The Culture and History of Body Scrubbing

There’s something deeply satisfying about exfoliating or scrubbing. Not the kind you do to your stovetop or your inbox—this is the ritual kind. The kind you feel after exfoliating. Clean skin. Quiet mind. A sense of being fully, wonderfully reset.

Capybara Bathhouse by Declan Blackall

A BRIEF (AND GRITTY) HISTORY OF BODY SCRUBBING

From the bathhouses of Istanbul to the hot springs of Japan, scrubbing has always been part of the communal bathing experience. In Korea, seshin—a vigorous full-body exfoliation done by a specialist in black underwear (yes, really)—is considered a rite of passage. In Morocco, there’s the hammam, where you lather in black soap and let the kessa glove work its magic. Roman bathers used curved metal strigils to scrape oil and sweat from the skin before stepping into thermal pools.

This wasn’t just about vanity. It was about purification. Shedding the day, the month, the season. Stepping out new.

And while today’s scrubbing rituals might come with fancier packaging or an Instagram caption, the essence hasn’t changed. It’s still about sloughing off—skin, stress, stories that no longer serve.

SO... WHY SCRUB?

Because your skin needs it. And because your soul kind of does, too.

Physically, exfoliating helps remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and promote circulation. It helps your skin breathe better, glow brighter, and absorb that expensive oil you’ve been saving. But beyond the biology, scrubbing can be meditative. Rhythmic. A practice of care that requires nothing more than presence and a little pressure.

At Capybara, we keep it playful. We encourage you to try the salt or ice scrub station - yes, it’s cold, and yes, it’s amazing. Use your hands, use your mitt, use your whole heart. There’s no wrong way, as long as you’re showing up for yourself.

HOW TO EXFOLIATE

— Start from the feet and work your way up — Always toward the heart. — Use circular motions or long, sweeping strokes. Whatever feels intuitive. — Try it before you plunge or sweat — It helps prep the skin for what’s to come. — Rinse, breathe, and feel what’s shifted.

And don’t forget: scrubbing isn’t about scrubbing hard. It’s about scrubbing 

DRY BRUSHING

At Capybara, we personally chose Sasawashi—a traditional Japanese fabric made from a blend of washi paper and kumazasa plant fibres. These mitts are naturally antibacterial, gently exfoliating, and dry quickly between uses (read: no soggy sponges here). Whether you're stepping into the sauna, rinsing off in the outdoor showers, or starting your slow ritual at home—make it intentional, and make it yours. The Sasawashi body mitts are available at the bathhouse and online. Just another way to keep the ritual going, long after your visit ends.

BOOK YOUR SCRUB