Bathing Culture· 4 min read
The ANGAN Sauna Ritual: Heat, Steam and Skincare by the Sea
An evening of warmth, steam, skincare and breath by the sea. Here is how our ANGAN Sauna Ritual unfolds, step by step, and how to bring the feeling home.
Words: Íris Laxdal
There is something special about stepping away from the everyday and giving yourself permission to slow down. That is the whole idea behind the ANGAN Sauna Ritual: an evening of warmth, steam, skincare, breath and good company, built around the Icelandic love of heat, water and taking time for yourself.
We held our first ANGAN Sauna Ritual in the summer of 2025, and what began as an idea to bring our community together beyond the bathroom shelf has become one of our favourite ANGAN rituals. Strangers become familiar faces, and an online community becomes something real you can sit next to on a warm wooden bench.
Why a Sauna Ritual
In Iceland, heat and water are part of everyday life. We meet friends in the hot pot, swim in the local pool whatever the weather and finish with a cold dip in the sea when we are brave. A sauna brings all of that together in one small wooden room. Add skincare made from Icelandic botanicals, a little aroma and a slower pace, and a sauna becomes a ritual rather than a routine.
Building ANGAN has never only been about creating skincare. It is about moments like this: coming together, caring for ourselves and living more intentionally.
Arrive and Breathe
We always begin with the breath. Before anyone steps into the heat, we take a few quiet minutes to arrive, settle and become present. Phones go away, shoulders drop and the day slowly falls behind us.
Prepare the Skin
Next comes body exfoliation with our Icelandic Moss Salt Scrub, made with geothermal sea salt from Saltverk in the Westfjords. Massaged over damp skin in slow circles, it buffs away dry, flaky skin and leaves the body feeling soft and ready for the heat.
Heat, Steam and Scent
Our sauna master Olga Hörn takes care of the heat and the flow in the sauna. Gentle herbal steam, essential oils and Icelandic herbs fill the room with scent, and each round is followed by rest, fresh air and, for those who want it, a cold dip in the sea. Warm, cool, rest, repeat, at whatever pace feels right for you.
Massage and Nourish
After the heat, we focus on massage and nourishment. Botanic Bliss Body Oil is massaged into the body while the skin is still warm and slightly damp, and Arctic Youth Face Oil becomes part of a calming facial ritual. Taking the time to massage the oils into the skin encourages a slower approach to skincare, one that is as much about how the ritual feels as how the skin looks afterwards.
Rest and Connect
We finish wrapped in a robe or a warm sweater, with something to drink and time to talk. This is often my favourite part of the evening, the quiet conversations that happen once everyone has slowed down. Every guest goes home with a small ANGAN gift bag so the ritual can continue at home.
Bring the Ritual Home
You do not need a sauna to borrow the feeling. A warm shower or bath works beautifully:
- Start with a few slow breaths before you turn on the water
- Exfoliate damp skin with a salt scrub once or twice a week
- Let the warm water do its work, then finish with a few seconds of cool water if you like
- Massage a body oil into slightly damp skin, and a few drops of face oil into your face with slow upward strokes
- Give yourself ten quiet minutes afterwards, no screens
Join the Next ANGAN Sauna
We host the ANGAN Sauna Ritual a few times a year at Fúsk sauna by the sea, led by me and our sauna master Olga Hörn. Seats are limited, and you can find the next date and book your place on the ANGAN Sauna Event page. Bring swimwear, a towel, a water bottle, comfortable clothes or a robe for afterwards, and swim shoes if you plan to go into the sea.
Thank you to everyone who has joined us, shared the space and made these evenings what they are. I hope to see you on the bench soon.
With love,
Íris
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