There are many procedures that help bring your skin condition closer to ideal. The most accessible and widespread method of cleansing it is steaming. It is not neglected by elite beauty salons, where the latest developments in the field of cosmetology are used, but you can easily steam your face at home, using what is always at hand - for example, hot water.
Characteristics of the procedure
The essence of steaming is that hot and humid air, acting on the skin, increases its elasticity, makes it softer, increases blood circulation, and causes the pores to open. This makes it possible to remove dead cells, makeup particles, and fat plugs that were previously inaccessible. The procedure perfectly prepares the face for cleansing, that is, for the removal of acne, blackheads, and wen, and the effectiveness of masks and creams applied after it increases several times.
Steaming different types of skin has certain nuances:
The skin must first be prepared:
- You need to remove your makeup and wash your face using a cleanser. If your skin is oily and prone to dermatoses, you can use a scrub. It is important that the skin is clean before the procedure, because if dirt gets into open pores, inflammation may begin.
- Apply a rich cream to the skin of the eyelids and around the mouth for protection.
- Hair is tucked under a special cap or bandage so that it does not fall on the face.
Further actions will depend on one or another steaming method.
Ways to steam your facial skin
Use of special means
Manufacturers of cosmetics offer ready-made masks that have a steaming effect. The components of the product, when interacting with water, emit heat, under the influence of which the pores expand and are cleaned of excess fat and impurities. This product cannot completely rid the skin of comedones (blackheads), but it dries and tones the skin well. The advantage of these masks is that they can be used even by those for whom intense heat exposure is contraindicated (people suffering from hypertension, bronchial asthma).
The cold hydrogenation method is gaining increasing popularity today. Products for this procedure are indispensable when traveling, as well as in cases where the skin is contraindicated from exposure to moist heat. Their action is based on the ability of the liquid from the gel components to penetrate the surface cells of the skin, causing them to swell and reject dead particles. The undoubted advantage of using such products is that the time required for the gel to act is limited to 5 minutes.
Products for cold hydrogenation are sold in the form of gels
Online stores sell reusable steaming cloths. It is made of a material resembling microfiber. To carry out the procedure, just moisten it well, place it in the microwave for 20 seconds, and then apply it to your face for 5 minutes.
Carrying out the procedure at home
There are three main methods for steaming the skin at home - using steam (steam baths), using an application and using a steaming mask.
Steam steaming
For this procedure you will need water (a liter will be enough), a small wide container and a large towel that can cover your head and a bowl of water.
After steaming, you can begin cleansing your face. If it was not planned, then apply a moisturizer to dry skin, and after it is absorbed, rinse it with warm water. Oily and combination skin can be treated with a scrub, but this must be done very carefully. It's better to just wash your face with cool water and apply toner. If there is none, then lemon juice diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5, or apple cider vinegar (take a teaspoon of the product per glass of water) is quite suitable.
After steaming, you need to avoid exposure to sudden temperature changes. You should not use too cold water for washing or go outside (this is why it is recommended to do the procedure in the evening). If you still need to leave the house, it is better to calculate the time so that at least two hours pass after steaming.
In order for steaming to also have a healing effect, decoctions of medicinal herbs can be added to the water. When choosing a component, you need to consider which one is suitable for a particular skin type.
Decoctions for steaming are usually prepared in advance. Plant raw materials are taken at the rate of a tablespoon per glass of water (for sensitive skin, the volume of the herb is halved), brought to a boil, infused for 30 minutes, filtered and heated again for the procedure. Herbs can be used individually or made into a collection by mixing several that suit your skin type in equal parts.
Table: Herbs for different skin types
Photo gallery: Plants suitable for preparing steaming decoctions
Nettle tones the skin and stimulates metabolic processes Coltsfoot decoction helps relieve inflammation Calendula is great for acne Chamomile can be used for all skin types Elderberry decoction is good at relieving irritation on sensitive skin
The use of essential oils also gives the steaming procedure a lot of beneficial properties.. These substances activate metabolic processes and have a positive effect on the psychological and emotional state. However, if you plan to use an oil that is being used for the first time, its dosage for the first procedure should be reduced to two drops. It is also better to reduce the duration of steaming. This is done in order to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction.
