How long to steam your face? How much and how to properly steam your face for cleaning at home

The facial skin of a representative of the fair sex is a woman’s calling card. But in order for the skin to please its owner with a young, fresh look, it needs to be looked after. To ensure proper care for the skin of your face, neck and décolleté, you can go to a beauty salon. But constantly “preening” in a beauty salon is quite expensive, but at home you can take care of your face and body at home.

A mandatory procedure that no representative of the fair sex can do without is facial cleansing. Cleaning is carried out in different ways, but before the cosmetic procedure it is necessary to steam your face. In this article, let's figure out how to properly steam your face at home.

Why do you need to steam your face?

The facial steaming procedure must be done before cleaning the pores. Under the influence of cold or heat, the pores open to the maximum, so the scrub or peeling gets into the deepest layers of the dermis.

The steaming mechanism is as follows:

• hot air vapors cleanse the pores of toxins, cosmetics and sebaceous deposits;
• if you steam your face, the cores of blackheads easily come to the surface;
• thanks to cellular respiration, complexion is restored: yellowness and grayness disappear, a natural blush appears on the cheeks;
• metabolism is activated in cells and tissues, restoration processes are launched;
• if you steam your face before applying a mask, the effectiveness of the cosmetic procedure increases several times;
• hot air vapors have a soothing and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin;
• comedones, blackheads and pimples go away.

By regularly performing the procedures described above, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much more beautiful and well-groomed your face will become. The main task is to follow the recommendations, which we will talk about below.

Most dermatologists and cosmetologists are of the opinion that it is necessary to steam your face before cleansing. But not all representatives of the fair sex know that there are contraindications to this procedure. For example, this procedure is contraindicated for ladies who have sensitive or too dry skin. Water vapor heats the epidermal cells to the point that all moisture evaporates from it.

It is also contraindicated to steam the face for women suffering from inflammatory skin diseases. If the inflammatory process is caused by viruses and infections, heating of the dermal cells can lead to the rapid spread of infectious processes. This begs the question: is it necessary to steam your face if you have acne? If acne is just forming and causes pain, steaming your face is strictly contraindicated, as this can aggravate the process. But if the pimples are ripe, they can be completely removed only after steaming.

Indications for facial steaming

• preparation for deep mechanical cleaning. Even if you just need to squeeze out a pimple, steaming your face will make the procedure much easier. Once the pores are completely open, dirt will easily come out of them;
• allergies to peels and scrubs. Gentle cleansing of the face is facilitated by steaming, during which dead cells are peeled off without mechanical impact;
• preparation for hard peeling. If you steam your face before cleansing with peeling, then all impurities from the skin are easily removed.

Steaming procedure progress

If you need to steam your face efficiently and quickly, follow a specific algorithm that is the same for all steaming techniques. If you follow all the recommendations, the end result will pleasantly surprise you:

• using special products to remove makeup from your face;
• wash your face with a special gel and milk;
• It is recommended to tuck your hair under a headscarf or cap. Hair should not interfere during the cosmetic procedure;
• It is recommended to steam the pores in accordance with the chosen method;
• the optimal steaming time is about ten minutes;
• After exposure to steam, do not wipe your face with a towel. The skin must rest to absorb moisture;
• wipe the skin with a dry cloth and cleanse the face using peeling or scrub;
• apply a soothing cream or mask.

Many representatives of the fair sex are wondering how to steam their face before a mask and how often the procedure should be done. It is recommended to do cosmetic procedures for contaminated and very problematic skin every 3 to 4 days. If the skin condition is not critical, the procedure will be performed no more than once every seven days.

Naturally, the final effect of the procedure will primarily be associated with the method of steaming. Let's take a closer look at each of the methods.

Ways to steam your face

Steaming your face with steam

Before steaming your face before the mask, you need to prepare a medicinal herbal decoction. This procedure is not difficult. We will need special dishes and a set of herbs, which is sold in every pharmacy. For the steaming procedure, it is advisable to take a collection of pharmaceutical chamomile, as well as aroma oils.

