Face Steaming Benefits for Glow, Remove Blackheads, How Often

Face Steaming Benefits
Face Steaming Benefits

Face steaming is one of the best ways to cleanse your skin. It helps to open up your pores enhancing circulation which in many ways aids in flawlessness. Here is more on face steaming benefits. Learn more about the types and how to steam your face to get the best out of it.

The saying that beauty is only skin deep has been used to encourage good personality but better still a beautiful skin has and will always be the scale with which humanity is judged.

The benefits of face steaming
The benefits of face steaming

It is a very challenging and daunting task to maintain a healthy, glowing skin given that the environment, diet, health, and genetics affect the skin.

The face, highly sensitive in nature is hardest hit since it is highly exposed and it tends to attract a lot of negative attention from the environment and other factors. It usually appears dull and lifeless due to a number of reasons including the accumulated layers of dead skin, stress, dehydration or the excess oils that clog the face.

Cosmetics used to ‘brighten ‘the face usually contain very harsh chemicals such as silicone that only worsen the problem.

The face contains very tiny pores that lubricate the skin and cool the body.Dull skin is also as a result of blocked pores that allow for the large buildup of dead skin and dirt. One of the most natural ways of salvaging the skin is through facial steaming.

Facial Steaming

Recognized as one of the best natural ways of exfoliating, it is the use of steam from boiling water to eliminate dead cells from the skin surface. Unlike face scrub which entails a lot of rubbing to exfoliate and can damage the skin due to the products used, facial steaming uses moist heat to hydrate and stimulate the pore areas and lets the skin exfoliate naturally as it dilates the skin and allows it to bring to the surface the dirt and toxins. It should be done on a clean face which gets rid of the dirt on the surface.

Face Steaming Benefits

Facial Steaming Benefits
Facial Steaming Benefits

Slows aging and add a glow

Steaming helps to counter the effects caused by most anti-aging products. These products contain high levels of glycolic, salicylic and retinol acid which though useful to the skin, reduce the oil production. This leads to very dry, saggy skin.Heat from the steam softens the collagen and elastin tissues around the pores which increase its production and its boosts cell regeneration promoting the development of new younger skin.

Increase blood circulation

Blood in the body is regulated at a certain temperature when it overheats the skin may turn red and if it is too cold, the skin turns white. The heat from the steam triggers the skin receptors which communicate to the brain and it sends a command to the blood vessels to expand and allow blood to flow to the face and cool it down to normal temperatures.  The Increased blood flow brings with it more nutrients and oxygen that adds life to the skin cells and brightens the face.

Encourage perspiration

The steam works on connective tissues around the pores and stimulates the plugs of the sweat pores. The sweat carries with it toxins, dirt and other matter that may have blocked the pores to the skin surface

Increase diffusion

Steam warms up the areas around the pores so as to allow treatment products to penetrate to the deeper skin layers.  Essential oils are micro molecular in nature and are able to permeate faster in pores that are highly receptive. However, it should make use of correct products that are beneficial rather than using ones that will further clog.

Provides relaxation

The incorporation of herbs and essential oils in the facial baths helps to provide an aromatherapeutic environment which gets rid of stress which is one of the major causes of a dull face.

Increase Vitamin D absorption

Good sunlight provides the face with the much-needed vitamin D which strengthen bones and provides immunity. It also lowers the levels of cortisol hormone responsible for stress, triggers serotonin hormone which boosts good mood and treats acne, eczema, and psoriasis which mainly affect the skin.  Steaming the face helps to get rid of the dead skin and oils that may appear on the face and block the entry of sunlight into the skin.

Eliminates toxins and dirt

The face is usually exposed to the free radicals in the environment especially from the UV rays. The use of sunscreen does offer some form of protection but it is synthetically produced so it does contain chemicals and toxins that affect the skin.

The steam activates the areas around the pores as well as encourages perspiration which eliminates toxins from the face.

Makeup remover

Steaming the face opens up the tissues surrounding the pores meaning that it goes beyond the pores and is able to remove any stuck makeup that may have clogged on the pores. Makeup contains toxins and chemicals that usually darken the skin with time.

Moisturizes

Dehydration denies the face the much-needed moisture for cell regeneration drying out even the most important sebum gland. It becomes very hard and often the skin has flaky patches referred to as comedones. Steaming helps to stimulate the oil glands and improves circulation, the circulation softens the layer of dead skin and eliminates them giving forth to new moisture skins.

Acne treatment- to remove blackheads

The skin naturally moisturizes itself through its many sebaceous glands. However excess oil production by the glands and presence of dead skin cells can clog the pores and the stagnation encourages the growth of bacteria that leads to skin inflammation.Blocked pores lead to whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples.

Steaming the face helps to soften the outer layer of the skin which may have dead skin cell, bacteria, and dirt. It also encourages sweating which also helps to remove more toxins.

