The best ways to steam your face before cleansing at home

Put the water on the fire and bring it to a boil, and then boil the jacket potatoes in it until soft. When the potatoes are cooked, they can be removed from the water and used for their intended purpose - we will no longer need them.

Add a tablespoon of baking soda and 8-12 drops of essential oil to hot water, and then mix well.

Pour the resulting broth into a convenient bowl, tilt your face at a distance of 20–25 centimeters and cover your head with a towel.

Wait a quarter of an hour, then wash your face and begin basic skin care procedures.

Why is skin steaming necessary?

Steaming the skin is a simple, but at the same time very effective skin care procedure that helps:

• Expand pores.
• Remove toxins, residues of cosmetics, sebaceous secretions and other contaminants from them.
• Soften the top layer of the epidermis. Thanks to this, the top cells are more easily exfoliated from the skin, which is why the skin is renewed.
• Improve blood circulation and, accordingly, skin nutrition.
• Add softness, suppleness and elasticity to the skin.

Many girls practice periodic steaming of the face as an alternative to using peeling or scrub (for example, if there are contraindications to their use). Just one heating is enough to cleanse the pores well.

It is necessary to steam the skin of the face every time before performing some specific manipulations, for example, before:

• Deep cleansing of the skin.
• Applying therapeutic masks. Thanks to steaming, their components will be able to penetrate deep into the skin and have the greatest possible positive effect.
• Getting rid of comedones - blackheads. If you try to squeeze them out without preparation, this manipulation will be of no use, so it is better to steam your nose, chin and forehead before cleaning.

You can steam your skin easily and without much effort at home. But in order for such a procedure to be successful and not harm the appearance, it is worth organizing it correctly.

What it is?

Steaming means thermally affecting the skin using water vapor. This should be done to moisturize and warm the epidermis. This way we manage to open the pores, soften the top layer of skin and improve tissue blood flow. Many people believe that steam opens pores, but this is not true. Steaming raises the temperature of the skin, which softens sebum and other waste products that clog pores. Sometimes such exposure is enough to clear them. You just need to press on all treated areas with your fingertips, as if pushing the dirt out. But you can get a much greater result if you follow this with certain beauty procedures:

• massage;
• mechanical or hardware cleaning;
• use of masks;
• application of serums, clay-based cosmetic compositions or nourishing and moisturizing creams.

But applying peeling, especially with acids and hard particles, before or after heat treatment is not recommended. Even a light scrub can injure the relaxed epidermis.

How to do it correctly at home?

Insufficiently proper steaming of the skin is fraught with various unpleasant consequences. In particular, such a procedure can not only make cleaning difficult, but also cause irritation, redness, and allergic reactions. In severe cases, even thermal or chemical burns are possible. Therefore, steaming your skin at home should consist of several main steps:

• Choosing a suitable method of exposure that will help steam the skin well and quickly and expand the pores.
• Carry out a number of preparatory procedures.
• Proceed with direct steaming. To avoid skin problems, you need to vape it for a limited period of time.
• Finish warming up correctly.

Of course, you shouldn’t expect home procedures to be as effective as sessions with a cosmetologist. But periodic warming baths can be a good addition to standard skin care.

Precautionary measures

Steaming, like any other heat treatment of the dermis, is considered quite aggressive for the face. In some cases, cosmetologists strongly recommend using gentle techniques, and even better, under the supervision of a doctor.

The following are considered contraindications:

• high blood pressure;
• rosacea (spider veins, spider veins);
• heart and vascular diseases;
• bronchial asthma;
• upper respiratory tract diseases at the acute stage;
• sinusitis;
• inflammation and cysts of teeth;
• migraine of unknown nature;
• dermatitis.

You cannot use masks, gels, or even warm your face over steam if you are undergoing some physical procedures - they can conflict with hot steam and cause complications. And, of course, it doesn’t hurt to do an allergy test: some decoctions can cause asthma attacks and lead to Quincke’s edema.

