Journal

Kese mitt, olive oil soap bar and striped peshtemal towel on cream marble
How to Do a Turkish Hammam Ritual at Home
A Turkish hammam follows a simple order: warm up, scrub, wash, rinse and rest. Here is how to do the same ritual in your own bathroom with a kese mitt,... Read more...
Folded cream peshtemal towel with olive green stripes and twisted tassels
What Is a Peshtemal? A Guide to the Turkish Hammam Towel
A peshtemal is the flat-woven towel worn as a wrap in Turkish hammams. Here is how it differs from a terry towel, what size to expect, what it's used for... Read more...
Kese mitt on marble with olive oil soap, a hammam bowl and a striped peshtemal towel
Kese vs. Loofah vs. Body Scrub vs. Italy Towel: Which Exfoliator Is Which?
A side-by-side look at the common body exfoliators: the Turkish kese, the Moroccan kessa glove, the Korean Italy towel, the loofah, the body scrub and the dry brush. Read more...
Hand wearing a kese mitt, scrubbing a damp forearm
How to Use a Kese Mitt at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide
Soak for 5 to 10 minutes, wring the mitt out, scrub in long firm strokes, then rinse and wash. The full method, the common mistakes and what to do if... Read more...
Close-up of a woven kese mitt showing its textured weave
What Is a Kese? The Turkish Hammam Mitt, Explained
A kese is the coarse woven mitt used for the body scrub in a Turkish hammam. Here is what it is, where it comes from, what it is made of... Read more...