The heat, the dim lights, the strong scent of aromatic oils… and a concentrated sauna host swinging hot towels in the air. What’s going on, you might wonder?
It’s Aufguss, the new sauna trend from Germany.
Aufguss is a German sauna concept that is currently gaining popularity all over the sauna world. The word aufguss basically means “too pour”, and part of the ritual is to pour scented water on the hot sauna stones. In many ways, aufguss is similar to traditional sauna, but what stands out is the sauna hosts that actively perform and with the help of towels spread the perfumed steam and the heat over the bathers.
Their movements almost look like a dance, and are sometimes accompanied by music. Usually a session takes from 5 to 15 minutes, and depending on what oils are used, the effect differs from uplifting and invigorating to calming and relaxing. Aufguss is sometimes combined with honey and salt to soften and scrub the skin.
