Caution: You are going to read a steamy post. Keep tissues handy to wipe the sweat off (Just kidding)

Yes, it is very well a steamy post. It goes on to expose you to the beautiful benefits of facial steaming in this era of pollution and premature ageing of the skin. I remember my mom bowing down to a container of steaming hot water with a towel over her head, when I was quite young to understand facial steaming. I used to think that this might be some spiritual act or some ritual.

However, later on growing up, I came to understand the real benefit of that act of my mom – inexpensive and quick way to beauty. Facial steaming is not new – it has been existent since ages. Probably, even your grandma might have done it. It comes loaded with several benefits.

How Facial Steam has Changed Over the Years

If you are keeping a close watch on beauty trends like me, then you must have noticed one thing – that we have moved on from herbal to chemical to herbal again. By God’s grace, I have met my mom’s grandma – yep, she lived for more than 90 years. She was pro-organic. She never let her skin expose to soaps, chemicals, preservatives and even medicines. No wonder, she lived for such long.

Nowadays, many people, especially women, have gone organic in a big way. Instead of using products laden with parabens, animal fats and preservatives, people now prefer eating and applying organic, ayurvedic and herbal products. Facial Steams were initially taken only through hot water pots. However, with time it has changed. Seeing their popularity and many benefits, specialized facial steamers have been introduced to make it easier for people. Many even prefer steaming their face with hot water towels. Steaming is also provided in salons as a part of facials and spa, these days.

Easy and Simple Methods of Facial Steaming

1. Hot Pot – fill a pot with water and boil it. Now, cautiously keep this hot pot at a place and height comfortable to you. Bend over the hot pot in a manner that your face gets the steam. Drape a clean towel covering you and your head like a tent. The towel prevents the steam from escaping.

2. Facial Steamer – this equipment is advancement in the world of beauty. A variety of Facial Steamers are easily available both online and offline. Steaming with the help of this equipment will give you a spa-kind of experience.

3. Hot Towels – Boil some water. Dip clean towels in this hot water. Now, carefully place them on your face. You need to take caution regarding the temperature of the towel. Keep changing the placement of the towel on different parts of your face.

Make Your Facial Steaming Special with These Ingredients

If you are pressed for time, you can just boil some water and let the steam work over your face. But, if it is a Sunday and you want to give your face a bounce and a smile too, then add special ingredients to the boiling water. You are sure to make your skin shine through. You should not add all the ingredients together in the boiling water. You can combine a couple of them or use them independently.

Citrus Facial Steaming

Citrus fruits are brimming with Vitamin C and antioxidants. They are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and even detoxifying. Using them in facial steam helps in cell turnover and even removing accumulated dead skin cells. Plus, they smell heavenly and lift up your senses.

– Lemon slices
– Orange slices

Facial Steaming Using Tea

Adding tea leaves to your facial steaming turns out to be great for your skin. It not only smells great but helps relax your skin of amassed tension. Being rich in antioxidants, the humble green tea has been a beauty secret of celebrities as well.

– Green Tea
– White Tea

Herbal Facial Steaming

Herbs in your facial steam work in several ways. While white willow bark helps in clearing pores and shedding accumulated dead skin cells, Mint and Rosemary cools and calms the skin. Similarly each herb carries a special benefit for your skin.

– Peppermint
– Spearmint
– White Willow Bark
– Rosemary
– Thyme
– Parsley
– Sage

Spiced Facial Steaming

Bay leaves relieve stressed skin and minimize the appearance of wrinkles. While turmeric is a natural anti-biotic that helps remove pimples, cinnamon helps exfoliate the skin with its anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. Cloves have antimicrobial components while fennel seeds cleanse the skin thoroughly and enhance the complexion, being rich in Vitamin C.

– Cloves
– Bay leaves
– Fennel Seeds
– Cinnamon
– Turmeric

Floral Facial Steaming

Add one or all of these flowers to your facial steam and notice the difference in your skin. These flowers help in restoring the energy and vitality to your skin. Flowers help soothe sensitive skin. Both rose and chamomile even soften the skin.

– Rose petals
– Lavender
– Calendula
– Chamomile

Essential Oils for Facial Steaming

Only a drop of essential oil is enough to work the magic on your skin. Do not use all of these essential oils together as each carries a unique fragrance and mixing them up might not go well. While lavender oil is calming, eucalyptus is good for acne and even for relieving congestion. Rosemary is good for maintaining oil balance, parsley and geranium are natural astringent, fennel is rich in anti-ageing oxidants and chamomile soothes irritated and sensitive skin.

