Using a facial steamer is an excellent method to clear up your skin and provide the relaxation that’s only achievable at a spa. Even if you don’t experience a lot of acne breakouts, you’ll benefit from involving a facial steamer to your skincare regime.
Imagine having a spa in your very own home.
All dermatologists agree that steaming your face is a natural and healthy way of achieving that rosy skin glow you've always wanted. More importantly, facial steamers are a cheaper alternative than going to the spa.
In This Article You Will Learn About Facial Steamers...
What Is A Facial Steamer?
A facial steamer is simply a device that emits steam that’s specifically targeted for your face. You usually see facial steamers when you go to your annual visit to either the spa or dermatologist.
In spas, they are known as facial saunas, but what a lot of people aren't aware of is that you don't need to use a facial steamer in a professional setting. You have the option to buy an in-home facial steamer and ditch having to go to the spa when you're trying to revamp your skin.
When you expose your skin to steam, it causes your pores to open up and loosen. This means any oil or dirt that’s lodged deep down in your skin can finally be washed away. The number one cause of acne breakouts is clogged pores, so a facial steamer will prevent those breakouts from occurring.
If you aren’t sure you require a facial steamer in your life, continue reading for more information on facial steamers. You’ll realize that anyone can find benefits from incorporating a facial steamer as part of their weekly skincare regime.
How To Use?
Facial steamers are simple to operate, but hard to dedicate oneself to. You need to plan out when you’re going to use your facial steamer because it’s a time of relaxation.
Your skin won’t experience the full benefits a facial steamer has to offer if you’re running around trying to finish three different things at once. Below is a step by step guide as to how to successfully use a facial steamer.
Prepare Your Face
For the steam to properly clean your clogged pores, you have to prepare your skin before you start using the facial steamer. Dermatologists recommend washing your face with a mild face cleanser that's not full of harmful chemicals. Make sure your cleanser is made with all-natural and organic materials.
By giving your face a pre-wash, you will remove any dirt, oil, or makeup that's found on the surface of your face. After cleaning your face, the next step should be exfoliating. Use a gentle scrub that has round beads because they are easier on the face.
Exfoliators with jagged edges are going to tear your skin, which prevents the steamer from properly deep cleaning your pores. After you wash and exfoliate, your skin is ready for the facial steamer.
Prepare The Facial Steamer
Follow the instructions that come with the facial steamer. Each facial steamer works differently, so the step by step process to use the device varies with each brand and model.
In-home facial steamers normally have a chamber that’s located below the cone where you’re supposed to place your face. All you have to do is remove the cap that covers the chamber, and fill it up with about two cups of distilled water.
If you use tap water, the facial steamer will emit steam that smells weird. This steam will prove to be less effective for cleaning your pores because the steam isn’t pure.
After the facial steamer is full of water, you should turn it on and let it heat up. Some facial steamers take seconds to heat up while others take minutes.
Keep this in mind if you’re running late to go somewhere, and you need to wait for your facial steamer to heat up.
Facial Steaming Process
You’ll know your steamer is ready to go when once you see steam coming out. You have to place your face on the cone part of the facial steamer that is emitting steam. You should keep your face approximately five to ten inches away from the actual steamer. If you put your face too close, you run the risk of burning or even swelling your face.
If you're a beginner at this, dermatologists recommend starting off with three-minute sessions. After each session, you should give your face a one minute break to see how you're reacting.
For those who have experienced facial steaming before, you don't have to break your steaming sessions into intervals to give your skin time to recover. You can increase your facial steaming sessions since your skin is used to the heat.
After Steaming Process
Using a facial steamer isn’t enough to get the healthy skin results you desire. Once you’re done using the facial steamer, you should turn it off and use a clean lukewarm towel to clean your face. This removes any loose dirt that’s still lodged into your pores.
To totally complete your facial treatment, it’s recommended to apply a face mask that’s suitable for your skin type. Since the steam has loosened your pores, the mask can fully penetrate your skin to give your face a thorough cleaning.
After applying the face mask, you should follow the directions for washing it off. Then use the moisturizer that's suitable for your skin type. Make sure to splash some cold water on your face before applying the moisturizer, so your pores have a chance to close up.
Safety Tips
Please remember to take breaks to observe how your skin is reacting to the steam during the skincare treatment. For those who have severe acne, rosacea, or any other type of skin conditions, you should consult with your dermatologist before buying a facial steamer.
Make sure to wash your steamer after every use thoroughly. If you fail to do so, detrimental bacteria will begin to form, which counteracts the effects the facial steamer has on your skin.
How Often Should You Use It?
The number of times you steam your face is dependent on your skin type. Dermatologists recommend steaming your face at least once a week to observe any beneficial effects.
For those who have severely clogged pores, you would greatly benefit from using a facial steamer at least twice a week until your skin condition improves.
