The Himba women of Namibia have several beauty rituals that keep them looking fresh and youthful, including bathing without water.
The women take daily smoke baths to maintain their hygiene as the region of Kunene, where they reside, regularly experiences droughts. Regarded as the Omuhimba or Ovahimba, they are indigenous to people living in Northern Namibia.
The Himba women reportedly take smoke baths by putting “smoldering charcoal into a little bowl of herbs (mostly leaves and little branches of Commiphora trees) and wait for the smoke to ascend,” Belgian traveler Reuben Coussement said. “Thereafter, they will bow over the smoking bowl, and due to the heat, they will start perspiring. For a full body wash, they cover themselves with a blanket so that the smoke gets trapped underneath the fabric.”
One reason why Himba people, as a group, bathe without water is that they live in one of the most extreme environments on earth. As such, the harsh desert climate conditions and lack of access to safe water prevent them from having what is considered a “normal” bath. However, their smoke bath still enables them to have gorgeous, supple skin and a sweet-smoky scent that is reportedly pleasant to the nose.
Himba women also reportedly apply a clay mixture made of ochre with butterfat called otjize to their skin and hair daily, giving them a very distinctive red color. The ochre is an iron-based mineral called Hematite in powdered form. It provides several essential beauty benefits, including preventing body hair growth, protection from the sun, and possibly repelling insects. Hematite is considered an “anti-aging” agent worldwide, as it reportedly restores the skin’s radiance.
According to Himba women, their clay mixture is considered their “makeup” and is used to distinguish them from the men in their tribe. They’ve reportedly been practicing this for thousands of years, keeping their traditions intact since the 16th century.
