Useful tips from a Noble Bath Attendant

The day you sweat, the day you don’t grow old. (Russian proverb)

Going to the bathhouse is a serious matter, it requires preparation and experience, and knowledge of some tricks. The noble Bath Attendant will share the secrets of light steam, good mood and the rules of bath etiquette and “fashion”.

To the steam room without haste and fuss! There is no benefit from steaming in a hurry; a bathhouse is a holiday, a pleasure and a healer. Set aside a few hours, or even an evening, in your schedule for this ritual.
Choosing a bathhouse Among the many bathhouses, everyone will find their ideal one. The Finnish sauna is hot and dry, the eastern (Turkish) hammam is with wet and soft steam, the Russian bath is universal - both in terms of steam and degree of heating.
There is only a shower or a swimming pool in front of the steam room. Set aside the washcloth and soap for later. You should prepare for a visit to the steam room by standing under a warm shower for several minutes. You can swim in the pool for 15-20 minutes, if possible. This way the muscles become toned, improving the benefits of the steam room. And it’s better not to get your hair wet; usually a bath cap is slightly moistened.
In a sauna with a pillow It is better to steam while lying down, relaxing and forgetting about everything. People who understand comfort will choose a felt pillow instead of a hard wooden headrest.
Rule of a safe bath A good bathhouse attendant warns guests and resolutely will not allow razors, alcohol, or even glass bottles with essential oils and gels to be brought into the steam room.
Nothing extra. Believe the people's experience: before taking a steam bath, watches, glasses, and all jewelry must be removed. They can deteriorate and burn you inadvertently.
Give me a couple! You should splash on the stones to produce steam with boiling water or a hot infusion of herbs with oils and aromatic additives, water with kvass and beer. The stones are not poured, but served in small portions, at the very heat of the stove. Hear a pop from the stones - this is a sure sign of light, soft steam. But in order not to get burned by a wave of hot air, you need a ladle with a long wooden handle.
After the steam , we took a steam bath, warmed up under the brooms, now move to the lower shelves. The pulse will calm down a little, the head will clear, then you can leave the steam room. Moderation and restlessness in the bathhouse are the key to health.

How to dress for a bath?

Someone will laugh that it is more correct to undress in a bathhouse. A noble bathhouse attendant recognizes steam room lovers among all visitors by the correct form of clothing - comfortable, loose and natural.

Let's start with slippers . Comfortable and hygienic shoes for the bathhouse, made from the same felt, sometimes with a waffle top and a bamboo insole! In the warmth and moisture of even the cleanest bathhouse, it is not flowers that bloom, but fungi. Slippers are your protector against mycosis of the feet and nails.
Take care of your head! The main rule is not to get heatstroke, so it is worth having a felt hat in your bath wardrobe. It will also protect your hair from dryness, which is why it is especially loved by women. Size matters: ideally, the hat fits freely on the head without constricting it. For children, a felt cap or hat is a must! For those who forgot about a hat, I strongly recommend making a comfortable turban from a waffle towel.
A sheet and a towel are a classic bath couple. You can wrap yourself in a sheet and lay it on the shelves - against burns and fungi. And the towel is already warming up, waiting for the owners in the dressing room. You can't find a better material than cotton. It absorbs moisture, is pleasant to the body, and dries quickly.

Add to the Bathhouse Attendant's collection of tips: how good it is not to dry yourself after a bath, but wait for the air to dry your skin! And it’s better to forget about the hair dryer: your hair won’t like double drying with steam and hot air.

Bathing suit - men's and women's A men's kilt for men and a women's pareo will help you not to feel embarrassed or embarrassed, but to feel at ease and naturally in the bathhouse. They are put on in seconds and removed with an easy movement of the hand thanks to the fastening with elastic and Velcro. After the steam room, sitting in the relaxation area with tea or playing billiards, it’s nice to feel at your best in a wrap-around robe.

And the Noble Bath Attendant prepared a surprise: a branded design of waffle fabric, with funny inscriptions and drawings on a “bath theme”. With such a textile collection you can make an impression in any company!

Broom is the best currency for entering the bathhouse

It's a popular truth: the only thing better than a broom in a bathhouse is two brooms! The broom will massage and steam, and release the aroma with beneficial substances. But what kind of broom is a matter of taste; the choice allows you to find an option for your soul and body.

Tip: Individual packaging will give you more natural flavors and preserve the integrity of the leaves. Never throw away the water after steaming the broom; you won’t find a better product for rinsing your body and hair after washing!

