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CAIRO — In light of rising costs for almost everything in Egypt, including cosmetic and body care products, ancient bathhouses — “hammamat” in Arabic — have become the destination of women seeking beauty treatments. This trend is not only popular among residents in desirable neighborhoods, but also among women from the middle class, which is finding luxuries increasingly difficult to afford.
A mix of scents from natural, aromatic Egyptian herbs and water vapor fills the air of the simple reception hall of the Talat bathhouse, with its traditional walls and folkloric decorative items. More than a hundred women of all ages are lined up in a narrow alley in the Boulaq area of downtown Cairo, waiting to enter the hammam.