Table: Essential oils for steaming different skin types
Applications
Another very common method of steaming the face is applications. To carry out this procedure, you will need a container of hot water (you can also replace it with a decoction of medicinal herbs or add a few drops of essential oil) and a large cotton napkin:
- We wet the fabric, wring it out and apply it to the face, pressing it tightly to the surface of the skin.
- After it has cooled a little, remove it and repeat the steps described above 3-4 more times.
- After completing steaming with lotion, wipe the skin and proceed to further procedures.
When steaming with a cloth, you need to be careful: if the water is too hot, you can get burned.
Masks with steaming effect
A steaming mask can be made using honey or oatmeal
If you do not trust products produced in industrial conditions, you can prepare a steaming mask yourself (the frequency of using such products depends on the type of skin: for oily and combination skin they can be done once a week, for dry ones - once every 10 days). Here are some simple recipes:
- Mix the yolk, honey and olive oil in equal parts until smooth. The composition in a water bath should be brought to a temperature where it becomes noticeably warm, but not scalding, and applied to a cleansed face for 10 minutes. You can check the temperature of the mask by applying it to the back of your wrist. After the required time has passed, rinse off the composition with warm water.
- A mask based on semolina will help not only steam, but also lighten the skin. To do this, you need to cook thick milk porridge (do not add salt, sugar and butter), and after it has cooled to a comfortable temperature, apply it to your face for 15 minutes. The composition is suitable for very sensitive skin or in cases where the vessels on the face are dilated or located close to the surface.
- Another option is an oatmeal mask. A thick porridge is boiled from them in water and table soda is added (a teaspoon of soda is taken for 3 full tablespoons). The warm mixture is applied to the face for 15 minutes and secured with polyethylene. At the end, the skin is lightly massaged and only then the mask is washed off with warm water. This procedure is suitable for oily skin types.
Video: How to properly clean your home
Contraindications and precautions
The question often arises about how often you should steam your face. The permissible periods have already been mentioned above, but if there is no urgent need, it is better to reduce the frequency of the procedure to once every 10 days for normal and oily skin, once every three weeks for dry skin. The drier and older the skin, the worse it reacts to such aggressive influences and the higher the risk of irritation.
Steaming has its own contraindications. These include:
- hypertonic disease;
- vascular and heart diseases;
- bronchial asthma;
- skin diseases in the acute period;
- rosacea (spider veins).
Steaming masks should not be used in parallel with other thermal effects, as this can cause tissue overheating and even burns. Although such compositions are not contraindicated for people with high blood pressure and poor circulation, they should be used with caution, carefully listening to your feelings during the procedure.
Before you start using a new component, you need to test for allergies by applying a small amount to the elbow and waiting two hours. If no reaction occurs during this time, the composition with the ingredient can be safely used.
Skin health is one of the most important criteria for beauty. To preserve and maintain it, you need to constantly take care of your face. Steaming is the basis of many cosmetic procedures, and their effectiveness and final result depend on how correctly it is done.
Skin steaming is used by professionals - cosmetologists treat the face with steam, which opens the pores due to the gentle effect of heat. Steaming has always been a mandatory part of the manual cleaning protocol. And despite the emergence of cosmetic products that prepare the skin for this procedure, a vaporizer is still included in the basic toolkit of a cosmetologist, since steamed skin with open pores better accepts any care.
Cleaning - manual or vacuum.
Mask - moisturizing, anti-aging, cleansing, exfoliating.
“Under the influence of high temperature, the pores open, which makes it easy to cleanse the skin with a scrub, mask or other cleanser. Steaming makes it easier to remove dead cells from the surface of the skin. Increasing the activity of the sweat glands helps eliminate accumulated toxins along with sweat. During this procedure, blood microcirculation also improves and the flow of oxygen to tissues accelerates. As a result, metabolic processes improve - the skin is rejuvenated, looks fresh and radiant.”
Contraindications
Exposure to hot steam should be avoided if you have weak capillaries and a tendency to rosacea. Remember that squeezing out inflamed comedones at home is prohibited even after steaming.
No steam for dry skincontraindicated. The main thing is to apply moisturizing treatment immediately after the procedure, without waiting for the condensation to completely evaporate.
