Why it works: Laceby Manor's Black Soap Hammam Journey

Laceby Manor is all about laid-back luxury that's inspired by and in tune with nature, fusing the best of modern wellbeing whilst drawing on the ancient wisdom of holistic heritage. Working in partnership with organic seaweed-based VOYA skincare, they offer a host of treatments, including a collection of hammam rituals. Now, they have introduced the unique Black Soap Hammam Journey, and are the only spa in the UK to offer it. Here's what you need to know.

What is the Black Soap Hammam Journey?

The Black Soap Hammam Journey adds to our regular scrub massages, which are inspired by the traditional Turkish hammam. Usually, after a full body exfoliation using a peppermint sugar scrub, your body is cleansed using lime and mandarin infused water, before you're treated to a light traditional foam massage, followed by a rosemary and mint shampoo and scalp massage. With the Black Soap Hammam Journey however, VOYA wanted to layer in the black soap before the scrub, because it contains natural enzymes that supercharge the exfoliation effect whilst being gentle on sensitive skin.

Where does the Black Soap Hammam Journey come from?

Black soap has a long history, rooted in Africa and Morocco in particular. In terms of the treatment however, it's inspired by the hammam tradition, but it's a therapy designed by VOYA, who are known for their seaweed-based products. It's a really beautiful treatment that leaves skin looking and feeling instantly amazing.

What does the spa treatment involve?

The treatment takes place in our dedicated hammam room, which is incredibly beautiful and features a large, heated, stone slab so you remain warm throughout the experience. We apply the black soap to the skin, and it stays on throughout the treatment. Then we do a full-body scrub, before lathering you in the most luxurious bubbles, which helps break down the salts and nourish the skin, leaving it instantly hydrated. We remove the soap with a mitt at the end to reveal totally rejuvenated skin. We also wash your hair, so it's a real head-to-toe therapy.

What are the benefits of the Black Soap Hammam Journey?

Black soap's main ingredient is olive oil, which is super hydrating, nourishing, and healing. For people who come with dehydrated or dull skin, it has the most incredible impact. The treatment also contains eucalyptus and peppermint, so it’s quite detoxing and cooling on the skin, which has the added benefit of helping with aches and pains too. While it's a more advanced level of exfoliation, it's also more gentle than most scrubs, so it's suitable for anyone with sensitive skin.

Who is the treatment good for?

It's a really great treatment for just about anyone - it's very nourishing and healing, and it's suitable for anyone with eczema or psoriasis as long as the skin isn't broken. It's also great if your skin is dry, flakey, or simply looking a bit dull, and because it has instant results it's wonderful before an event, or pre- or post-holiday.

Is there anyone this treatment isn't suitable for?

It isn't suitable for anyone during pregnancy - but we have alternative treatments we recommend. For anyone who has serious medical conditions we would encourage them to contact us before booking so we can assess whether it's suitable on an individual basis. If it isn't, we can either adapt the treatment or recommend something else.

Is there anything you recommend doing before or after the Black Soap Hammam Journey to make the most of it?

I would always recommend using the spa facilities before the treatment to get you in the best frame of mind to enjoy it, and drink plenty of water afterwards. Other than that, however, it's a very self-contained experience and there's no need for downtime afterwards - the skin looks instantly amazing! We're currently the only spa in the UK to offer this experience which is a real privilege.