I recently had the opportunity to try a Turkish Hammam Ritual at the Marmara Hotel in NYC with one of my friends. This Spa experience was like none other. It was a great way to rejuvenate and cleanse your skin. This ritual frist stemmed from the 6th to 11th centuries when the Turkish combined their steam bath rituals with several of the Roman Bath practices. “Hammam” = Turkish baths. It used steam heating and different temperature chambers. People of all different social statuses were able to gather in Hammams to relax and socialize. Today the ritual is still available in certain locations here in the US.
About my experience:
When I arrived, I was given a locker room key, robes, and slip-resistant slippers. I was then directed into the Hammam which was a beautiful heated room with a marble table in the center. There was also heated marble benches and sinks all along the wall. The room was dimly lit and felt relaxing as soon as I walked in. I was also given some lemon water before beginning the actual session. I highly recommend that you drink a lot of water if you are considering trying this! At first, I was very nervous to try this since I am very sensitive to steam. However, the room was not overly hot or uncomfortable. You are also able to take as many breaks as you need.
To start off with, I sat in in the Hammam for about 5-10 minutes so the steam could start opening up my pores. Next, I laid on the marble table while my entire skin was exfoliated with a Morroccan Kessa glove. This removed all of the dead skin to create a nice glowy even layer. The specialist then swirled a silk cloth dipped in soap that smelled amazing until it became like a balloon. This soap had antiseptic and antibacterial properties to purify and deep clean the body. The silk balloon was then rinsed and drained all over my body creating big soothing bubbles. We let the bubbles soak in for a few minutes and then I was gently massaged. After being rinsed with warm water, I was then led to a gorgeous shower. This shower was serious house goals! It had different mood lights and a touch screen control with different settings like tropical rain.
My body felt so amazing and relaxed after! My skin still felt so soft even a few days after the spa session. I highly recommend you check this session out if you ever get a chance! It was a great little girls night experience.