I love my at-home facial steamer. It allows me to enjoy 5-10 minutes of “me-time” at the end of a long day or before the week starts again. Using a facial steamer at home has a ton of benefits, from mere relaxation to allowing your products to absorb better.
Read on to learn about how and when to use a facial steamer, plus its full skincare benefits.
Shop my exact facial steamer here.
Facial Steamer Benefits + How To Use One
How to Use A Facial Steamer
Using a facial steamer at home is easy. Like, really easy. The only thing you need is some distilled water, which you can pick up at any grocery store.
You’ll of course obviously need a facial steamer, too. I’ve had this Vanity Planet facial steamer for a few years now and absolutely love it. My mom has it, my friends have it, and it makes a wonderful gift for pretty much any woman in your life.
Plug it in, wait for the steam to start streaming from your steamer’s spout, and voila! You’re ready to use your facial steamer and reap its benefits. Each steamer is different, but it should take about 30 seconds to heat. Be sure to read any instructions and keep your face about 6 inches away from the nozzle to avoid any steam burns.
When to Use a Facial Steamer in Your Skincare Routine
You can use a facial steamer morning or night. Make sure you’re always using it on clean skin, either after you wash your face or as you cleanse it.
Use your steamer for up to 15 minutes. Perform any necessary extractions (more on that later), then finish your skincare routine with any serums, and finally, your moisturizer.
If you’re looking to pamper yourself with a full at-home facial, then read this post where my esthetician Allison breaks down each step and shares her favorite products.
How Often Should You Use A Facial Steamer?
Less sensitive skin types or oily skin types can add facial steaming to their skincare routine twice per week, but if you have sensitive skin, only steam your face once per week.
Although facial steaming provides many benefits – as you’ll see below – steaming too much can leave you with dry skin.
Facial Steamer Tips
Use a Professional Steamer
Although some websites argue that you can put your face over a towel of boiling water, I wouldn’t recommend it. A pro facial steamer regulates the temperature of the hot steam, so there’s little to no chance of accidentally burning your face.
My favorite facial steamer is this steamer from Vanity Planet. With its micro steam technology, it delivers a controlled amount of steam and works for all skin conditions. It also contains additional tips so you can add your favorite essential oils for a spa-like experience.
Always Use on a Clean Face
Always make sure you’re using your facial steamer on a clean face. Makeup and debris act as a thin layer on the skin, and without removing that layer via face washing, the steam won’t be able to reach your pores and work its magic.
Close Your Eyes
Make sure to close your eyes while using a facial steamer. You’ll be more comfortable and also won’t risk irritating your eyes.
Finish Your Skincare Routine
After using a facial steamer, give your face a quick second wash with warm water, then proceed to use serums and moisturizers. Effects from these products are enhanced after steaming, so you don’t want to skip this part, even if your skin feels hydrated from the mist.
The Benefits of Facial Steaming
Provides Relaxation
If you’ve ever gotten a facial or used a steam room before a massage, then you already know the relaxing feeling a steam session can provide.
Warm steam on your face? Yes, please! It’s one big invite to close your eyes and loosen up any tension in your face and neck muscles. While relaxation alone might be the only reason you need to use a facial steamer, there are also a ton of skincare benefits to using one.
Allows for Easier Extractions
You should really leave extractions to a skincare professional, but if you’re going to attempt them at home, do it right.
One of the benefits of using a facial steamer is that it makes extractions easier. Sebum, oil produced by the skin, can sometimes get stuck and harden inside of a follicle, leading to clogged pores. The heat from the steam of your facial steamer softens/melts any dirt and sebum in your pores, making it easier to perform extractions and unclog pores.
Exfoliates
Facial steaming also provides very gentle exfoliation. Although the exfoliation that happens while steaming isn’t as powerful as using skincare products, it can help remove some dead skin cells for an overall glow.
Allows Products to Absorb Better
One of the most well-known facial steamer benefits is probably this one. Since steaming opens up your pores, it allows your skin to be more receptive in absorbing the products. When your pores are open and clean, your skin care products can penetrate deeper into your skin. This is how you can reap the biggest benefits from the products you’ve invested in.
Gives a Youthful Glow
The heat from the steam increases circulation, which helps give your skin the appearance of a more youthful, healthy glow.
To see my post on tips for naturally glowing skin, click here.
Naturally Removes Toxins
This facial steamer benefit goes hand in hand with the above. Increased circulation also leads to sweating, which naturally removes toxins from your face.
Hydrates
Finally, facial steaming helps to hydrate your skin. Tiny steam molecules are able to easily absorb into the skin, adding moisture to its outermost layer.
Be sure to lock in that wonderful hydration by applying a moisturizer immediately after you finish steaming.