How to properly steam your face at home
Steaming is one of those procedures that you can do yourself. This can be done in several ways, which we will discuss in detail below.
Steam opens pores and improves microcirculation. © Getty Images
Here we will give some useful tips on how to act before and after the procedure.
Steaming methods
“For a mask to have a nourishing, toning or tightening effect on the skin, its active substances must penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis.
Dead skin cells on the surface of the skin and clogged, dirty pores impede absorption and reduce the effectiveness of cosmetics. Therefore, the skin needs to be steamed.
This can be done in several ways,” says Vichy medical expert Ekaterina Turubara.
Bath
This is the most effective method, most accurately simulating steaming your face in a salon before cleansing. All you need is a kettle, a glass or enamel container for water and a large towel.
- 1
Boil two glasses of water in a saucepan or kettle.
- 2
Remove water from heat and pour into a container. Make sure it is stable and place a towel under it to securely hold it in place.
- 3
Let the water cool slightly.
- 4
At this point, you can add a chamomile tea bag to the water. If you want a stronger infusion, add chamomile or calendula flowers while boiling.
- 5
Close your eyes so that the steam does not irritate the mucous membranes.
- 6
Tilt your head over the container at a distance of approximately 40 cm. Make sure that the steam is at a comfortable temperature. Cover your head and shoulders with a wide towel, creating something like a tent.
The duration of steaming should not exceed 15 minutes.
Application
For some diseases, inhaling hot air is contraindicated. Here steaming comes to the rescue by applying a warm cotton napkin, which is moistened with a hot solution (herbal decoction, for example) and applied to the face.
In the Asian, or rather Japanese, spa care tradition, the face is wrapped in warm, damp towels for 7-10 minutes or until it cools down.
For steaming, you can use flower and herbal decoctions. © Getty Images
Thermoactive cosmetics
“Steaming agents work differently than water vapor. They contain components with hypotonic properties, for example, aloe or cactus extract. By saturating the skin with moisture, they cause cell swelling and weakening of intercellular connections (the action resembles a light peeling).
The stratum corneum of the epidermis softens and is more easily freed from dead cells, and the pores open. As follows from the mechanism of action, such products also have a powerful moisturizing effect,” explains Ekaterina Turubara.
Review of facial skin care products after steaming
After steaming, you can use any mask: clay, gel, fabric. Here are the options we offer.
Based on two types of hyaluronic acid, it contains agave yeast extract, which stimulates the production of its own hyaluronic acid. Fills the skin with moisture and gives it elasticity, radiance, smoothness.
Impregnated with hyaluronic acid gel with the addition of soothing chamomile extract.
Contains two types of clay (bentonite and kaolin), which draw out all excess from the pores. and aloe extract provide hydration and prevent drying of the skin - an important quality for clay masks.
Face mask “Magic of clay. Cleansing and mattifying”, L’Oréal Paris
Steaming the skin of the face before cleansing is important in order to expand the pores of the epidermis, through which the natural removal of toxic toxins, remnants of daytime makeup, components of nourishing cream, impurities and other products of the sebaceous glands occurs. Steaming the skin is the fastest way to prepare for the procedure of getting rid of blackheads on the nose. Before cleansing the skin, you should definitely steam it so that the surface of the face becomes softer, more elastic and pliable for cosmetic manipulations. This procedure is especially important for oily skin, as well as with combined moisturizing, when dryness is periodically observed, and at times an excessive amount of sebum is released.
How to steam your face correctly?
It is important to remember that failure to follow the technological process for steaming the skin can lead to adverse consequences, and sometimes even to health problems. These include various types of redness, allergic rash, irritation. In some cases, even thermal burns are possible.
To avoid all this, it is necessary to perform preliminary preparation for the procedure, which consists of the following steps:
- You need to wash your face with warm water using baby soap, and then gently dry it with a clean, dry towel.
- Wet your face again with water and apply a scrub to the skin, which should remain on the face for at least 10 minutes.
- Rinse off the scrub, dry your face and apply a soothing lotion to the skin.
At this stage, the preparation of the facial skin for steaming is completed and the next procedure will be a direct steam bath or any other method aimed at softening the upper layer of epidermal tissue. The choice of steaming method depends on the individual preferences of the woman and the reaction of the facial skin to the use of certain cosmetics.
