As more of our clients are adding a Hammam- a traditional Marrocan steam room- to their spa facilities we have been asked to make a traditional Beldi soap.
This is an ancient Moroccan gel-style soap made not only with olive oil but with actual olives.The term beldi (which is also used in the context of eg food and rugs) is derived from the word ’bled’ which means country, territory, land or countryside. Ie ’beldi’ is something rustic, representative of the region, genuine and authentic: ’the real deal’, as it were. A case of happy assimilation it seems, since Beldi soap is said to have originated in the Levant many centuries ago and travelled from there to Morocco where it’s now a local speciality.
Beldi soap is made from olive oil. The oil is saponified with potassium hydroxide and this gives the soap its gel-like consistency. Olive pulp is also part of genuine Beldi soap and several on-line suppliers of Beldi soap also mention ground eucalyptus leaves as an exfoliating additive. Beldi soap is made specially to be used in traditional bath establishments known as hammams. These are often referred to as Turkish baths or Turkish steam rooms in English. Note, however, that Beldi soap is very specifically Moroccan and not well-established in the hammams of Turkey. Regular visits to the hammam is an important part of life in Morocco and Beldi soap is an important part of the hammam bathing ritual. A Moroccan steam bath consists of several consecutive steam rooms, each slightly warmer than the previous one. The bather gradually moves from the coolest to the hottest room and once the skin has broken a good sweat and the pores have opened, Beldi soap is applied all over the damp skin (avoiding the area around the eyes). The soap – which works as a cleansing masque – is left to work on the skin for three to ten minutes and is then rinsed off while the skin is vigorously scrubbed all over with a kessa, a wash mitt made from coarse fabric. Sometimes the scrubbing is done by a professional scrubber known as the kessel. The skin is exfoliated and left feeling invigorated and super smooth. On the island of a million olive trees this soap fits quiet organically and so does the ground eucalyptus leaf.
Prickly Pears- and Prickly Pear exfoliating treatment made with the oil of the seed, fruit pulp and the
ground up cactus thorns.
This is an ancient Moroccan gel-style soap made not only with olive oil but with actual olives.The term beldi (which is also used in the context of eg food and rugs) is derived from the word ’bled’ which means country, territory, land or countryside. Ie ’beldi’ is something rustic, representative of the region, genuine and authentic: ’the real deal’, as it were. A case of happy assimilation it seems, since Beldi soap is said to have originated in the Levant many centuries ago and travelled from there to Morocco where it’s now a local speciality.
Beldi soap is made from olive oil. The oil is saponified with potassium hydroxide and this gives the soap its gel-like consistency. Olive pulp is also part of genuine Beldi soap and several on-line suppliers of Beldi soap also mention ground eucalyptus leaves as an exfoliating additive. Beldi soap is made specially to be used in traditional bath establishments known as hammams. These are often referred to as Turkish baths or Turkish steam rooms in English. Note, however, that Beldi soap is very specifically Moroccan and not well-established in the hammams of Turkey. Regular visits to the hammam is an important part of life in Morocco and Beldi soap is an important part of the hammam bathing ritual. A Moroccan steam bath consists of several consecutive steam rooms, each slightly warmer than the previous one. The bather gradually moves from the coolest to the hottest room and once the skin has broken a good sweat and the pores have opened, Beldi soap is applied all over the damp skin (avoiding the area around the eyes). The soap – which works as a cleansing masque – is left to work on the skin for three to ten minutes and is then rinsed off while the skin is vigorously scrubbed all over with a kessa, a wash mitt made from coarse fabric. Sometimes the scrubbing is done by a professional scrubber known as the kessel. The skin is exfoliated and left feeling invigorated and super smooth. On the island of a million olive trees this soap fits quiet organically and so does the ground eucalyptus leaf.
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To accompany our traditional Beldi soap we have made a range of Moroccan inspired spa treatments ranging from massage balms containing organic Moroccan Argan oil to exfoliating treatments from the Higo Chumbo- Prickley Pear- to gentle exfoliating Almond and and Rose Petal paste, suitable for the most delicate skins. We have used the high vitamin oil of the Prickly Pear and the Pomegranate combined with the extremely nourishing organic oils from Mallorca.
ground up cactus thorns.