– Lavender
– Eucalyptus
– Rosemary
– Parsley
– Fennel
– Geranium
– Chamomile

Steps for Facial Steaming

Step one – Choose a hot pot wide enough to cover your face. Alternatively, you can use a facial steamer.1

Step two – Add recommended skin-safe ingredients that you wish to the boiling water.

Step three – By the time water is boiling, clean your face with a face wash.

Step four – In case, you are using a hot pot, cover your face with a towel. In case of facial steamers, a towel is not mandatory.

Step five – Steam your face for 5 minutes. You can take breaks in between. However, do not steam your face for more than 10 minutes. It might turn out to be harmful for your skin.

Step six – Remove blackheads if any by rubbing specific parts where they are present on the face. You can use a towel for this.

Step seven – Splash some regular water on your face on completion.

Step eight – Now, you should pat dry your face. Do not rub it vigorously or else, you might over-dry your face.

Step nine – Moisturize your face and neck. If you are heading out in sun, remember to apply sunscreen.

Step ten – Repeat this procedure weekly (for regular skin) and monthly (for sensitive skin).

How Often Should You Steam Your Face

While facial steaming is good for your skin, however, like all good things, even this one needs to be limited. The regularity of facial steaming depends majorly on your skin type and your beauty regimen. If you have open pores already, then facial steaming needs to be performed only on the advice of your skin expert. People suffering from blackheads can perform facial steaming often to make their skin spotless.

If you have a sensitive skin, please take caution while choosing the ingredients for facial steaming and even the temperature of the water. People with severe skin conditions should consult a skin expert before opting for facial steaming.

Benefits of Facial Steaming

While you might be aware of the fact that steaming helps relieve nasal congestion, you would be amazed getting to know about many other benefits that facial steaming has.

1. Clearing pores – the rising warm steam helps clear up clogged pores. This ultimately helps cure acne and other skin problems. With rising levels of pollution, it is necessary to remove the dirt and grime that settles on the skin on a daily basis. Steaming the face results in sweating which ultimately softens the skin, thereby removing dead skin cells.

2. Enhancing circulation – facial steaming helps in enhanced blood circulation. Your skin glows up naturally after steaming as blood feeds the skin with both oxygen and nutrients. This enhances your complexion beautifully.

3. Flushing out toxins – steaming results in sweating. With sweat, toxins present in the skin are flushed out automatically. This is the reason you feel fresh and reenergized after a round of facial steaming.

4. Curing Acne – when toxins are flushed out, even acne gets cleared up. Facial steaming helps release sebum through sebaceous glands of your face. With sebum, your skin gets naturally moisturized.

5. Removing Blackhead – if blackheads and whiteheads trouble you often, make facial steaming your friend. Do it regularly to soften the blackheads and remove it with the help of a towel. Steaming helps soften the skin by removing buildup of impurities.

6. Hydrating Skin – being composed of water, steam helps in providing moisture to the skin. Facial steaming makes the skin more absorbent and revives it. Whatever you apply on your skin thereafter gets instantly absorbed, be it face-pack or moisturizer.

7. Promoting relaxation – facial steaming calms your senses. You can breathe easily, thanks to the warm steam. It even makes you feel calm and composed. Adding essential oils to steam pot can increase the benefits of steaming. The smell from the essential oils charges you up by turning the session into at-home aromatherapy.

8. Subsiding pimples – steaming helps you get rid of pimples. Steam your face for maximum five minutes and take a break of half an hour. Post this, apply an ice cube. While the hot steam removes the pus, ice makes sure that breakout subsides.

9. Fighting ageing – as you age, the skin starts ageing as well. The skin is not able to naturally get rid of dead skin cells. Facial steaming helps get rid of accumulated dead skin cells and give your face a natural lift. In addition, it helps in moistening the face, tightening the skin and even treating dry patches.

10. Augmenting benefits – facial steaming doubles up the benefit of any skincare treatment you take. As steaming clears up toxins, dirt and impurities, pores on your face becomes more receptive to facemasks or serums that you apply thereafter.

Facial Steaming is as easy as counting one to ten. It is simple to do and does not require any special equipment. Head to your kitchen and start making the most of it by adding your favourite herbs to it. Happy Steaming!