How to steam the skin?
Before you start cleaning the surface of your face, it is extremely important to decide on the method of steaming it. There are several types of manipulation procedures for this.
The most popular in cosmetology are steam baths, hot applications and steaming facial masks.
Each of these methods is effective in its own way and is used taking into account the degree of oiliness of the skin. Steam baths are best suited for women with dry skin when there is insufficient hydration. Application and application of a warm mask is suitable for combination and oily skin. Let's try to understand in more detail these quick and effective methods of steaming facial skin for further cleansing.
Steam bath
This is the simplest and fastest method of preparing the skin for subsequent procedural manipulations. To implement it, you will need a small metal basin or a wide bowl, a thick terry towel, dried medicinal herbs and lotion to soften the skin. If you have these tools, you can start preparing the decoction itself. This process looks like this:
- You need to take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dried flowers of calendula, linden, chamomile, sage, dandelion, 2 dried bay leaves.
- All these components should be filled with 300 ml of hot water.
- Simmer water with dry medicinal herbs over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Upon completion of boiling, remove the broth from the heat, cover with a lid and infuse for 30 minutes. During this time, it has time to cool down a little.
In the future, the resulting decoction should be poured into a metal bowl, cover your head tightly with a terry towel and place your face over the warm medicinal vapor. At this procedural stage, it is very important to control the temperature of the medicinal decoction. It should be between 60 and 70 degrees Celsius. This temperature range will allow you not to burn your face with too hot steam and at the same time quickly steam the top layer of the skin.
Therefore, if necessary, the decoction of medicinal herbs is additionally heated or left to cool further. Stay above the steam for 5 minutes. Then you need to take a break of 5 minutes and repeat the procedure again. Upon completion of steaming, a soothing lotion is applied to the skin of the face and you can begin basic cleansing. This method not only allows you to quickly expand the pores to remove blackheads and dirt from the skin surface of the face, but also perfectly steams the nasopharynx, sinuses, and upper respiratory tract.
Application
In order to steam your face using applications, you should use the same herbal infusions that are prepared for steam baths. The only difference is the way they are used. A few drops of rose or tea tree essential oil are added to the medicinal decoction to enhance the penetration of healing substances into the skin cells. Then place a cotton napkin in the broth for 30-45 minutes.
After it has warmed up sufficiently, it is spread on the surface of the face. It is necessary to spread the hot napkin in an even layer so that all areas of the skin are covered. The application procedure lasts no more than 5-10 minutes, 3 times. Each time the napkin is twisted and then lowered into hot water for the next heating.
At the same time, the cotton napkin should not be too hot, otherwise you can get a thermal burn on your face and further cleaning will be contraindicated.
Steaming mask
This is another quick and easy way to steam your face before deep cleansing. This method is suitable for women with moderately moisturized and delicate skin. You can prepare the mask yourself, or purchase all the ingredients at the city pharmacy. Here is the simplest and most effective recipe for a steaming mask, which is quite possible to make with your own hands at home:
- Egg yolk is mixed with 1 tbsp. spoon of honey, add the same amount of vegetable oil (it is best to use olive oil, but if this is not available, refined sunflower oil will do).
- The resulting mixture is heated in a water bath until all components acquire a homogeneous mass.
- The base for the future mask should be thoroughly mixed and make sure that its temperature does not exceed 45 degrees Celsius. This is the optimal indicator that will allow you to effectively steam your facial skin and prevent it from overheating.
- Apply the mask in an even layer over the entire skin, but so that the mixture is not too close to the lips and mucous membrane of the eyes.
The steaming mask should remain on the face for at least 20 minutes. To achieve a better therapeutic effect, you can additionally place a dry but warm cotton napkin on your face. This is the so-called dry heat effect, when the skin of the face is simultaneously saturated with the medicinal components of a herbal decoction, and its cells are warmed up by an additional heat source.
Here is another good recipe for making a mask to soften the skin of the face, which is also very easy to implement at home, namely:
- Boil 3 tablespoons of oatmeal in water (you can use oatmeal).
- Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the resulting porridge and mix everything thoroughly.
