If you’re used to walking into a sauna, sitting down and letting the heat do its thing, your first Aufguss can feel very different. There’s a sauna master. Water and aroma hit the stones. Steam fills the room. Then the towels come out.
Suddenly, the heat isn’t just surrounding you. It’s moving.
Aufguss is a guided sauna ritual built around heat, steam, aroma and towelwork, turning an ordinary sauna session into something much more immersive. And while it might be relatively new to many people in London, the ritual itself has deep roots in European sauna culture.
What does Aufguss mean?
Aufguss is a German word that translates roughly as “infusion”.
In a sauna context, it refers to pouring water onto hot sauna stones, increasing the humidity inside the room. That simple act forms the foundation of the ritual. Modern Aufguss takes things further.
Water or ice, often combined with essential oils, is placed onto the heated stones. As it evaporates, the sauna master uses a towel to move the hot, humid air around the sauna. Music, fragrance and increasingly performance can also become part of the experience. At its core, though, Aufguss is about controlling heat, air and atmosphere.
What happens during an Aufguss?
Every sauna master has their own approach, but the basic ritual follows a recognisable structure. First, water or ice is placed onto the hot sauna stones. As the water evaporates, humidity inside the sauna increases and the heat begins to feel noticeably more intense.
The sauna master then uses different towel techniques to circulate that hot air throughout the room. This is an important part of what makes Aufguss different from simply sitting in a sauna.
Rather than the heat remaining relatively still, the towel creates movement through the air. You begin to feel waves of warmth moving across the body as the sauna master directs the heat around the room.
The internationally recognised Modern Classic form of Aufguss centres on exactly these elements: water or ice, essential oils, music and towel techniques designed primarily to distribute heat and air.
Why does the towel make such a difference?
You might look at someone waving a towel around a sauna and wonder how much difference it can really make…
Quite a lot.
When water hits the hot stones, it creates a pocket of hotter, more humid air. The sauna master then moves and directs that air using the towel. Different techniques can push the heat across the room, circulate it above the guests or direct a more concentrated wave of warmth towards an individual. That means an Aufguss feels dynamic.
The temperature of the sauna itself might not have dramatically changed, but the combination of increased humidity and moving hot air can make the sensation of heat significantly more intense. And because the sauna master controls that movement, the experience has a rhythm to it.
What role does aroma play in Aufguss?
Fragrance is another important part of the ritual. Essential oils can be introduced alongside the water or ice, allowing aroma to move through the sauna as the steam circulates. Different rounds of the same Aufguss can use different fragrances, changing the atmosphere of the room as the session progresses.
The aroma isn't simply there to make the sauna smell good. It becomes part of the sensory experience alongside the heat, music, steam and movement. In classic competitive Aufguss, fragrance composition and the way it works with the rest of the ritual are considered part of the sauna master's craft.
What are the benefits of Aufguss?
A lot of what makes Aufguss special comes from the experience itself. A more immersive sauna experience. The combination of moving heat, aroma, music and guidance gives you something to focus on.
Rather than watching the clock or wondering when you should leave, you're following the rhythm of the session. When the steam rises and a wave of heat moves towards you, there isn't much room left for emails, notifications or whatever was happening outside the sauna.
For many people, that's part of the appeal.
Is Aufguss suitable for beginners?
Yes. You don't need to be an experienced sauna-goer to join an Aufguss. In some ways, having a sauna master leading the experience can make guided sauna easier to understand when you're starting out.
But it can get hot. If you're new, sit on a lower bench where the temperature generally feels less intense, listen to your body and remember that you can leave the sauna if you become uncomfortable. There is no prize for staying in longer than feels right.
If you feel faint, dizzy or unwell, step outside and allow yourself to cool down.
What should you do after an Aufguss?
Once the session finishes, give yourself time to cool down.
At WellNest, that might mean moving into one of our ice baths, taking a break outside the sauna or simply sitting and allowing your body to settle before deciding what comes next.
You can then return for another sauna round or continue through the rest of the spa at your own pace.
That transition between heat, cooling and rest is part of the ritual too.
Experience Aufguss in London
If you've never tried Aufguss before, it's difficult to understand it fully from a description.
Join Hubert every Wednesday for traditional Aufguss, or experience Saunagus with Oliver Wessley every other Tuesday at WellNest London Bridge.
Both experiences are available with a WellNest Spa Pass.
More Insights
