Morocco Time

My top Google search phrase is now “sabon beldi,” so I must bow to the demands of my audience, ha ha.

I spoke about this soap once before, when talking about a trip to the hammam. Here are a few other essential facts about it.

1. No matter how squeaky clean it makes your skin feel, do not try to wash your hair with it. You have been warned.

2. If you’re trying to search for it on Google, also type in “savon beldi.”

3. Unless it’s sold in one of those plastic packs, it has a limited life span. If you buy too much, one day you’ll open whatever container you use to store it (mine is a plastic Kozy Shack rice pudding tub), and you’ll find a liquified brown goop – NOT the lovely smushy molasses texture that it should be!

4. I have dry skin, especially in the wintertime, and this soap is great for that. Very moisturizing (well, it is an olive oil by-product) and gentle.

What to bring:

• plastic bucket
• mat or stool (to sit on at the hammam)
• shampoo
• soap
• sabon beldi (brown olive oil soap, paste form, you can get a fist sized portion for about 2 dirhams)
• very rough scrubby mitt (called a “kiss”)
• mitt for regular soap
• razor
• towel
• extra pair of underwear
• flip-flops
• plastic bag for clothes
• scarf for head (after hammam)

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