- Apply the resulting mixture to the skin and leave it for 15 minutes to achieve the desired result.
It is not recommended to steam your facial skin with this mask for longer than 15 minutes, since the oatmeal mixture along with baking soda has a strong whitening effect. It is better to remove the mask a little earlier than to later remove the consequences of excessive whitening of the skin. This type of steaming mask cannot be combined with additional heat sources due to the fact that the presence of baking soda in it already provokes a mild chemical reaction with the release of thermal energy.
Most women fear for the health of their facial skin and ask a very reasonable question about how often they can steam their skin before the cleansing procedure - or. Practicing cosmetologists advise carrying out these procedures no more than once every 10 days. More frequent steaming can cause dermatological problems such as dryness, flaking, itching, and the formation of red spots. If there are minor mechanical damage to the skin of the face in the form of cuts, abrasions, scratches, or the vascular network is clearly visible, then the steaming process should take place using minimal temperature effects on the skin surface.
Women prone to various allergic reactions should treat the skin of the wrist before applying a mask or application. If redness, rash or itching appears in this area of the skin, then you should stop using the mask. In this case, a steam bath is best. Most medicinal herbs do not cause allergies, and their concentration in vapor is minimal. Also, a prerequisite before the steaming procedure is to undergo a consultation with a dermatologist. The doctor will give practical advice on the advisability of using one or another technique with which you can quickly steam your facial skin.
Human skin needs additional cleaning, which can be carried out both in beauty salons and at home, but if in the first case the master cosmetologist knows what procedure needs to be carried out before cleaning, then in the second case you need to figure out how to steam your face yourself at home.
Properly preparing the skin for cleaning is the key to ensuring that the procedure will be as effective as possible and least traumatic.
The article will talk about how to steam your skin correctly, what mistakes you can make and in what cases this procedure can be harmful.
All girls try to maintain a beautiful appearance of their facial skin; this is why tons of cosmetics are used. Powder and foundation are almost always used.
They are often applied to poorly cleansed skin, which is also exposed to the summer heat and sudden temperature changes when you enter a cool room where the air conditioner is running.
Because of this, under a layer of cosmetics, excess sebum, dirt accumulate on the skin, and minor inflammatory diseases appear - all this does not contribute to skin health and good appearance.
You need to wash your face twice a day – in the morning and before bed, but even the most modern cleansers cannot properly cleanse your skin.
The reason is that the pores are not cylindrical, but cone-shaped, and the open part of the pores on the skin is significantly smaller than the depth of the pore.
As a result, it is quite easy to remove dirt from the top of the pores on the skin using a gel or cleansing milk, but to “remove” the dirt plug from the base of the pores, you will need to steam the skin.
Only after it can you remove comedones (alas, many girls and women have clusters of blackheads in the T-zone on the wings of the nose and on the forehead), fat plugs, open small pustules, remove dead cells and prepare the skin for the mask.
Properly steamed skin begins to breathe. Before mechanical cleaning, a steaming procedure is required. The skin should be warmed up and the pores should be as open as possible.
This will allow the cosmetologist to rid you of blackheads with minimal trauma to the dermis. Heated sebum takes on a liquid form and easily flows out of the pores. If the dermis is not heated enough, then removing the fat plug leads to microtrauma of the skin.
The burning question is: how often should this procedure be done? It all depends on your skin type, time of year and living conditions.
So, if you are a resident of a dusty metropolis or have harmful working conditions, then, of course, you need to cleanse your skin more often than if you live in nature.
Dry skin needs to steam less often, and oily skin needs to steam more often. On average, one procedure every 10–12 days is enough.
How long does it take to steam your face? If there are a large number of small black dots, it is worth vaping a little longer than if there are none or they are large.
Oily skin also needs longer steaming. For good heating of blackheads and fat, 10-15 minutes are enough; by the end of the procedure, usually the steam is no longer felt.
How to properly prepare your face before steaming? The first stage is cleaning. Take a neutral wash gel and rinse your face thoroughly.
You can massage a little and leave the gel for a few minutes. Aggressive agents and scrubs should not be used.
If the skin is dry and prone to irritation, then apply a small amount of neutral cream to an already cleansed face, avoiding the area of blackheads on the wings of the nose and forehead.