Now you need to brew chamomile with boiling water. The herbs are infused for half an hour. 2-3 drops of aroma oil (grapefruit, almond, ylang-ylang, etc.) are added to the finished mixture.

Now let's begin the facial steaming procedure. To open the pores, bend over the steam and cover your head with a towel. Chamomile decoction will open the pores, and aromatic oils will have a healing effect on the skin.

How long a cosmetic procedure takes depends on your skin type. But the procedure cannot be performed for more than half an hour. You also need to make sure that the steam is not scalding or too hot, as this will cause burns to the skin.

Like any cosmetic procedure, steaming the face with steam has a number of contraindications: spider veins, an allergic reaction to chamomile or aromatic oils, etc.

Steaming your face with a cloth

This cosmetic procedure is very simple to perform. Initially, prepare a chamomile decoction, following the recommendations described above. Now take a piece of cotton cloth and soak it in chamomile decoction. Now apply the cloth to your face and hold it for at least forty minutes.

To ensure that the steaming face mask always remains wet before cleaning, it must be constantly moistened in a decoction of herbs. In addition to chamomile, you can add a few drops of a certain aroma oil to the herbal decoction. Just be careful when performing the procedure, as a damp cloth can severely burn your face.

Steaming and cleansing your face must be done very carefully. Initially, it is necessary to control the time of exposure to steam on the skin of the face. In addition, it is important to control that the pores open gently and gradually.

Steaming masks

You can also prepare special steaming masks at home:

Honey + egg. Mix two yolks with three tablespoons of honey and warm everything thoroughly to room temperature. The mask is kept on the face for about twenty minutes and then washed off with warm running water.

Salt mask. Dissolve two tablespoons of salt in a liter of boiling water. We soak a cotton cloth in a saline solution and place it on the skin of the face, grabbing the neck and chin. The mask is kept on the face until it cools completely. Before the procedure, it is recommended to lubricate the skin with moisturizer. It is not recommended to do procedures involving salt too often. No more than once a week.

Mask of oatmeal and baking soda. Take half a teaspoon of baking soda and mix it with a tablespoon of oatmeal. It is recommended to dilute the mixture with water or milk to the consistency of thick porridge. The mask is kept on the face for twenty-five minutes and then washed off with warm water.

Only healthy skin can be steamed. But if a representative of the fair sex suffers from an inflammatory process, allergies or other manifestations of the disease, then it is better to refuse steaming.

You can get rid of skin debris at home if you steam your facial pores well using one of the methods described above. Then all the products that are used to cleanse the face will perform their functions fully. When the pores are fully opened, scrubs and peels necessarily penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis, removing dust and dirt from them.

In this article we will tell you how to steam your face at home before cleansing and what methods are approved by professional cosmetologists.

Pimples, blackheads and simply dead skin cells need to be periodically cleansed to keep the skin even, smooth, and radiant. Sometimes this is the only way to get rid of painful, unsightly rashes. But to carry out a quality procedure, it is always important to prepare the epithelium.

Why do you need to prepare your skin in advance?

Steaming is an important and necessary step for facial cleansing in the salon or at home. Not a single cosmetologist will undertake the procedure of “cleaning” the face without this procedure. Firstly, it is dangerous due to injury to the skin (especially if it is important to remove purulent rashes, squeeze out pimples, or remove blackheads). Secondly, a steamed face quickly releases all impurities, and cleaning can achieve remarkable results. Sometimes you can prepare your face quickly. It happens that you have to steam your face a little longer. But soft, glowing skin and a smooth, velvety texture will be the reward for your efforts.

Why preparation is useful:

• hot steam and other means wash away dirt, excess sebum, remnants of dirt and dust from the dermis that have blown onto the face with the winds;
• The stratum corneum of the skin softens, and this helps to remove it. Do not think that softening is important only for mechanical cleaning - it is also mandatory before peeling.
• pores expand. They should also be open to any manipulations by cosmetologists (and self-cleansing). This way, the pores will release all the accumulated dirt and facilitate the penetration of masks and medicinal compositions, enhancing their healing effect.
• sometimes hot steam clears blackheads without external influence. Steam itself has a slight disinfecting effect, especially if not ordinary water, but an antiseptic is used to make it.
• prepared skin becomes much softer; Just apply a little pressure to make the pimple pop out.

