't need to lather it.

3. Rest

Let the soap sit for 5 to 10 minutes while you stay in the warm, steamy room. This is the part most people skip, and it's the part that makes the difference. Breathe, sit and let the soap do its work.

4. Rinse and scrub with the keesa

Rinse the soap off completely. Then put on the keesa glove and, with firm strokes, scrub one section at a time: arms, legs, back, stomach. You'll see grey rolls of dead skin come away. That's normal and it's exactly what you want. Use long strokes on the limbs and gentler pressure on thinner skin. For an extra glow, follow with a little coffee scrub.

5. Oil

Rinse one last time, pat dry and apply body oil or cream while your skin is still warm and slightly damp. It absorbs better and locks in moisture. For a finishing touch, light a little bakhoor and pass your hair and clothes through the smoke, so the scent stays with you for the rest of the day.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Scrubbing dry skin. The keesa only works on skin that's been warmed and softened. Always steam and soap first.
• Skipping the rest. Rinsing the black soap off right away cuts its effect in half.
• Scrubbing too hard. Firm is good; red and raw is not. Ease off on sensitive areas and anywhere with a sunburn, cuts or irritation.
• Doing it right before shaving or waxing. Give your skin a day between a deep scrub and hair removal.
• Forgetting to moisturize. Freshly exfoliated skin drinks up oil. Don't leave it bare.

How often should you do it?

Once a week is the traditional rhythm and works well for most skin. If your skin is dry or sensitive, every 10 to 14 days is plenty. In an Edmonton winter, a weekly hammam is one of the best things you can do for dry, flaky skin.

When to book the real thing

A home hammam is wonderful, but it's hard to scrub your own back, and nothing replaces lying back while someone else does the work. Our Moroccan Bath combines warm steam, authentic Moroccan bath soap and nourishing oils in a private, women-only space, and you can add our Hammam Exfoliating Wet Scrub for a full-body keesa scrub done for you. Book it for yourself, or bring a friend: we offer 2-person steam experiences too.

Book your Moroccan Bath →

Want to keep the ritual going between visits? Shop the black soap, keesa glove and body oil, or gift someone the Hammam Ritual Gift Set this holiday season.