Anyone who regularly visits a sauna in Germany will know the Aufguss.
Water is poured onto hot sauna stones, steam rises and the heat suddenly feels more intense.
In public saunas, this often becomes an organised ritual, sometimes with fragrances, music and a sauna master.
In Finland, however, you encounter another word:
löyly.
And it means more than simply an Aufguss.
What happens when water meets sauna stones?
The stones in a sauna heater store a great deal of heat.
When water is poured onto the hot stones, it evaporates very quickly.
Humidity briefly rises, making the heat feel much more intense on your skin.
This moment is at the heart of the Finnish sauna experience.
What does löyly mean?
In Finland, löyly describes the steam and distinctive sensation of heat created when water is poured onto hot sauna stones.
The word holds special significance in Finnish sauna culture.
UNESCO describes löyly as central to the Finnish sauna experience: the steam created by pouring water onto heated stones.
Finnish sauna culture has been on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2020.
Are Aufguss and löyly the same?
Not quite.
In German-speaking countries, “Aufguss” often suggests an organised sauna ritual.
At scheduled times, a sauna master enters the sauna, pours water, sometimes with a fragrance, onto the stones, then circulates the hot air using a towel or fan.
Löyly is usually much simpler.
A Finnish sauna often has a bucket of water and a sauna ladle ready to use.
When someone wants more steam, they pour a little water onto the hot stones.
A warm wave of steam moves through the room.
Then you wait.
And perhaps another wave follows later.
No fixed programme.
No competition.
No prescribed rhythm.
How often should you pour water onto the stones?
There is no fixed rule.
Visit Finland describes it simply:
when you would like another wave of steam, you can pour more water onto the stones.
What matters is consideration for the other people in the sauna.
The Finnish Sauna Society emphasises this too.
Löyly belongs to Finnish sauna culture, but the wishes of other bathers should be respected.
Sauna is not a competition to see who can endure the most heat.
How do you make löyly?
You only need a few things:
• a suitable sauna heater with hot sauna stones
• water
• a sauna bucket
• a sauna ladle
Use the ladle to pour an appropriate amount of water onto the hot stones.
Keep your distance from the heater and never lean over it.
The hot steam can be very intense.
Then simply wait and feel how the warmth in the room changes.
If more steam is wanted later, water can be added again.
What about sauna fragrances?
Fragrances can give a sauna evening its own atmosphere.
Popular scents include birch, eucalyptus, pine, spruce and mint.
Always follow the instructions for the particular product.
Do not pour concentrated sauna fragrances undiluted onto hot sauna stones unless the manufacturer explicitly specifies that use.
And fragrance is optional.
Traditional löyly starts with just two things:
hot stones and water.
Perhaps the best part is the simplicity
A bucket.
A ladle.
Hot stones.
Water.
And a few quiet minutes.
Perhaps this is one reason Finnish sauna feels so special.
There is no need for a complicated programme.
You listen to your body, consider the people beside you and decide together when it is time for the next small wave of löyly.
Water and hot stones become something that has been part of life in Finland for generations.
Sources
Finnish Sauna Society — Sauna Bathing and Customs
Visit Finland — 10 Sauna Tips for Beginners from Finland
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — Sauna Culture in Finland
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