Steaming is especially useful for mature skin: in the process, it is saturated with oxygen, blood circulation is stimulated, and collagen is also produced. It is responsible for the firmness and elasticity of the skin, stopping aging.

How much cleaning should be done? Cosmetologists do not give a direct answer to this question. It all depends on the degree of skin contamination and the structural features of the epithelium.

There are many options for steaming your face at home. You can steam your face over a bowl of warm water the old fashioned way, or buy a good vaporizer - a modern device for steaming the skin. It is possible to take advantage of the achievements of the cosmetic industry - apply a special gel or mask. We will tell you about the most proven methods and explain the rules for their use. Before learning what and how you can steam your face for cleaning, we advise you to remember a few general rules. Then the procedure will go perfectly.

Take note:

1. Only clean skin can be treated with steam, without visible traces of decorative cosmetics. Otherwise, they can penetrate through the pores into the pores and cause irritation.
2. Hair should be collected: hairs can stick to the forehead, causing discomfort.
3. It is better to lubricate your lips and eyelids with baby cream or oily Nivea - the areas are delicate and can be easily damaged by hot steam.
4. As a container, it is preferable to choose glass pans with a thick bottom. It is hygienic and glass holds heat better without burning your hands.
5. For those with rosacea, it is better to choose gentle methods: use pharmaceutical masks, gels, or simply apply a hot, damp towel to your face, leaving it on your face for 5-7 minutes.

This small instruction will serve as a safety precaution for you, and at the same time will significantly improve the result. Now let's move on to the main thing - we will teach you a step-by-step procedure for preparing for “cleaning” your skin at home.

Let's proceed to step-by-step facial cleansing (you can see the whole process in detail in the photo).

At home, the process should look like this:

1. Boil water in a kettle.
2. Pour a little dry chamomile into the bottom of a thick saucepan (buy the flowers at the pharmacy, save the filter bags for other purposes).
3. Let the water cool to 60 degrees (to avoid burns, the steam temperature for cleansing your face at home should not exceed 50-60 degrees).
4. Pour water over chamomile.
5. As soon as it is brewed, we lean over the pan and cover it with a towel.
6. You cannot expose your face to the stream of steam - otherwise you can easily get burned.
7. The cloth or towel must cover you completely: the steam will not escape. If you inhale your face deeply while steaming, the lungs will open, phlegm will come out, and breathing will be freed.
8. The optimal procedure time is 10-15 minutes. This is enough for the pores to open and the dermis to become softer.
9. After the steaming session, we blot our face with a clean paper napkin (or a very soft cloth) and proceed directly to cleansing the face.

Supplementing steam with decoctions

What else can you use to steam your face to achieve an even better effect? Cosmetologists recommend supplementing the steaming procedure with mild cleansing solutions based on medicinal herbs and some medications. For example, instead of chamomile, take calendula, St. John's wort, mint, linden flowers, and rose petals.

It is great to complement the steaming procedure with a decoction of potatoes, to which a little baking soda and starch are added - the substances disinfect the epithelium, loosen dead cells, and at the same time tighten (especially if you drop a few drops of tea tree ether into the solution).

Before steaming your facial skin at home, prepare an infusion of hot water with the addition of hydrogen peroxide, Miramistin, chlorophyllipt (it comes in the form of an oil or alcohol solution). This will help pimples heal faster and prevent inflammation, which sometimes occurs after mechanical squeezing of pimples.

Dandelion, lemon, and parsley leaves are also suitable as additional means for steaming the face: they even out the tone and lightly whiten. There are other modern methods. Let's list the most popular ones.

The steaming time depends only on the structure of the epithelium and the state of its health. Any open wounds or neoplasms should be a reason to consult a doctor. But usually 15 minutes is enough for high-quality preparation for cleaning from blackheads, pimples, and subcutaneous fat.