If you steam your face more than twice a week, your skin will react negatively to the treatment. Dermatologists all agree that too much facial steaming leads to more severe acne breakouts.
What Are The Different Types?
One of the most popular appliances on the skincare market is facial steamers. Many manufacturers sell in-home and professional facial steamers to appease anyone trying to buy a facial steamer. You have the option to buy one that’s specifically made for in home use or one that’s made specifically for professional settings.
In-home Facial Steamers
In-home facial steamers are the most common type found in people’s homes for personal use. These devices are cheaper than professional ones and get the job done. You can choose between two types of facial steamers that are produced for personal use.
Flared Facial Steamer
The flared facial steamer have a wide cone shape that fits the entirety of your face. All you have to do is turn on the device and wait for the steam to start.
The design makes it easy for the steam to target every aspect of your face, so your entire face gets the proper steam treatment.
Some facial steamers have taller cones while others have short ones. The taller cones don't require you to sit down in order to use the appliance. Shorter cones require you to sit, so make sure you're comfortable before starting the facial steaming process.
If you want a high-tech facial cleaner, you should buy the one that comes with two cones. The wider cone is supposed to emit steam for your face, while the narrower cone emits steam for your nose.
Flower Design
Another popular design for in-home facial cleaners is the flower design. The flower design allows the facial steamer to be a pleasant addition to your desk.
On top of it looking beautiful, this facial steamer is more direct with its steam. Since the mouth is narrower than other facial steamer designs, the steam hits your face with more force.
Other wide facial steamers have detachable cones, which makes the facial steaming process more comfortable. You also have the ability to clean your facial steamer thoroughly.
Unfortunately, flower shaped facial steamers don't detach. The only part that detaches is the section that holds the water.
Professional Facial Steamers
These type of facial steamers are commonly found in professional spas and dermatologist offices that offer facial treatments. The facial steamers that your doctor uses won't be available to the general public, but certain companies get close to the professional models.
The brands that do manufacture professional quality facial steamers have a different design than in-home models. These facial steamers have a wide body with a lid that you lift off when you’re ready to use the device.
You know you have a professional quality steamer when you can choose between a warm and cold temperature feature. Professional quality steamers also incorporate nano-ionic steam technology into its makeup to provide a deep pore cleansing.
Professional grade steamers will allow you to alternate your steam therapy between hot and cold. The warm steam will loosen your pores while the cold steam will tighten your pores and reduce wrinkles.
The company that's best known for manufacturing professional quality facial steamers is Panasonic. Keep this in mind when you're looking to buy professional-grade facial steamers.
Facial Steamers With Magnifying Lamps
If your facial steamer comes with a magnifying lamp, you'll know that you're buying a professional quality facial steamer. Standard in-home facial steamers don't come with magnifying lamps and cost a lot cheaper because of it.
Magnifying lamps provide UV sterilization, which greatly benefits your skin when used correctly. In fact, UV sterilization kills approximately 90% of bacteria that’s living in your skin. This bacteria is the culprit behind acne breakouts.
The magnifying lamp comes in handy because it's adjustable and you can utilize for identifying acne that's hard to notice under the naked eye. The UV bulb that comes with the magnifying lamp lasts around 10,000 hours, so you don't have to buy a replacement anytime soon.
Portable & Handheld Facial Steamers
The most portable friendly facial steamer will weigh around 4 pounds, which is the standard for all handheld facial steamers. For those who frequently travel, having access to devices that promote a relaxing environment is a great idea.
Thankfully, portable facial steamers work well in that regard and allow you 24 hours access to spa-like instruments.
The more elaborate handheld facial steamers will come with extended features you can attach to the device for a more specific pore cleansing.
Benefits Of A Facial Steamer
Facial steamers are multifunctional devices that will prove to be a beneficial appliance, regardless of whether or not you have clear skin. Anyone with any skin type can benefit from using a facial cleaner.
1. Cleans Your Pores
The major reason people experience acne breakouts is due to big pores that are clogged up with dirt, makeup, and oils. If you don’t frequently clean your skin, dirt gets lodged deeper into your pores. This creates a great environment for permanent blackheads to emerge.
The warm steam that comes from facial steamers makes your face sweat. The sweating opens up the pores that are normally clogged with dirt and helps soften the outmost layer of dead skin cells. Removing dead skin cells gives your face a younger and natural glow that people pay hundreds of dollars for in professional treatment.
If you have a lot of blackheads around your nose, steaming helps soften the blackhead plugs. The softening removes the blackheads from their roots, which eliminates them altogether. For those who have a severe case of blackheads should consult with their dermatologist before using a facial steamer.
