One of the highlights of our boating summer was the chance to bath in a smoke sauna. In the end of July we stayed at our friends’ summer cottage for three days. Days were rainy but it didn`t matter because we had good company, good food and possibility to go for a warm sauna every evening.
Usually there is no running water in the smoke sauna so we began with carrying the water from the lake to the sauna
Unna is always ready to bath in a sauna. She was excited because this was her first time in a smoke sauna.
Smoke sauna is black from inside because of the smoke stays inside while heating it up
Unna was surprised when I was telling her how we would soon bath in that sauna
Finnish ❤ Sauna
I wrote in my rye bread post how Finnish people miss rye bread when they are abroad. That`s true, but another thing that they usually miss is sauna. Sauna is an essential part of the Finnish culture.
Most of the Finnish saunas are nowadays heated up by wood or electricity but some people still have smoke saunas which I think are the luxury version of Finnish saunas. Their history goes far beyond the modern saunas.
Our friend and host Kimmo had planned and build his family`s smoke sauna by himself so this sauna was 100 % handmade. He had read dozens of books about smoke saunas and researched the building techniques while planning his work.
It takes about four hours to heat up a traditional smoke sauna but the experience is definitely worth of wait. Heat in smoke sauna is soft and mild which is exactly how I like it. Kimmo is definitely a smoke sauna expert nowadays!
On the way to bath in the sauna… Because of the heat you sweat a lot in sauna so it`s good to drink while having a sauna.
With a ladle you throw water on the sauna stove. This sauna ladle was made out of burl and it had been dried up for two years before making a ladle out of it.
“Vihta” means a bunch of birch branches that you dip in the warm water and with which you then gently flagellate yourself. It stimulates the circulation and gives fresh aroma. I recommend you to try!
Bathing in sauna takes care of the beauty
I simple love to bath in a sauna. We have electric heated sauna at home and especially during the winter we have sauna at least every other day. For me bathing in sauna is one of the best ways to relax and cleanse myself. It is said that the woman is the most beautiful after a sauna and shower. I think that`s true. After a sauna I feel myself naturally beautiful – and that is a great feeling!
You can also combine different kinds of beauty care treatments to the sauna, like a peat mask. But I will tell about them for you another time!
Swimming in the lake while having sauna is refreshing
A cold drink after the sauna is so good!
A feeling after having sauna is clean, relaxed and naturally beautiful