It is advisable to repeat the procedure once every 21 days for owners of dry, sensitive facial skin. For oily dermis, the interval can easily be reduced to 10-14 days.

Alternative methods

It happens that the skin needs to be prepared, but there is no desire to fuss and run around with pots. In this case, modern alternative cleansing manipulations will be needed. Some are extremely pleasant to use. Which ones do cosmetologists recommend choosing?

Known alternatives:

1. Special pharmaceutical masks. They are made from natural materials soaked in medicinal plant extracts. Just put the mask in water, squeeze it out lightly, and apply it to your face. After 15 minutes, remove the mask.
2. Ready-made masks are sold. They are applied to previously cleansed skin and kept for the time specified in the instructions. They contain substances that come into contact with water and generate heat. They are ideal for anyone for whom thermal procedures are contraindicated. Warming gels, emulsions and other ready-made compositions have a similar effect.
3. For lovers of fashionable novelties, we suggest using a vaporizer instead of a saucepan. This is a smart device that produces thin streams of steam. There are models that allow you to saturate the steam with herbal esters, extracts, and aromatic oils. Vaporizers often have an ozonation function. It disinfects the skin and enriches cells with oxygen. The big advantage of the devices is that they have a timer and automatically heat the water to a temperature that is safe for humans.

Video about the cold steaming method:

Finally, there is the cold hydrogenation procedure. This technique is used exclusively in beauty salons; it is not advisable to use it at home. And how long to steam your face with cold (sounds, of course, paradoxical) only a cosmetologist should know.

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.

Drawing conclusions

You can soften your skin and properly prepare it for cleansing from acne and blackheads at home. An important condition for the safety of manipulation is careful attention to health and compliance with all precautions. Be sure to apply an anti-inflammatory cream after steaming procedures, directly after cleaning. Then you are guaranteed clean, healthy skin.

Facial cleansing is a popular procedure, thanks to which you can have beautiful, smooth skin at any age. But before you start cleaning, the top layer of skin must be steamed. Let's get acquainted with the need for this procedure and the rules for doing it at home.

What you need to know

If there are rashes, inflammations and comedones on the skin, then this indicates that it is necessary to take serious care of your face. People at any age can face this problem, but girls often resort to cleaning at a young age. At this age, skin secretions are actively secreted, pores become clogged, and therefore there is a need for regular cleansing, otherwise blackheads, pimples and blackheads cannot be avoided.

Although women after 30 years of age sometimes need to perform deep cleansing of the skin, since it suffers from street dirt and cosmetics anyway. Chronic stress and poor ecology also have a negative impact.

To remove sebaceous plugs and clogged pores, they must first be softened. This can be done by resorting to heat treatment - heating. As a result, the pores will expand and it will become possible, without much effort, to remove accumulated dirt, and in addition, the skin will be able to absorb nutritional components during subsequent procedures. This is why you need to know how to steam your face for cleaning or before using a mask.

Indications

With regular steaming before deep cleansing your face, you can get rid of acne, enlarged pores and comedones. And knowing all the subtleties of how to steam your face before a mask, you can prevent skin injuries and avoid purulent infection.

Before depilation or shaving, you also need to steam. Since on steamed and thoroughly scrubbed skin, the blade or scraper glides better. You will also prevent pain and minimize the likelihood of ingrown hairs.

Contraindications

Manipulations with heating tissues cannot be used by everyone, since steaming can negatively affect not only the condition of the skin, but also the well-being of a person in general. Saturated hot air penetrates very deeply into the skin and affects cellular processes, lung function and the circulatory system. If you have any chronic diseases associated with these organs, it is better not to take risks.

Steaming is contraindicated for the following ailments:

• initial stage of ARVI;
• heat;
• asthma;
• hypertension;
• pneumonia and bronchitis;
• heart diseases;
• problems with blood vessels.

Preparation for the procedure

If there are no contraindications to steaming, you can begin the procedure. But it requires preliminary preparation, depending on your skin type. So different preparation methods are used for different species.

