How to steam your face at home

High-quality facial skin care involves not only the use of nourishing and moisturizing masks, creams, serums and exfoliating agents, but also deep cleansing, which is easiest to do with steaming.

Why is facial steaming helpful?

Steaming rightfully occupies the top lines in the rating of home facial procedures. Normal daily washing is aimed at superficial cleansing of the skin.

Slightly deeper acts peeling, which allows you to remove dead cells. And only steaming promotes deep cleaning of the pores, regulation of the activity of the sebaceous glands, improvement of blood flow and preparation of the skin for the application of a serum or mask.This effect is due to the reaction of the skin to the effects of hot steam: it becomes soft, the pores open and their contents are easily removed.

However, poor-quality cleansing can be counterproductive: rashes, inflammations, irritations on the skin of the face. Therefore, it is necessary to proceed to steaming, carefully reading the features of the procedure and the list of contraindications to it.

Rules for the steaming procedure

Preparation for steaming includes several mandatory steps:

1. Remove the hair in the tail or under the kerchief, so that they do not interfere with the procedure. Wash your hands and clean your face with a regular cleanser.
2. Within 1-2 minutes, treat the skin with a soft peeling or scrub, then wash off the remnants of the product with warm water.
3. Proceed to the actual steaming, the time of which is determined by the features of the skin type. For dry it will be enough for 5 minutes, for normal - 10 minutes, and for oily - a quarter of an hour.
4. At the end of the steaming, wipe your face with a cleansing tonic or lotion, then rinse it off with warm water and dry with a wetting motion with a soft towel or napkin.
5. The next step may be the application of a cleansing mask, with which you maximally clean the pores. If for some reason you decide not to do the mask, you can immediately proceed to the next item.
6. Treating the skin with a tonic to soothe it and close the pores. Application of serum or cream.

Attention! After steaming, avoid drafts and do not expose your skin to cold for at least 2 hours.

Unfortunately, steaming is not a universal and suitable procedure. It is not recommended to expose yourself to high temperatures under the following conditions:

• bronchial asthma;
• pustules;
• spider veins;
• blood pressure problems;
• increased hair growth of the face.

How to steam the face skin with steam

The best known method of steaming is steam from hot water, but this is not the only way. Along with it, it is possible to carry out deep cleaning of the face, using warm wipes and special masks with a warming effect.

For the steam steaming procedure, you will need the following inventory:

• tank in which you pour water
• blend of dried herbs or oils
• towel
• tonic or lotion

It is very important to choose the herbs that you add to the water. Properly selected mixture will help to regulate the work of the sebaceous glands, refresh and soothe the skin. For dry as well as sensitive chamomile, calendula and rose are perfect. Owners of oily skin can use mint and lemon, and normal - lavender, jasmine, rosemary.

After filling the container with hot water (it can be a saucepan or basin), add herbs to it and wait 3-5 minutes, letting it brew a little. Then, after removing the hair, we lean over the steam and cover our head and neck with a towel.

When the steaming time, chosen according to your skin type, is over, you need to remove the towel and use a cotton ball or a disc dipped in tonic to wipe the face, removing the pore contents. Then wash your face with warm water and apply a cleansing mask. A good effect will come from the use of masks based on clay, which has good absorbing properties.

After 5 or 10 minutes, depending on your skin type, wash off the mask, wipe the face with a tonic that narrows the pores, and apply a cream or serum.

For steaming the skin, it is not necessary to use a basin or a saucepan.Now on sale you can find such a device as a sauna for the face (another name is a steam bath). It is a steam-generating device with a high bowl, above which you need to keep your face. Herbal teas or oils can also be added to the facial sauna. In addition, it is effectively used as an inhaler, which will be useful in the cold season.

How to steam the skin with warm napkins

Effectively to steam the skin can and with the help of a cloth napkin made of cotton or flax dipped in hot herbal broth. Before you lay on the face, you need to squeeze the fabric a little. As soon as the shawl begins to cool, repeat it all over again. All these procedures need to be done 4-5 times. Skin care after the end of this steaming method does not differ at all from that which is recommended after hot steam: tonic, cleansing mask, tonic again and cream (serum).