What to steam with?
Beauty salons use a special device for steaming the face - a vaporizer. Most often it is a tall cabinet standing on the floor.
At home, you can use its compact version – a tabletop vaporizer. If you steam your face at home without it, then you can make do with what you have on hand. Below are the three most accessible ways to steam your face.
Method No. 1. You will need a saucepan, a heated steaming solution (most often a decoction of herbs that have anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties, but clean water may be enough), a towel and a watch.
Heat the solution to 50 - 60 degrees. Pour boiling water over the pan and immediately pour the herbal decoction or steaming liquid into it. Sit comfortably with your face over the pan.
You shouldn't feel the heat from the water, but you should feel the warm steam. Record the time and cover your face with a towel so that the pan is covered.
If your face does not heat up, then bend lower, and if it is too hot, then, on the contrary, raise your face higher.
The optimal procedure time is 10–15 minutes, after which the face should be washed without gel with warm water. After this you can clean it.
Method No. 2. If it is not possible to steam over a pan or there are contraindications, then you can steam your face using napkins.
You will need 3-4 terry napkins, which will need to be immersed in warm water (50 - 60 degrees) for several minutes, then wrung out, take a lying position and mark the napkins on the face so that the area around the eyes is not covered.
After 3–5 minutes, the napkins need to be re-moistened in water at the same temperature and applied to the face again. Most often, 4-5 changes of napkins are enough for the skin to warm up thoroughly.
Method number 3. If you dream of a useful gift, but your relatives don’t know what to give, think about purchasing a vaporizer.
This convenient device will help you take care of your face without spending a lot of time and effort. It makes it very easy to steam your face. The entire process is described in the instructions.
There are differences depending on the model, but in general it is enough to pour the liquid (some models have a function for heating it to the desired temperature), sit comfortably so that the steam from the device reaches your entire face, then turn on the vaporizer.
Some of its models allow the delivery of oil and turn the device into an aromatherapy product. The required procedure time is indicated in the instructions, and it depends on the intensity of the steam jet.
Using any of these methods at home you can easily prepare your skin for applying a mask or mechanical cleaning.
Contraindications and common mistakes
If you steam your face using a vaporizer, then by carefully reading the instructions and following its recommendations exactly, you will protect yourself from mistakes.
To carry out the procedure correctly, if you use baths or wipes, take into account the following recommendations:
- Postpone steaming your skin if you have a cold or fever;
- The presence of blemishes on the skin indicates the need to visit a dermatologist before steaming. In some forms of skin infections, heating the dermis will be contraindicated because it will lead to the growth of pathogenic microflora and progression of the disease;
- Problems with vision are a reason to ask your ophthalmologist whether it is permissible to warm your eyes. If you have high intraocular pressure or a problem with the blood vessels in your eyes, your eye doctor will probably advise you not to apply heat to the area. A deviated nasal septum or injury to this section requires avoiding heat. In this case, napkins will help you, because they do not affect the periorbital zone;
- Couperosis and other problems with blood vessels on the face are a contraindication to steaming the skin;
- There is no need to steam the skin if there are injuries or signs of insect bites;
- It is not advisable to steam during pregnancy or breastfeeding. During these periods of life, the skin is most sensitive and least protected. It is very difficult to predict the reaction of the dermis to heating, so the procedure should be postponed;
- In some cases, the procedure on the skin is completely contraindicated. These are asthmatic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
If you have chronic diseases of any etiology, then you should ask your doctor whether such procedures can be performed.
The first sign that a girl knows how to care for her facial skin and does it regularly is clean, healthy, even-looking skin, regardless of age.
You can effectively and quickly cleanse your facial skin in most beauty salons, but visiting them regularly is quite expensive.
Therefore, there is a simple way out - this is cleaning with home remedies with your own hands. As you know, it is best to start any cleansing procedure by steaming your face. How to steam your face for cleaning at home?
An unimaginable rhythm of life, an unsatisfactory environmental situation, and chronic fatigue do not at all contribute to skin health.
It is constantly subject to stress, gets dirty very quickly, so as a result, the pores are clogged with the products of the sebaceous glands - dead cells, as well as remnants of powder, other cosmetics, and street dust.
