We often find ourselves in need of a complete skincare detox following the holidays. From the lack of sleep, numerous glasses of wine, to frigid temps, by the end of it all, our skin is gasping for hydration. My mom understands my love of skincare hacks and for Christmas got me a 3-in-1 facial steamer that I never knew I needed.
At a glance, I figured it would mainly be great for unclogging pores. But after doing a bit of digging I found it so much more useful. Little did I know this facial steamer would become a game-changer in my routine.
Essentially, a steamer makes your overall skincare routine more effective. In an interview with Elle.com, Dr. Dennis Gross, a dermatologist, says that along with moisturizing your skin it helps enhance and accelerate the benefits of your skincare routine. It helps prime your skin for targeted treatments, allows specific ingredients to absorb more deeply, and promotes blood circulation.
Steaming also allows for deeper cleansing of the skin. It loosens up any buildup of dirt and softens blackheads, which makes them much easier to remove.
So, how do you go about incorporating it into your routine?
- Thoroughly cleanse your skin. This helps with the process of eliminating any blockage and preps the skin for maximum steam benefits.
- Fill the steamer with distilled or micellar water. This is softer on the skin and won’t cause build-up in your steamer.
- Steam for two 5-minute sessions. Give your skin a quick break after 5-minutes and then go in once more. Make sure your face is about 5 to 10 inches away as directed by your steamer’s manual to make sure you aren’t burning or causing your skin to swell. For your first session, you can also start off with two 3-minute intervals to see how your skin reacts.
- Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry. Your skin will be much more sensitive than normal afterward so don’t rub it or that’ll cause irritation.
- Follow-up with a serum and then a moisturizer. Serums with hyaluronic acid are particularly beneficial because they really pack in the moisture post steam.
- Or follow-up with a face mask. This is a great time to mask as well before moisturizing to help detox your skin.
- Only steam once a week. You don’t want to overdo it, excess steaming can cause dryness and irritation to the skin.
Along with the skincare benefits, using a facial steamer can help soothe and calm your nervous system. Adding a few drops of essential oils, taking a deep inhale and indulging in an at-home aromatherapy session can be just what you need after a long day.
Here are a few steamers to look into for yourself:
NanoSteamer Large 3-in-1 ($39.95)
Facial Steamer Nano Ionic ($35.99)
OKACHI GLIYA Facial Steamer ($59.99)
Dr. Dennis Gross Pro Facial Steamer ($149)
3 comments
When it comes to deep cleansing of your skin, nothing is as effective as the use of facial steamer.
I definitely agree!
Thank you! The exact info I needed. I was just gifted a facial steamer and I’m so excited to get started!
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