I tend to have a strict policy on how I use towels. For one, I usually replace them often (never using a towel beyond two to three days in a row), and I always have a separate towel on hand to dry my face. In the past, I’ve also made it a point to have a clear line of separation between my bathroom towels and my beach towels — that was, until I tried Brooklinen’s new Hamman Towel. What I thought was strictly a beach towel turned out to be incredibly soft and absorbent, and it just may find its rightful place in my bathroom.

After I received my package, it didn’t take long to sell me on the fact that these towels, made of 85 percent Turkish cotton, were the real deal. The gorgeous striped design is easy on the eyes (I opted for the Cool Mint colorway) and the material is immediately soft to the touch, even before it goes in the wash. And because I immediately throw new towels and bedding into the washing machine before using them, I was pleased to see them get even softer afterwards. So far, so good!

I discovered the real magic of these super-absorbent towels during a recent beach trip with my sister and five-year-old nephew. It was an impromptu stop during a 90-degree day, and my sister mistakenly forgot to bring towels of her own. As a result, all three of us ended up having to share the Brooklinen Hammam Towel I brought. Surprisingly, it kept us all dry after our swim and didn’t become sopping wet like we expected. In fact, it dried rather quickly by the time we packed up our beach bag. To say I was stunned would be an understatement. It was then that I knew this towel was the real deal. As if the absorbency wasn’t enough of a selling point, I also love that this towel measures 40″ x 70″, which is the perfect size if you’re using this to lay out on (which we did after drying off).

After our beach day, I was curious to see how the Brooklinen towel would fare as a bath towel. Similar to its performance at the beach, it ended up being one of the fastest drying towels I’ve ever used. I love the ample size of the fabric, which gives me more surface area to dry my hair and body. The terry cloth side of the towel is so heavenly soft and is just the thing you want to be wrapped up in after a hot shower. So far, I’ve washed this towel three times and I’ve noticed no pilling or unraveling of the terry cloth. When it’s all dry, this towel folds flat and fits easily into the linen closet without much bulkiness. Unlike other towels I’ve tested and shared with my family, this is one that I want to keep all to myself.

Though the Brooklinen Hammam Towel is a bit on the pricier side, I won’t hesitate to buy it again in different colors. Suffice it to say, I think I’ve found my favorite summer splurge.