The cedar ritual
On sauna hats, the oils we use, and the small ceremonies that make a session more than just heat.
The hats are Finnish wool, the oils are eucalyptus and pine resin, and the ritual is older than any of us. Every regular who comes through the gate eventually develops their own version of it — a particular order of doing things, a number of rounds they always complete, a way of sitting that no one taught them.
We get asked about the oils often. The eucalyptus goes on the ladle before it hits the stones. The steam that comes back carries it up and into the room in a way that is hard to describe — medicinal and wild at the same time, like the inside of a forest after rain. A small amount goes a long way.
The hats are not vanity. They slow the heat reaching your head, which lets you stay in longer without discomfort. Once you have used one, going without feels like leaving something behind. They live on the cedar door between sessions. Pick one up when you arrive.