A birch broom caresses the skin, clings to it, absorbs sweat and gives an anti-inflammatory effect.
An oak broom is stronger and lasts longer. It draws in steam like a fan, ideal for powerful heating.
Eucalyptus broom is a tropical guest in a Russian bath. Its oils work wonders, relieving colds and coughs, calming nerves and boosting immunity.
Herbal broom - a pantry of useful properties in one bundle! Flowers and herbs are more tender than tree branches, but they fill the air, the water in which they were soaked, and the skin with aromas.

Secrets of the herbal broom

The most valuable herbs are wormwood and nettle.

Wormwood intoxicates with bitterness, relieves pain, acting as an analgesic, and clarifies memory.

Nettle is a green healer of joints, rheumatism and back pain, your own chiropractor in the bathhouse.

St. John's wort - heals nerves and strengthens the heart, heals the most complex skin diseases, heals wounds and relieves colds.

Currant and lemon balm are a vitamin cocktail for the skin with a fresh, invigorating aroma. They can lift your spirits and fight depression.

It is no coincidence that oregano is included in many cosmetic products. It nourishes the skin and turns on its renewal mechanism. The spicy smell of oregano helps with colds and bronchitis almost from the first steaming. And what an appetite after using it!

Chamomile is a modest field beauty and the queen of the home medicine cabinet! Calms the nerves and helps to forget about insomnia, relieves headaches and helps with women's ailments. Gently heals wounds and burns, psoriasis and neurodermatitis. Chamomile decoction and gentle stroking of the head with a broom is the first remedy for strengthening hair.

Mint – tender, refreshing soft. The menthol in mint gives it a bactericidal effect, relieving inflammation and eliminating acne. A mint broom relieves swelling in tired legs and energizes you. Mint in a steam room is very useful for colds, digestive problems, headaches and tense nerves.

Tip from a Noble Bath Attendant : when doing a massage with a broom, we move from the feet to the head, then back.

Working on mistakes in a steam room with brooms

What can’t you do when going to a bathhouse with brooms?

It is wrong to steam alone; you can strain relaxed muscles and joints. That’s why they call an experienced bathhouse attendant for help or take turns steaming each other.
The broom should not dry out: it is first steamed and then moistened in warm water. When the broom leaves dry out, they curl and fall off.
They do not whip with a broom with all their might; this is not punishment with rods. Learn broom massage techniques. Sometimes it’s enough to blow hot air towards the body; I regulate it with gentle movements.
Do not wave a broom zealously in a hot bath; the risk of getting burned by steam or drops of water is too great.

In skillful hands, a broom turns into a magic wand that gives health and pleasure.

Contraindications to visiting the steam room

A steam room will be useful if it has an optimal ratio of temperature and humidity. In certain cases, visiting a steam room, either with or without a broom, can be disastrous.

Direct contraindications to this procedure:

Skin inflammation, including acne. Steam room conditions can provoke the formation of full-fledged ulcers and abscesses with all the ensuing consequences.
Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. Increased blood circulation can lead to an attack.
Visiting a steam room can have a negative impact on people suffering from lung problems.
People with sexually transmitted diseases can also feel much worse in the bathhouse.
It is strictly forbidden to visit the steam room if you have various tumors.

You should not go to the sauna at the same time as taking corticosteroids. You need to wait 3-4 weeks after completing the course of treatment, because the drugs reduce the reactivity of the adrenal glands, and vascular complications can occur from overheating.

Fragrant steam, essential oils and natural soap

The bathhouse replaces a visit to the doctor, cosmetologists and massage therapists in a beauty salon. Very fashionable aromatherapy in the bath has a double effect:

Skillfully selected essential substances affect the body;
After a steam bath, the skin cleanses and opens the pores, now it’s time to nourish it with oils and masks.

Essential oils are fragrant, very concentrated extracts from the depths of plants. The dark bottles of the Aromatherapy collection contain viscous and delicate oils that are necessary in the bath for health and beauty.

Coniferous series: Atlas cedar, juniper, Siberian fir.
Spicy aromas: lemon balm, peppermint.
Citrus fruits: grapefruit, orange.
Exotic: eucalyptus.

Essential oils are dissolved in water: a few drops per ladle. To get a homogeneous solution, it is useful to add a little honey or sea salt to the water. This scented water is used to water wood walls or shelves, and soak brooms in it. But drops of undiluted ether burn on hot stones; this is one of the gross mistakes of using oils in a steam room.

Try to breathe through your mouth in the steam room: this way the steam, saturated with the resinous aroma of wood and essential oils, will warm the body from the inside. This method of heating is especially beneficial for respiratory diseases, colds and depressed mood.