To ensure a greater effect in many cosmetic procedures, the pores must be opened as much as possible. Thanks to this, it will be possible to remove all “skin debris” and remove toxins, and the skin itself will become more elastic, pliable and soft for subsequent manipulations with it.
It is in achieving these goals that they resort to steaming. This procedure is indicated in the following cases:
Steaming, which will become a regular procedure for deep cleansing the skin, will help you forever forget about annoying pimples, unsightly enlarged pores, and comedones.
If a girl knows how to properly steam her face before cleaning, she will avoid possible injury to the skin and prevent purulent infection.
At the same time, there should be no pain from such a procedure, and the likelihood of ingrown hairs is minimal.
What do you need to know?
When exposing your skin to steam, you should take into account your skin type and the presence of various dermatological problems.
For example, oily dermis need to be steamed at least once a week. If we talk about dry skin, then it needs this procedure no more than twice a month. Combination skin will need to be steamed every 10 days.
In addition, the time of steam exposure may depend on the type of epidermis: oily skin should be steamed for at least 12 minutes, combination and normal skin - 10 minutes, and dry skin - 7 minutes.
Also, the result of steaming depends on the correct choice of herbal decoction.. So, for oily epidermis, decoctions of thyme and mint are suitable, mixed and normal dermis should be steamed with rosemary and lavender decoctions, and for dry skin, use infusions of geranium, lime and chamomile. It is also useful to enrich steaming compositions with essential oils.
Sensitive skin must be steamed extremely carefully, since this type of dermis can react with the occurrence of irritation and structural stars.
If there are no contraindications for thermally warming the skin, you can start steaming. How to steam your face well at home? To do this, you should first prepare for this procedure.
It is important to consider that the result directly depends on your skin type. You should not only understand how to carry out the actual facial skin steaming procedure, but also be aware of what preparation method is necessary specifically for your skin.
Before steaming, you must remove all makeup from your skin.. You need to wash your face with warm water and your usual mild cleanser.
It is useful to make a homemade scrub by adding a little honey and ground coffee to your cleansing gel or milk.
After thoroughly massaging the skin with light circular movements, rinse off the composition, apply the product to your face according to your skin type and begin the steaming procedure.
So, how to steam your facial skin? To carry out this procedure, you only need a few items - a towel and a container for hot liquid.
There are also special devices for these purposes - mini-saunas and inhalers, which can be purchased at a specialized store.
But the principle of their action is the same: a liter of boiling herbal infusion is taken into a container, you can add a few drops of essential oil.
Having placed the vessel in front of you, you need to bend over it and cover yourself with a towel. At the beginning of the procedure, it is not advisable to bend too low over the container, since the steam is hot, so you can easily burn the mucous membranes and face.
The main task is for the broth to steam the skin and not burn it, so it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature of the water.
When preparing a herbal decoction and choosing the right essential oil, you need to focus on the condition and type of your skin. But how to steam your face?
- More suitable for dry skin linden or chamomile decoction in combination with grape or rose ether. To do this, pour one liter of boiled water into fresh or dried flowers of the prepared composition. Take 1 glass of dried flowers, and half a glass of fresh flowers. You need to insist a little, about two to three minutes, and you can begin the procedure.
- Normal skin type perfectly accepts a decoction of nettle, lavender and sage with the addition of rosemary oil.
- Thyme with lemon, diluted with peppermint oil, good for oily skin.
When the pores open after steaming, you can wipe your face with a hard textured towel or cleanse your skin with streptocide.
Enlarged pores can become clogged quite easily with so-called skin debris, so it is important to immediately cool your face with an ice cube after cleansing to help tighten the pores.
Steaming the face. Steam bath for face
This method is similar in effect to the previous one, but hot water is used instead of steam. How to steam your face with a towel?
You need to do the following:
- roll up a natural cotton cloth (you can use an old, soft flannel or chintz) or a towel several times so that you can cover your entire face and neck;
- make an infusion of herbs suitable for your skin type, leave and cool slightly (the temperature should be such that it does not burn your hand);
- soak a napkin in the broth, squeeze out;
- immediately put it on your face and lie down;
- when the napkin cools down, moisten it again in the hot broth.