Preparing for the procedure at home

Before you begin steaming your skin, you must:

• To begin, wash your face with warm water using mild soap or your usual washing gel.
• Apply a light gel scrub to damp skin and massage gently. Such manipulation will help to prepare the pores as much as possible for heating.
• Dry off carefully. It is best to arm yourself with a soft terry towel and blot your skin without rubbing.
• Apply nourishing cream to your eyelids. If we are talking about caring for a dry type of epidermis, then it can all be lubricated with a light cream.

Recipes for homemade masks to tighten pores on the face

The following masks are great for tightening the pores on your face:

• Tomato will tighten the pores and improve the complexion. You just need to prepare tomato puree It is left on the face for 10 minutes and then removed with warm water.

IMPORTANT: Of course, you must first remove the seeds from the tomato.

This tomato puree will wonderfully tighten pores.

• Made from white clay, it will be a real find for girls with oily skin. Clay will do a wonderful job of narrowing pores and also get rid of oily shine. You just need to dilute the clay with warm water - and you can apply it for 20 minutes , as soon as the mixture becomes similar in consistency to thick sour cream . 5 drops of lemon juice won't hurt
• Made from green clay, this mask will perfectly cleanse pores before narrowing them. Enriched with minerals. It is recommended to mix the raw materials with olive oil, lemon juice and honey. It is applied in a thicker layer, since it needs to be left on for half an hour - during this time cracks will certainly appear and a thin layer may simply crumble.

Green clay mask perfectly tightens pores, healing the skin

• Orange - citrus must be finely crushed to a paste , and then applied to the face for 10 or 15 minutes. After the specified time has passed, you should wash your face with boiled water, then nourish the skin with cream.
• Protein - to prepare it you need to thoroughly beat the protein and mix it with lemon juice . 1 tsp won't hurt either. potato starch. Or a mixture of potatoes and flour. The mask lasts about 10-15 minutes.

IMPORTANT: Since this mask strongly tightens the skin, it is recommended to take a horizontal position while it is on your face.

• Almond – consists of carefully ground almond nuts. They are diluted with water to a paste and applied to the skin for half an hour. You need to wash off the mask with lukewarm water. After rinsing, it is recommended to treat the skin with apple cider vinegar dissolved in water.

Almond mask is a godsend for those who want to tighten pores

Methods

To steam your skin at home you can practice:

• Carrying out steam baths. This is the most popular, quite convenient and effective method.
• Carrying out applications. Takes a little longer, but is considered less invasive.
• Carrying out various masks. Such procedures can provide an additional nourishing or moisturizing effect.
• Use of special cosmetics.

Every girl can choose the option for skin steaming that will be convenient for her.

Bath

Steam baths can be easily prepared at home. To do this you need:

• Boil about 4 liters of water in a small saucepan.
• Add healing components to it depending on personal preferences and skin type. It is better to prepare herbal decoctions in advance and add ready-made ones to boiling water or use them as they are prepared.
• Cool the water a little. Steam that is too hot may burn delicate skin or cause irritation. The water temperature should not be higher than 80 °C.
• Bend over the container so that your skin is approximately 20 cm from the water.
• Cover yourself with a fairly large towel and relax.

Dry skin can be steamed in this way for no longer than 5 minutes, and oily skin - up to 15 minutes. Of course, if the procedure causes discomfort, burning or any unpleasant symptoms, you should stop it immediately.

After finishing warming up, immediately pat your face dry with a clean, soft, natural cloth. Then you can proceed to the next stage of skin care - cleansing, applying a mask, etc.

Component Selection

It is best to select the optimal ingredients for preparing a steam bath depending on your skin type:

• For dry epidermis, it is better to give preference to rose, oregano and thyme.
• For oily use lemon, oak bark, linden blossom and mint.
• If normal - rosemary, lavender and jasmine.
• When ripe and withering - sage and coltsfoot.
• If you have rashes, use chamomile and calendula. In principle, such herbs are considered the most universal, although they have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
• For age spots - dandelion and parsley.

To prepare a healing decoction, you can take 1 tbsp. l. selected component, brew 700 ml of boiling water and leave in a thermos for 30 minutes (or in a water bath). Add the strained infusion to separately boiled water and use as directed.

