Exfoliating Glove, Kesse, Kessa

A spa quality exfoliating kesse, kessa glove, used daily by men and women across Morocco.

£8.00

This glove with its granulous texture is one of the most effective exfoliating gloves on the market. It feels simply divine when it is stroked over the skin. Available all over Morocco, massage gloves such as these are known as ‘kessa’, ‘kesse’, in Arabic, or ‘gant de gommage’ in French. It is an essential part of the washing kit taken to the public baths, or hammams.

Exfoliation is recommended once a week, or more frequently if needed. Not only does this practice leave you skin feeling incredible, but the skin, with the dead outer layers removed performs its health giving function much better. In addition, an exfoliation improves the circulation of the blood and lymph, improving the skin function from within.

How to use the exfoliating glove

The glove can be used to perform a dry exfoliation – just  massage the  body area with it.

The glove can be use for wet exfoliation – rub the skin after soaking in the bath or shower.

However the glove really comes into its own, when it is used in combination with Savon Noir. This olive based ‘black soap’ is rubbed into the wet skin and left to perform its deep cleaning and skin softening action for between 3 and 10 minutes. Then the Savon Noir is rinsed off and the exfoliating glove is rubbed all over the skin. Layers of dead skin and impurities will roll off the body onto the glove. If you have not done this before – you will be astounded at how fresh and soft the skin feels after using the glove.

The glove is also ideal for clay washing, whether using the shower or the bath, replacing flannels.

After use, rinse the glove and allow it to dry completely. Periodically wash by hand. I have tried washing these gloves in washing machine at temperature between 40 and 60^o and the gloves stand up pretty well. They do shrink and they don’t last as long. I would advise placing the exfoliating glove in a washing net if washing with other items, because it may damage fragile textiles. The gloves will last longer if they are washed by hand. These gloves should not of course be ironed because they are made of nylon. To achieve a longer life for the glove, wash it by hand and allow it to dry completely between uses.

Ethics of using this exfoliating glove

Nylon gloves like these have been used all over Morocco for the last 30 or so years. In fact the type of glove commonly available in Morocco is made of much thinner nylon and these rather flimsy gloves are regarded as disposable. Although they work very well and are very pleasurable to use and vegans find them acceptable, nylon is not biodegradable.

One of the missions of my business has been to re-create a Moroccan exfoliating gloves in the original, biodegradable materials, (goat hair) to have these gloves made in the traditional way. As nylon only flooded the planet after the Second World War, I was sure that  the knowledge was still in living memory and I have been able to initiate a new project, helping to save a nearly lost tradition.

I have just received my first batch of goat hair exfoliating gloves. Please check the shop listing.