Every culture has its own unique traditions that distinguish it from others. In Middle Eastern countries, having a bath, especially a Moroccan bath, has become one of the essential cleansing rituals performed by the bride before her wedding night.
“The Moroccan bath does not differ much from our Egyptian Hammam Baladi [a public bath where people get steamed and receive a massage] except for the use of Moroccan soap and a loofa,” says Iman Abdallah, the owner of La Rose Spa.
It is thought the tradition originally started during the pharaonic era, then spread to Morocco in the 8th Century and Turkey during the Ottoman era.
Abdallah outlines the necessary steps of an effective Moroccan bath:
First, you have to stay inside the steam bath for ten minutes to soothe your body for the exfoliating. Then, your whole body gets covered with Moroccan black soap. This soap, which is made of natural herbs, gives a unified color to the body by eliminating the dark discoloration of certain places such as armpits.
“We focus on using natural blends only because they suit all skin types and do not cause any irritation,” Abdallah says.
Then, you remain inside the steam room for half an hour, during which time the steam works to open the skin's pores, so the soap can reach a deeper skin layer. After that, the body is rinsed off with a special Moroccan loofa to get rid of dead skin cells and accumulated dirt.
The second step is the scrubbing process, which leaves your skin firm, rejuvenated and so moisturized that you won’t need to apply any creams after.
You can select your favorite kind of scrub out of five choices including coconut, rose, orange, almond and strawberry.
Abdallah recommends coconut and almond scrubs as both give a soft and cool result. She adds, however, that if the bride likes a delicate and exotic scent, she can go for strawberry or rose.
After being rubbed with the scrub, you will definitely feel the difference of baby-soft skin.
According to Hanan Mohamed, a beautician at the Waves Spa, the Turkish bath is quite similar to the Moroccan bath except that the former does not remove the dead skin cells.
In a Turkish bath, she explains, a fruit mask is applied all over the customer’s body during her half-hour stay in a steam room. This mask provides the bride a fruitful scent and rosy tan.
“It is better to have a Turkish bath one day before your big night to look fresh and shiny,” advises Mohamed.
“Besides a Moroccan bath and scrub, our bride’s packages include body massage, waxing, hair and facial treatments,” says Samia, a beautician at the Touch of Beauty Center. “However, clients have the option to pick specific services from the package.”
At the Touch of Beauty center you can also receive G.P.3 (dermabrasion), an advanced crystal peeling treatment that completely removes blackheads, acne, and scars as well as helps to achieve flawless skin in a short period.
“A body massage is a necessary step after the scrub for helping to release the stress and boost blood circulation,” says Abdallah.
You can find several bride’s packages at La Rose Spa which range from LE950 to LE2750, depending on the number of services included. Of course, you don't need to be a bride to enjoy some pampering. If you decide to go for a Moroccan bath only, it costs LE 195, while a Turkish bath is LE150.
La Rose Spa
Address: 58 Gezirat al-Arab, Mohandessin, first floor
Tel.: (02) 33028577 – (02) 33028578
Mob.: 012/2260162 – 0109445555
Touch of Beauty Center
Address: 14 Gezira St., Zamalek
Tel.: (02) 27351444 – 012/3110690
Waves Spa
Address: Genina Mall, Abbas el-Akkad St., Nasr City
Tel.: (02) 22631212 – (02) 22631224