This procedure must be repeated three more times until the skin turns bright pink. Once completed, gently dry your face with a towel and begin cleansing.
If you don't want to sit over the steam, the best option is
How to steam the pores on your face are steaming masks that you can prepare yourself or buy in a store.
The purpose of these is to create a vacuum between the skin and the applied product to further warm up the deeper layers of the skin.
It is also useful to cover the top of the steaming mask with a cloth mask.
Both the effectiveness of the procedure and the subsequent condition of the skin depend on the quality preparation of the facial skin for cleansing.
Therefore, it is necessary to know and follow the recommendations and other rules for using steam masks. This will help not damage the epidermis, but solve related problems.
Take liquid honey and egg yolk in equal proportions, mix and add olive oil (approximately 1 tablespoon).
Heat the composition in a water bath until it is very warm, but not scalding. Before using the mask, apply a little mixture to the thin skin of your wrist. If you feel warmth but not burning, the product is ready to use.
Apply the mask in an even layer to prepared, thoroughly cleansed skin. Secure the composition on top with small pieces of cling film to prevent the mask from dripping and provide a kind of greenhouse effect.
After 15 minutes, the mask will cool completely; you can roll it up with your fingers, previously soaked in water.. Thanks to this, you can achieve an additional toning effect, which is similar to soft peeling.
After removing the mask from your face, you need to wash your face with warm water and apply a moisturizer or nourishing cream. If you plan to further carry out deep cleaning, you must immediately use prepared cosmetic products, preventing the skin from cooling.
Prepare semolina porridge with milk without using butter, salt or any other additives. The porridge should not be very thick, homogeneous (without lumps), and convenient for application to the skin.
Cool the mixture until warm. Keep in mind that the more the porridge cools, the more it will become thicker and swell.
After applying a generous layer of the mask to your face, secure it with cling film.. Wait until the mask has completely cooled, and then rinse it off with warm water, while massaging the skin, especially in problem areas that are prone to increased contamination.
In addition to the steaming effect, it whitens and nourishes the skin, cleanses the surface layers of the dermis from sebaceous plugs and dirt.
Cook oatmeal in milk or water without additives, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda, stir.
Cool the resulting mass until hot but tolerable, apply it to the skin of the face, covering with a warm towel or plastic wrap. Remember that the composition should warm the skin, but under no circumstances burn it!
After 15 minutes, when the mask has cooled down sufficiently, remove it with your fingers previously soaked in warm water. At the same time as removing the mask, it is recommended to do a light massage.
Then wash your face with cool water and continue with your usual skin care routine.
Steaming face masks based on oatmeal have a fairly deep cleansing effect, therefore, they are rarely followed by any mechanical cleaning procedures using scrubs or gels.
Mix one part kaolin powder with two parts zinc ointment to form a thick paste. Dilute the resulting paste with freshly squeezed cucumber juice.
There is no need to heat this mask! In this case, it is not the temperature of the mask itself that is important, but its chemical composition.
Apply the product in a thin layer to the skin of the face, leave it on the face for no more than 10 minutes and remove. It is important to thoroughly wash off all remnants of the mask from your face to avoid unwanted chemical reactions.
In addition to the steaming effect, this product perfectly relieves cracks, inflammation, redness of unknown origin, itching of the skin and excessive secretion of the skin.
Mix one teaspoon of green cosmetic clay with 1 teaspoon of zinc ointment and stir. Add 1 dessert spoon of lemon juice and 3% hydrogen peroxide into the resulting mixture.
Having received a homogeneous composition, apply it to the skin of the face and rinse after 10 minutes. Since the mask is quite aggressive, it is only suitable for use on problem or oily skin.
After using a chemical steaming mask, you should not carry out mechanical cleaning for several hours, as this can easily damage the steamed skin. This mask itself thoroughly cleanses the epidermis.
Before using a new component, an allergy test should be performed.. To do this, apply a small amount of the composition to the elbow and wait two hours. If irritation does not occur, the composition can be safely used.
It is common knowledge that skin health is one of the main criteria for beauty. In order to preserve and maintain it, your face must be constantly looked after.
The steaming method is the basis of most cosmetic procedures, but their effectiveness depends on whether it is done correctly.