Primary ablution

Speaking about how to properly go to the bathhouse, it is necessary first of all to emphasize the importance of preparing the body. That is, you don’t need to go straight to the steam room - first rinse yourself in a hot shower. In this case, the water should be warm enough. The optimal temperature is 38 degrees, this is enough to prepare the body for the upcoming test of high temperatures.

At this stage, the task is to warm up the skin, so leave the soap and washcloth for later. The fact is that soap actively destroys the lipid layer, which is designed to protect our skin. By washing away this barrier, we leave the skin defenseless against the high temperature of the steam room, which will dry it out to parchment.

Do you not use soap in the bath?

The noble bathhouse attendant agrees with this rule: soap is not allowed directly into the steam room itself, onto the wooden shelves. But after steam, in the washroom or under the shower - please

Beauty tip from the Noble Bath Attendant: bring honey to the bath. After steaming, apply it to your face and body, let it absorb, and then ask for a massage or rub with a silk exfoliating glove. This procedure is a wonderful alternative to salon wraps. Do you know that the birthplace of chalk peeling is oriental baths (hamam)?

In Rus' they washed with lye - a solution of stove ash. It cleaned well and was an excellent replacement for modern scrubs and peels. Pamper your steamed hair and skin with natural soap, without strong chemicals. The collection of the Noble Bathhouse Attendant contains only healthy products, such as soap produced by .

Its action is as wonderful as the names of the ingredients in this soap: coffee grounds and ground cinnamon, sweet orange and colored clay, crushed herbs and flowers, birch charcoal and cocoa, coconut, shea and neem oils. Solid particles act as a scrub and help get rid of dead epithelial cells. Oils provide delicate care, replacing masks and balms. By restoring elasticity to the skin, they provide it with hydration and nourishment.

Natural soap is gentle care for the skin and the secret of your freshness and charm.

Broom massage

First of all, plowing of the person lying on the shelf is performed. In this way, the injection of hot air is achieved. The massage continues with shaking. This is shaking a broom under the ceiling of the steam room and briefly pressing it on the feet, lower back and shoulder blades. Now you can move on to whipping and light blows to the skin. It is imperative to alternate them with lingering strokes. An excellent type of massage is a compress. A hot broom is lowered onto the skin with firm pressure for 4-5 seconds. Do not forget that although this procedure is pleasant, you should not drag it out too much. 5-7 minutes is enough, after which you need to lie down for another 2-5 minutes, relaxing as much as possible, and only then you can get up and go to rest.

How to quench your thirst in the bathhouse?

Oh, how I want to drink in the bathhouse! This is because in the steam room the body critically loses water. If you want to lose weight, it would be good to limit yourself to drinking for two hours after the bath. Under no circumstances, even if you are overheated, do not grab cold drinks, especially with ice!

Before steaming, many connoisseurs drink warm or hot tea, a decoction of herbs and berries in small sips. In between visits to the steam room or during rest, when you have steamed and washed, you can drink, but in moderation. Alcoholic drinks are not popular in the bathhouse: they are insidious and dangerous when combined with hot steam. The body is not always ready to endure such extreme loads: they greatly increase blood pressure and significantly increase heart rate. So caution is in order here, take care of yourself.

Hit parade of bath drinks

Tea - the head of all drinks in the bathhouse Before tea was brought to Russia from China and India, people drank herbal infusions. And the most respected were fireweed (fireweed) and linden blossom. They loved to treat themselves to sbitny - hot honey drinks with added spices. Teas were always accompanied by healthy (raspberry) and sour jams - from gooseberries and currants. Herbal decoctions contain a lot of useful substances and esters.

Kvass is an original Russian drink. The bready and intoxicating spirit of kvass is created for the bathhouse. It invigorates and cheers, but is not harmful, which is typical for beer.

Berry fruit drinks and natural juices No one will argue about the benefits of fresh juices; they are a storehouse of vitamins. Fruit drinks are the same juices diluted with sweet water. Maximum benefits from fruit drink with honey, mint leaves and a slice of lemon.

It is not particularly customary to eat in the bathhouse, although fruit on the table is welcome. Apples and pears, grapes and watermelon (in season) will quench your thirst and lift your spirits.

The noble Bath Attendant wishes you light steam, a bright mood, health and purity in body and heart!

Features of bath procedures for women

Healthy women are recommended to take a bath, but it is important to take into account some restrictions:

Pregnancy.
Menstruation.
Lactation.

Wellness procedures help to establish the cycle and eliminate inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary venous system. This is a wonderful prevention of specific female diseases, as well as diseases of the heart, lungs, musculoskeletal system and varicose veins.

In addition, each woman can choose the types of steaming that suit her, taking into account her own health and the ultimate goals of bathing leisure.