2. Receptive Skin
For those who already have a skincare routine, adding a facial steamer will enhance your skincare results. Facial steaming causes your pores to open up, which leaves your skin susceptible to other facial treatments.
Dermatologists recommend using a face mask after steaming your face. Your face will absorb all the nutrients the face mask has to offer. The nutrients will also reach the deepest part of your pores, giving your face a thorough deep cleaning.
3. Enhanced Circulation
Facial steamers have been proven to improve the blood flow around your face, so you always have a healthy glow.
When you steam your face, a thermal regulating response activates which causes blood vessels found around your face to dilate. Dilated blood vessels allow more blood to flow to your skin, which delivers it nutrients and oxygen. This is why after you use a facial steamer you appear to have a healthy rosy glow.
4. Removes Toxins
A facial steamer has the similar effect a sauna has on the general body. A sauna works to help you sweat out any toxins you may have trapped within your body. You can think of a facial steamer being a sauna that’s specifically made for your face.
Your face sweats out all the toxins it gathers from air pollution once you apply a facial steamer. These toxins are the reason behind causing nutrient imbalances found in your skin. A facial steamer works to remove all the toxins that would give your face a dull look.
5. Promotes A Relaxing Environment
People spend exorbitant amounts of money going to spas to get massages and facial treatments. Ultimately, people spend money on spas for the relaxing experience that’s gained from going to them. You have the option to bring the spa to your home when you’re presented with the idea of buying a facial steamer.
Steam has a calming effect on the body, so it has a relaxing effect on the face. This prevents wrinkles from occurring at an early age.
A facial steamer can do more than just spray steam onto your face. You have the option to add essential oils to the water you're using to put into the device. Since you can add essential oils to this water, you have the ability to give yourself a soothing aromatherapy session at home.
In the long run, a facial steamer will save you money and help your skin look healthy.
Does A Facial Steamer Help?
Well over 85% of people who use facial steamers have reported having healthier looking skin after one month of consistent use. Since you only have to steam your face once or twice a week, it's easy to fit a steaming session into your calendar. This means such a beneficial treatment is cost efficient and saves time.
Popular Manufacturers
Below is a detailed list of popular facial steamer manufacturers that most professionals and in-home buyers go to.
Panasonic
You may have heard of Panasonic, but only in the context of television or other electronic appliances. Panasonic has expanded over to the beauty department and manufactures one of the most widely sold facial steamers on the skincare market.
Panasonic is known for producing a professional quality in-home facial steamer at a higher cost than most in-home steamers. Their facial steamers tend to last longer than cheaper ones, but the price difference may not be worth it.
Dr. Dennis Gross
If you want a manufacturer that has a doctor's stamp of approval, Dr. Dennis Gross is a brand that's run by a dermatologist. Dr. Dennis Gross has been working as a dermatologist in New York City for 25 years and is one of the city's top-rated Dermatologists.
Other than producing top of the line facial steamers, Dr. Dennis Gross also produces one of the best facial cream treatments available. All of his products are cruelty-free and are made with potent and scientifically proven ingredients. All his buyers are left with clearer and healthier skin at a reasonable price.
Conair
Conair has been around since the 1950’s and started out as a small hair appliance company. Nowadays, Conair does more than supply the world with hair care products. Conair has diversified its market to skincare, health products, as well as kitchen appliances.
This manufacturer produces an economically friendly facial steamer that works about as well as a professional steamer. You won't get the results the skin clearing results right away, but with consistent use, this facial steamer will work wonders.
Secura
Secura has a similar story to Conair in that it started off as a small in-home appliance manufacturer. The company makes average beauty appliances at prices anyone can afford.
If you want to try out a facial steamer before you decide to spend hundreds of dollars on it, you should buy a Secura Facial Steamer. Their appliances are easy to use and last longer than you would expect it to.
DIY Facial Steamer
You don’t need a facial steamer to try one at home. In fact, you can make your very own facial steamer at no cost. All you have to do is boil some water, add the necessary herbs, and hold your face over the steaming water.
The only difference between a DIY facial steamer and an electronic one is that you'll need a toner afterward to close up your pores. Also, an electronic one doesn't require you to moisturize your face while a DIY facial steamer does.
Safety Consideration
Facial steamers are designed in a way so that you can't place your entire face on the device. This prevents people from burning their faces if they get too close to the facial steamer.
Since facial steamers run on batteries, so you don't have to plug it in anywhere for it to work. All you have to do is press a button, and you're good to go.
Conclusion
You can't go buying a facial steamer without knowing what features and options you have available. If money is a factor, you should definitely try making your facial steamer at home before going out to buy one. Not everyone responds well to steaming treatment, but no one ever reports any adverse side effects.
Hopefully, we thoroughly answered any questions you may have about facial cleaners. In another guide, I'll be reviewing specific facial steamers that are worth it to check out.
