Looking for a cost-effective approach to improve your skin care routine and have that natural glow?
Sometimes the most basic actions of self-care can sometimes feel the most luxurious. And steaming your face is a simple DIY skin treatment that cleanses, nourishes, and pampers your skin.
Wrapping your face in a heated towel—perhaps with a few drops of essential oil if you’re feeling fancy—can be really relaxing. But, aside from a self-care moment, are there any real benefits to steaming your face?
What is face steaming?
Steaming as a form of self-care has been around since the beginning of time. One of the first instances may be seen in Turkish hammam bathhouses, which were both social and wellness hotspots for washing and resting in steamy rooms. Their origins can be traced back to the Roman empire.
Simple elements for good facial steaming are hot water and, in certain cases, a hot cloth to drape over your head to create a tent-like atmosphere in which the steam may be trapped and absorbed by your skin. If you want a full facial with steaming, you can go to a professional esthetician, or you can get a sophisticated facial sauna or facial steamer device to steam your face at home.
But what are the reasons why face steaming can give you a natural glow?
Here are the things that you may want to know:
Helps with facial blood flow
The heat from the steam, according to all experts, aids circulation by increasing blood flow to the face. Hence, the overall result is a lovely, rosy glow, the same as what you’d get from jogging up a flight of stairs or after a yoga practice.
Facial steaming hydrates your skin
One of the main benefits of facial steaming is hydration. Steaming adds moisture to your skin which is why it makes your skin look good and gives a nice rosy glow. But you have to make sure that after steaming your face, do your regular skincare routine such as applying moisturisers or serums to seal in the moisture.
Boost exfoliation
What really happens to your face when you expose it to steam? According to experts, the very top layer of dead skin, called the stratum corneum, softens and becomes more permeable, loosening up any oils, dirt, or acne-causing bacteria hanging out on the skin surface so it can be removed, which is a form of physical exfoliation in itself.
However, over-exfoliating might cause irritation or abrasion, hence after steaming, you can gently exfoliate your face with a dry cloth (in circular motions) to remove any dead skin, oil, debris, or bacteria. Therefore, it causes your face to be thoroughly clean resulting in smoother and glowing skin.
Help your skin absorb skincare products
The enhanced permeability of your skin’s top layer allows skincare products to penetrate more easily. Because there may be an instance that hydration might get lost throughout the steaming process, you’ll want to restore your skin with some very hydrating creams right afterward.
Serums containing humectants, such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin, attract moisture into the skin from the surface. After that, use a heavier moisturiser with elements that help to reinforce the skin barrier and prevent moisture loss.
Look for ceramides on the label, which, according to experts function as “grout” between your skin cells, preventing water from escaping and sealing in moisture. And because thicker, more moisturising moisturiser formulas take longer to penetrate, your skin’s moisture barrier will remain intact.
Promotes collagen and elastin production
With the increase of blood flow in your skin during the steaming process, cells are activated which promotes collagen and elastin production. As a result, the skin appears firmer and younger with a healthy-looking glow.
Are there any risks when face steaming?
Burning your skin in hot water is one of the risks of a steam facial. Allow water to drop to room temperature before putting your face near it, and always transfer even warmed water to a heat-resistant basin by using gloves or oven mitts to avoid burns.
Any amount of hot steam used for long periods of time can be harsh and hurt your skin. Therefore, if you are using facial steamers, limit their use once or twice a week and not longer than 10 minutes. Make sure that when you use it, staying 5-10 inches away is recommended to avoid steam burns and irritation.
People with sensitive skin, as well as those who suffer from rosacea or eczema, should avoid using a facial steamer because it can create flare-ups and increase redness and irritation.
Conclusion
Steam facials are not only wonderful for enhancing glow, but they can also help with other skin procedures like extractions. The key benefit is that it opens pores and allows you to clean clogged pores more readily while promoting healthy skin. Make sure that you check with your dermatologists before face steaming to avoid further irritations or complications with your skin condition.
Fun fact about Nicola: She owns a lot of sunscreens as she carries a mini sunscreen in each of her handbags and backpacks.
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