The decoction in which the cloth is moistened should be appropriate to the skin type:

• calendula, chamomile and rose - for dry as well as sensitive;
• linden, mint, sage - for fat;
• nettle, lavender, licorice - for normal and combined.

To prepare the broth, you need to mix suitable types of herbs in equal parts (1 tablespoon), pour boiling water (700 ml) and hold in a water bath or in a thermos for 20-30 minutes. After straining, the decoction is ready to use.

Steam masks

Another way to steam the face is to use special masks that have a warming effect. They are suitable even for sensitive, capricious, prone to skin irritation. Facial steaming with a mask not only helps to open the pores and increase the speed of blood flow, as it happens when using hot steam and wipes, but also has several additional benefits:

• there is no risk of burning the skin;
• the ability to do various things and steam the skin at the same time;
• saturation of the skin with oxygen.

The entire session usually takes 10-20 minutes, depending on the composition of the mask and the manufacturer's recommendations. The effect is noticeable immediately after washing it: the skin color is even, the face becomes more beautiful.

How to use steam masks

Despite certain advantages of warming masks over other methods, their use requires adherence to certain rules.

This method of steaming cannot be applied simultaneously with the others, since it is fraught with overheating and possible destruction of skin cells, and in special cases, tissue.

Warming up masks are not contraindicated for people suffering from pressure or circulatory problems, but this does not imply their absolute safety. Use them with caution, carefully listening to their own feelings.

Like any other product, a vaporizing mask can provoke allergic reactions, therefore, before use, it is necessary to carry out an appropriate test, causing a small amount of it to the inside of the elbow bend. If after two hours in this place there is no redness or itching, then you can use it on the face.

Usually departed masks begin to produce a thermal effect when in contact with water. To strengthen it, you can sprinkle your face with water every 2-3 minutes or place a moistened paper napkin with slots for eyes, mouth and nose over it.

As with other types of steaming, you should not wash your face with cold water, only warm water. The skin can be treated with a soft scrub or peeling and rubbed with a tonic, and then apply a cream or serum.

The frequency of application of warming masks depends on the type of skin and usually does not exceed once a week for oily or combination / normal, and once every ten days for dry and sensitive.

Recipes for steaming masks

Effectively steam the skin can not only mask industrial manufacturing, for this procedure, there are homemade recipes from the usual products.

1. Mix until smooth yolk, olive oil and honey in equal shares. Warm the mixture in a water bath until it becomes noticeably warm (but not hot), apply to cleansed face for a quarter of an hour. If there is no olive oil, you can do without it by slightly changing the amount of honey (50 g) and yolk (2 pcs.). The principle of cooking is the same - in a water bath to a warm state.
2. Warming effect will have a mask of two parts of white clay and one part of zinc ointment, diluted to the consistency of sour cream with cucumber juice. The exposure time of the composition on the skin is 10 minutes.
3. The mask from semolina will help you to steam and lighten the skin. It is enough just to boil thick porridge on milk (of course, without sugar, oil and other additives), let it cool to a comfortable temperature and apply on face for 15 minutes. This mask is suitable for any skin, including sensitive.
4. Preheat and clean the pores at the same time will help mask of oatmeal. Of them, too, need to cook a thick porridge, but with the addition of a teaspoon of soda. When cooled to a warm state, the mixture is applied to the face for 15 minutes.

As can be seen from the description, homemade warming up masks consist of available products that are easy to manufacture and use. The main thing is to control their temperature and not to put on the face too hot mixture, and when discomfort appears, wash it off. Do not forget about proper skin care after the mask: be sure to treat it with tonic and moisturize with cream. If desired, you can use a scrub.

The beauty of our face is largely determined by the condition of the skin, and it, in turn, depends on cleansing and subsequent care. Steaming is exactly the procedure that will help to effectively maintain it in proper condition: just choose the method that suits you, follow the instructions and enjoy the effect.

Video: deep facial cleansing at home