For our founder, Teyma, self-care was modeled through the practice of hammam from a young age.
“My grandmother’s only real moment of pleasure was going to the hammam once a week,” she says. “It was a time to see her friends and genuinely relax. That day was her day and it was sacred! No cooking, no cleaning, just time for herself — real self-care.”
The steps of hammam body cleansing are easy, but like any self-care ritual, the power lies in the intention and commitment. Here Teyma shares her self-care philosophy and the weekly practices she finds most invigorating.
Hammam seems to have given you the language of self-care from an early age. Would you say so?
Yes, from watching my mother and grandmother practice hammam and participating alongside them as a child, I learned to dedicate time for myself, realizing the importance of reconnecting with oneself and one's body. Hammam isn't just about cleansing — it's much more than that. It's therapy!
Self-care is mainstream now, but everyone has their own relationship to it. How would you describe yours?
Self-care is fundamentally important because it starts from within. At the core of self-care is how we feel about ourselves and how we perceive ourselves. When we are aligned with ourselves and genuinely love who we are, we naturally feel comfortable in our skin. The rituals and cosmetics we use should be additions to enhance our well-being, not the sole foundation of it.
Teyma’s Weekly Self-Care Routine
These rituals are not just routines for me. They are integral to my well-being, providing me with relaxation, rejuvenation, and a deep sense of connection to myself and my heritage, which became even more important after I left Tunisia.
Stillness
I discovered the power of meditation during my travels in Asia, and it has become an integral part of my self-care routine. I take 15 minutes each day in quiet solitude. My absolute favorite part of this self-care ritual is its accessibility. It’s free and can be done with the time you have. As self-care goes, nothing beats allowing myself the time to calm from within and achieve internal balance.
Ayurvedic recipes
A few years ago, after noticing my hair was brittle and thinning, I delved into the world of Ayurvedic science and started creating my own recipes for body and hair care. I fell in love with the practice of blending Ayurvedic plants and it felt quite empowering to be able to nurture my body and hair in such a personalized way. Now Ayurvedic skin and haircare recipes are a cherished part of my weekly routine.
At-home hammam
Growing up with the hammam ritual, I've always cherished it as a self-care practice for the relaxation and self-love I experience when doing it. I dreamed of making the ritual accessible to everyone in the comfort of their own bathroom, which is how I conceived NERRĀ. I do the full Body Cleansing Ritual once a week — it’s my secret to maintaining hydrated, soft skin and for combating environmental pollutants, which is important in my urban setting.
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What I feel is most important with self-care is finding what works for you and committing to it, even if it’s just once a week as it was for my grandmother. Looking at the routines you already do — like bathing — and finding ways to infuse intention into it makes self-care feel more like slowing down and less like another thing to do. I hope to see self-care normalized as an essential, regular practice for every living thing.