At dry Before the procedure, the skin must be softened using a cream or fluid. Steaming for this type is also needed less often than for oily or combination skin types. On a dry face, the pores are small and they clog slowly, so two or three times a month is enough. The duration of steaming should not exceed five minutes.

At combined And normal Before steaming, you just need to moisturize the skin. First of all, you need to rinse your face with water, pat dry with a clean towel, and then apply moisturizer. Steaming should be repeated every ten days. Duration - no more than ten minutes.

At fat The skin needs frequent steaming: twice a week. Exposure of the skin to steam or thermal composition should be less than 12 minutes. Before starting the procedure, cleanse your face with lotion.

Before steaming your skin, you need to remove all cosmetics from it with warm water and use mild cleansers. You can make a homemade scrub: add a little ground coffee and honey to the cleansing gel. Massage the skin, then rinse off the composition and apply the product that suits you to your face. Then begin the steaming procedure.

Steaming methods

There are three methods suitable for performing the home procedure:

• over steam with a herbal bath;
• hot compress;
• use of a warming mask.

Hot steam bath

This is the simplest and most cost-effective method of steaming. You need to take a deep bowl or small container for hot water and a towel.

How the procedure is carried out:

1. Place a container of hot water on the table;
2. Sit down and bend over the vessel;
3. Cover your head with a towel for a sauna effect.

To avoid getting burned, you should not bend too much over the hot steam in the first minutes. Not only the skin of the face, but also the nasal mucosa can be damaged. Focus on the sensations - the steam should not burn.

You can also steam your face simply over boiling water. To enhance the effectiveness of the procedure, you will need one liter of herbal decoction. For brewing, you can take any medicinal herb: calendula, chamomile, coltsfoot. Pour boiling water over it and let it brew for five minutes. For a relaxing effect, you can add two drops of essential oil per liter of decoction.

Possible combinations of herbs with essential oil:

Having completed steaming, you need to either tighten the pores or continue facial care. If steaming was used as an independent procedure, the skin must be wiped with a hard towel or massaged with a streptocide tablet ground into powder. Then rinse the skin with warm water and rub with an ice cube - an effective method for instantly narrowing pores.

Steaming compress

This method is similar in action to steam, but instead of water steam, hot water is used. How to steam your face:

Perform the procedure three times until the skin turns bright pink. After finishing, dry your face with a dry towel and start cleaning.

Hot masks

Hot masks are another simple and effective method for steaming your facial skin at home.

You just need to apply the hot composition to the skin for the thermal principle of steaming. Recommended homemade masks:

• yolk-honey;
• oatmeal;
• semolina

For the first version of the mask: you need to grind one yolk with a tablespoon of natural honey and heat it in a water bath. The composition should be quite hot, but not cause discomfort to the face. You can increase the nutritional effect of this home remedy by adding a spoonful of any vegetable oil to the mask, except flaxseed oil, which loses its healing properties when heated.

For the second option: you need to add a tablespoon of soda to oatmeal porridge cooked in water (without salt and sugar). In the same way, but without soda, a semolina mask is made. It is recommended to apply them quite hot, but not scalding.

The result of hot cereal masks is the opening of pores and softening of sebaceous plugs, as well as whitening and nutrition. After washing off the mixtures, you can begin further manipulations.

Steaming occupies a special place among skin care methods. It has been proven that this procedure expands pores, helps eliminate various impurities and fat, and also improves blood circulation and the functioning of the sebaceous glands.

Cosmetologists recommend using this method of deep cleansing the dermis before applying masks or scrubs.

There are several types of this procedure - a steam bath, an application of warm cotton napkins and a steaming face mask.

Attention! Before steaming the skin, apply a rich cream to the area around the eyes so as not to dry out the delicate skin in this area.

What herbs to use for baths and applications

1. For oily and problem skin

   Mix sage, St. John's wort, birch leaves and linden blossom in equal proportions.



2. For dry skin

   A mixture of linden, chamomile, dandelion and 1-2 bay leaves.