It also softens and brings to the surface whiteheads and blackheads so that they can be easily removed instead of squeezing them that often leaves scars.

Types of Facial Steaming

There are mainly two types of facial steaming:

Full facial

Exposes the whole face to the steam that comes from the water and they include:

Plain facial

This is suitable for all skin types and very convenient

 Recipe: Place boiled water (43 degrees Celsius) in a stable dish. After cleansing stands over it with a clean towel, inhaling and exhaling deeply the steam for about ten minutes then pat dry. Use an oil free moisturizer to lock in the moisture.

Herbal steam facial

The addition of herbs which also have therapeutic properties, they are also available as teas which are great for exfoliation and allow for penetration of the ingredients into the skin.

Herbal face steaming benefits
Herbal face steaming benefits

It may include any of the following herbs mixed with boiled water.

  • Use of sage which is antibacterial and an astringent that clears and heals acne and pimples.
  • Rooibos which has antibacterial and anti-aging
  • Green tea protects from UV rays damage, has antioxidant and immune properties which protect the skin
  • Parsley which heals acne and is a natural astringent which helps in oil control and tightens the facial skin.
  • Turmeric root which increases skin elasticity and tightens the skin
  • Lavender flowers which contain limonene an anti-oxidant as well as anti-inflammatory and cicatrizant properties that help skin heals faster and removes scars that may have been caused by acne.
  • Dandelion root is known for its ability to stimulate areas around the pores thus ‘opening ‘them and gets rid of skin impurities.
  • Hibiscus is known for its cleansing properties and its ability to reverse sun damage.
  • Chamomile has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties, useful for sensitive skin. It also smoothes the fine lines of the skin thus preventing wrinkles.

Essential Oils Steam Facial

Highly molecular, essential oils are highly absorbent into the skin and have been known for slowing aging, oil balance, skin toning, moisturizing and smoothening the skin.

Streaming heats the areas around the pores enlarging them, it increases their molecular size and the essential oils are able to seep through and work on the skin.

How to Steam your Face

In a bowl place with boiling water put a few drops of any of the following:

  • Lemon oil which contains limonene and vitamin C antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and provides oil balance leaving the skin soft and smooth.
  • Eucalyptus oil which has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that clean the skin
  • Thyme which is antibacterial and helps to clear the toxins from the face.
  • Tea tree oil – it is antiseptic and thus able to flush out toxins that affect the face.
  • Rosemary oil which is able to treat acne as it adds elasticity and moisture to the skin
  • Geranium oil which contains cicatrizant properties that help in skin healing. It maintains oil balance and hydrates the skin.

Cover the head with a towel and inhale deeply.

Essential oils and herbs can be used together in a facial steam by combining dried herbs with essential oils and leaving the mixture for 24 hours. Add to water and bring to a boil then simmer for five minutes then steam your face.

Video: How to Steam your Face

Saltwater facial

Salt water has antiseptic and antibiotic properties that go against the bacteria that cause acne. It also provides skin nourishing as it controls the oil balance and eliminates impurities thus exfoliating.

Salt water also contains minerals such as zinc, iodine, Sulphur and potassium which promotes oxygen production and distributes it to skin cell around the face brightening the skin. It also maintains water balance thus maximum hydration.

Rich in calcium the salt water is able to clean the pores and removes toxins from the skin.

Recipe: Boil a cup of the salt water and steam the face for ten minutes

Using a bowl poses a risk of spilling over. It is also uncomfortable as one has to shift between standing and sitting to reach the steam. A facial steamer comes in handy.

It contains a water tank which is filled with water and essential oils or herbs. Then plugged to a power source. Since it provides consistent steam temperature on can use up to twenty minutes depending on skin type.

Partial facial

Makes use of hot towels (towels dipped in water and slightly wrung out). This form of streaming is suitable who have highly sensitive skin. It is also excellent for rosacea or fungal infections which are highly irritated by sweat that may emanate from steaming.

The hot towel provides consistent temperatures that make the skin soft and opens the pores.

Can also be combined with the essential oils for maximum relaxation. A moisturizer should be applied immediately after this treatment.

How Often to Steam Face

Steaming is inarguably one of the best facial routines. But what is the limit? How many times should you steam your face? Can I steam my face every day?

Face steaming should be done at a max of twice a week. Those with sensitive skin should get their face steamed once a month. Each session should not last more than 5 minutes.

Heat from the steam makes the skin dry. This will cause the skin to produce too much oil to counter the dryness. This could exacerbate acne prone skin problems.

Precautions When Steaming the Face

  • Over steaming can cause skin sensitivity and redness so it should be limited to once or twice a week
  • Not recommended for persons with severe acne or pus-filled lesions
  • Steaming should be done at least eighteen inches away from the face to avoid scalding the face.
  • After steaming one should mildly exfoliate and apply an oil free moisturizer.
  • When using the towel facial steam, the towel is not to be used until its cold.

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