"How to Moroccan Hammam" by Claire Fink

Going to the hammam is a must-do while in Morocco! This blog post will walk you through what to bring to the hammam and what to do when you get there.

First, you need some Moroccan black soap. You can buy this in the medina or grocery stores like Marjane. It makes your skin feel super soft and moisturized and preps it for exfoliating.

Black soap. Photo credit: Fink, 2025.

Exfoliating gloves. Photo credit: 2025.

Above, you can see the black soap in the medina and the gloves you will need for exfoliating, which you can also buy at grocery stores or other shops in your neighborhood. However, if you want to purchase black soap in the medina, I recommend buying the ones already in small packages rather than the big piles, because that soap is usually old and has sat out for a while.

View fullsize

Here is an example of black soap in small containers; you can get some with other things added to them, which can be nice depending on what you’re looking for, but it’s not necessary. Photo credit: Fink, 2025.

Next, you need to bring your shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, a hairbrush, or anything else you typically use in the shower. You should also bring flip-flops or shower shoes to wear inside the hammam because it is very wet and you don’t want to slip and fall. When you get to the hammam, you will first use the black soap, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off and use the exfoliating glove. Then, you will follow your normal shower routine, washing your hair, body, and face. You can pay to have a lady who works in the hammam do all this for you, and while this makes for a nicer experience in the hammam because you avoid the hard work of scrubbing, you can still do it all by yourself.

Finally, in your bag you should bring a towel, a change of clothes and underwear, and lotion or whatever skin and hair care you would apply after a typical shower.

Prices vary depending on which hammam you go to, but at the hammam near my apartment, I can pay 100 dirhams (around 10 USD) for the entry fee and for a lady to help me inside.

Your first time at the hammam might feel very ~intimate~ and vulnerable, to say the least, but it’s a fun experience that I highly recommend everyone try while in Morocco. I will miss being able to go when I am back home in the United States!

Claire Fink is a student at Fordham University and studied abroad in the Spring 2025 on Amideast’s Area & Arabic Language Studies program.