3. For aging skin

   A mixture of nettle, licorice and cinnamon.



4. For combination skin

   A mixture of calendula, sage and mint in equal proportions.



5. For all skin types

   Chamomile. Steaming with chamomile helps cleanse, moisturize, eliminate acne, and get rid of facial wrinkles. Chamomile decoction also acts as a wound-healing, disinfectant and anti-inflammatory agent.

How to properly steam your facial skin in a steam bath

1. Cleanse your face of cosmetics and impurities (use milks, lotions, cleansing tonics, soaps)
   Tuck your hair under the headband, in a ponytail, so that it doesn't get in the way.


2. Add herbs to boiling water, remove the broth from the heat and let it brew for 15 minutes. After this, place the container in front of you, bend over it no lower than 20 cm and cover your head with a terry towel. It is worth remembering that the water should not be very hot, as you can get a burn or excessive expansion of the capillaries.


3. Steaming time depends on skin type.
   For dry skin, steaming is recommended for no more than 5 minutes and no more than once a month.
   For normal skin, steaming time can be up to 15 minutes.
   For oily skin - up to 20 minutes and carry out procedures 2 times a week.


4. After the session, you need to rinse your face with warm water and pat lightly with a soft cloth. Once steaming is complete, you can begin cleansing the skin using masks, scrubs, and peelings.

How to quickly steam your facial skin using Applications

How to make applications to steam the skin?

1. To carry out the procedure, we will need a large cotton napkin. Dip a napkin into the warm broth, wring it out lightly and place it on cleansed facial skin.


2. After the cloth has cooled, soak it in the broth again and apply it to your face. Such manipulations should be repeated 3-4 times.

It is important! Do not use very hot water for applications, otherwise you may get burned.

How to quickly steam your facial skin with a mask

The advantages of steaming masks are as follows:

• under the influence of heat, the pores expand, the active substances contained in the mask penetrate into them and cleanse them of accumulated impurities.


• the thermal effect of such a procedure does not burn the skin, but only enhances the effect of metabolic processes.


• the effect of using this method is simply wonderful. After a 15-20-minute session, the appearance and condition of the skin significantly improves, the face looks younger and more well-groomed.

How to make a mask for steaming skin

1. Apply the mask to a cleansed face. To improve the thermal effect, it is advised to cover the mask with a paper towel with holes around the eyes, nose and mouth.


2. The procedure time should not exceed 10-20 minutes.


3. Rinse off the mask with water at room temperature.

Steaming mask recipes

1. Soda and oatmeal mask

   Mix oatmeal (tablespoon) with baking soda (half a teaspoon), dilute with milk or water until the consistency of thick porridge, leave on face for 25 minutes, then rinse with water



2. Egg + honey mask

   Mix honey (three tablespoons) with two yolks, grind thoroughly and warm to room temperature. Leave on face for 15-20 minutes and rinse with warm water.



3. Salt mask

   Take two tables. spoons of salt per liter of boiling water. A towel moistened with this solution is placed on the face, grabbing the chin and neck. Leave until the towels cool. The skin must first be moisturized with cream. It is not recommended to do such a steam bath too often.

The drier and older your skin, the less frequently such procedures should be performed. Steaming should be treated with extreme caution in the presence of spider veins, “stars”, cuts, nar%

In order to deeply cleanse the skin, open pores and remove dirt, simply washing and cleansing your face with toner is not enough. For all these purposes, a steaming procedure is used. Steaming is one of the most important stages of facial cleansing at home. The result of this procedure will be clean, smooth, radiant skin.

There are alternatives to steaming that act on the skin in the same way, that is, they deeply cleanse and open pores, heal the skin and have an antibacterial effect. These methods are for those who find simple mechanical steaming a complex process or whose skin is too sensitive to the effects of steam. These are compresses and special steaming masks. For compresses, soak a cotton cloth in hot water or herbal infusion and apply to your face until it cools. Repeat this procedure 3-4 times. You can find steaming masks in beauty departments of stores. They contain extracts of medicinal berries, herbs, cream, zinc, clay, and sea minerals.