Application

To perform such steaming procedures, you can use exactly the same decoctions and infusions as for preparing steam baths. To enhance their effectiveness, you can also add a couple of drops of essential oil, for example, rose, rosemary, ylang-ylang, grapefruit, etc. To steam your face:

• Arm yourself with a large cotton napkin.
• Dip a napkin into the warm broth, squeeze it a little and apply it to cleansed facial skin.
• Wait for the fabric to cool slightly, dip it back into the broth and apply it again to your face.
• Repeat the above manipulations the required number of times (on average 3-4).

About pores, water and pollution

I would like to talk in more detail about the need and rules for washing your face. To begin with, I suggest you understand what exactly clogs your pores every day. Of course, this is banal dust and dirt, especially for those who live in environmentally problematic cities.

But that is not all. Every day, the human epidermis is filled with dead scales, secretions of the sebaceous glands and particles of care and decorative cosmetics. Look in the mirror. If you feel discomfort on your face, film effect or on your face:

• acne;
• uneven relief and tone;
• pronounced creases from wrinkles;
• signs of early wilting,

Most likely the reason is that it requires high-quality cleansing. Even if you use the most expensive and effective products, without cleansing they simply will not work. The fact is that the active components of the substances simply cannot reach the deep layers of the skin due to clogged pores.

Contraindications

Steaming is considered a fairly effective and completely safe procedure, but in some cases it is better to refuse it. In particular, such manipulation is not recommended for girls with:

• Asthma.
• Hypertension and some other cardiovascular diseases.
• Cooperosis.
• Skin diseases.
• Pathologically enlarged pores.
• Increased body temperature.
• Exacerbation of any disease.

It is worth considering that pregnant women should steam their faces with extreme caution. Firstly, their face is characterized by increased sensitivity, and secondly, overheating can generally have a negative effect on their general condition (especially in problematic pregnancies).

Is it possible for acne?

The presence of dermatological diseases is a contraindication for steaming procedures. But at the same time, facial cleansing seems to be aimed at getting rid of acne. So can you still steam your face if you have rashes?

Cosmetologists assure that those pimples that are just beginning to form (they hurt and are inflamed) definitely cannot be heated. Steaming in such a situation can lead to the spread of inflammation and aggravate skin problems. Steam baths, applications and appropriate masks can be used only after the pimples have matured (when they have formed a white head or they stop hurting).

When steaming problem skin, you should use tea tree or eucalyptus oil when steaming. They contain substances that promote effective cleaning and elimination of toxins.

For stains

The presence of pigment spots and signs of post-acne on the skin is not a contraindication for steaming. However, mechanical cleansing of the face, which is usually performed after the pores have enlarged, can aggravate the pigmentation and make it particularly patchy.

Girls with blemishes on the skin can undergo gentle steaming of the skin, and do not subsequently supplement it with rough cleaning. It is best to entrust this task to an experienced cosmetologist.

Necessary equipment

In beauty salons, specialists use special devices that generate steam. Such devices can also be purchased for home beauty sessions. You can also achieve the desired effect using:

• regular steam baths;
• gels and masks that cause a thermal effect;
• heat compresses.

Why is it important to clean regularly?

Simply washing your face is not a sufficient procedure to get rid of skin impurities. To prevent the formation of comedones and inflammation, you need to carry out deep cleansing. It helps:

• prevents the appearance of microbes in the epidermal tissue;
• improves microcirculation in capillaries;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• cleanses pores;
• relieves inflammatory processes;
• enhances the protective properties of the skin;
• Gives a healthy look, natural color.

Note! Cosmetologists recommend deep facial cleansing not only for treatment, but also for prevention purposes. The procedure helps reduce the negative impact of dust and decorative cosmetics.

How long should you steam your face?

How often to perform the procedure and how much you need to steam your face depends on the type of epidermis:

• dry. Skin treatment can be carried out every 10-15 days, after preliminary application of the cream. The optimal session duration is up to 5 minutes;
• normal and combined. With this type of epidermis, it is recommended to steam your face at home for 10 days (7-12 minutes each);
• fatty. Treatment can be carried out at intervals of 3-4 days. Session duration is 12-15 minutes.