How to steam face?

Many women probably notice that after taking a bath or visiting a bath, the skin of the face becomes smooth, its color improves, and there are less black dots. These positive changes occur not only because you have thoroughly washed your face, but also under the influence of steam.

The influence of hot moist air on the skin of any type is very large. It contributes to its softening, increase elasticity. The effect of steam is beneficial for the vascular system of the face, as the processes of sweating and blood circulation are intensified. After a steam bath, resorption of seals on the skin of the face often occurs, inflammatory reactions stop. However, the most important thing is that the vapor causes the pores to open, which facilitates the removal of fat plugs, dead cells, makeup residues and other impurities that inevitably accumulate in the pores of residents of megalopolises and areas with poor environmental conditions.

Often this is almost the only remedy for healing problem skin, when many cosmetic creams, lotions and gels are powerless. The frequency and duration of steaming depends on the type of skin and its condition. For oily skin, prone to acne and inflammation, the procedure lasts 8-10 minutes, it can be done every 2 weeks. In exceptional cases, the exposure time can be increased to 12-15 minutes. The main indication for this is very oily and rough skin, on which there are a lot of contaminated pores and seals.

If the skin is normal or combination and there are no pronounced impurities on it, the steam time is reduced to 5-6 minutes, and the procedure is enough to be done once every 3-4 weeks. With dry skin, the exposure time is even shorter, and the frequency is even less. Dry skin is rarely prone to the formation of comedones, so just steaming once every 3-4 months is enough. And if contamination is still present on dry skin, the procedure can be carried out a little more often - once every 2-3 months, and in the cold season steam baths are undesirable.

In cosmetology, a steam bath is a basic procedure. After steaming, creams and masks are much more effective. In addition, steaming the face is necessary before conducting many cosmetic sessions. Before massage, peeling, using scrubs and gommazhi steaming is very desirable. It is especially necessary before cleansing the face. Steamed skin gives away the contents of pores and blackheads easier, after cleaning it has less visible redness and swelling.

Although steaming is beneficial in many respects for skin, especially problem skin, you need to remember that getting rid of acne is a very long process. Therefore, do not expect instant results from one procedure. Nevertheless, even with abundant acne, you should not abuse it. An useful step is a consultation with a cosmetologist and the implementation of a set of measures. With all the useful properties of the procedure, in some cases it should be treated with caution, given the state of the body.

Precautions may include the following:

• do not exceed the recommended duration and frequency of steam baths, as this will lead to excessive loss of sebum, expansion of nearby blood vessels, and adverse effects on muscle tone;
• Do not use too hot steam, as it can lead to burns of the skin;
• it is advisable to protect the skin with very dry skin before the procedure;
• in the cold season, you should not immediately leave the room, you can go out into the open air no earlier than after 30-40 minutes after the procedure, since the pores are widely opened when steaming, the skin temporarily lost its natural lubrication, so frosty air is harmful to blood vessels ;
• should be postponed with the procedure if pronounced inflammation has appeared;
• it is often advised to add medicinal herbs and other products to steam baths, the main thing is that you do not have an allergic reaction to them.

Like any cosmetic procedure, steaming may have contraindications:

• if pustular rashes are present, steaming is fraught with the transfer of infection to even larger surfaces;
• peeling should stop you, as steaming has a drying effect;
• contraindication is sluggish skin with a large number of wide open pores, pink eels;
• you need to refrain from the procedure for serious diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• no need to steam your face if there are wounds, cuts, other injuries;
• a serious reason to abandon the procedure will be the vascular network on the nose and cheeks, herpes, dermatitis, and the stage of acne inflammation.

To carry out the steaming, choose a free day (it will take a lot of time), especially if you planned to do a facial cleansing later. To conduct steaming, you need to prepare for it. Preparation of the necessary items depends on the chosen method. In beauty salons use special devices. Today they can be purchased in specialized stores or pharmacies. They greatly facilitate the process, since the heating of water in them occurs to the desired temperature.They are often equipped with timers and steam regulators. Using the appliance will protect you from accidental spills of hot water on yourself.

A missing device can easily replace a wide metal or porcelain container. Any bowl, salad bowl or small bowl will do. Heat the water and add medicinal herbs to it. You will also need a large terry towel. For those who do not want to mess with basins, there is a simpler way - you can put a small towel soaked in hot water on your face. For the same purpose, you can buy a mask in a pharmacy. Natural materials are used for pharmacy masks; they are usually saturated with extracts from medicinal plants. The mask is moistened with water and applied to the face. As a rule, manufacturers indicate how much to keep on her face. If not, 15 minutes will be enough.

Many brands produce special steaming media. They come in the form of creams, gels, emulsions. From contact with water, they begin to give off heat. These funds have a more gentle effect and therefore less effective than real steaming. But then they are perfect for those women for whom the use of hot steam is contraindicated. You should carefully read the instructions for use - it may indicate possible contraindications.

Now you need to prepare your face for the procedure. First of all, it must be cleaned from makeup using cosmetics. Then you need to wash with warm water using antibacterial agents. You can use gels or foams of any brand, suitable for the type of skin. You can use a special soap with different additives, which is produced in a wide variety, for example, tar or sulfur. Such a tool will effectively cleanse the skin without pulling it off, it will have an anti-inflammatory and soothing effect.

The next step, especially for oily skin, is the use of scrub or peeling. They need to be applied to still wet skin and rubbed easily, making circles along the massage lines. These lines are directed away from the center of the face. It is advisable to protect the delicate skin of the eyelids and lips with a rich nourishing cream. In the case of dry skin, this must be done. Very dry, tender skin can also be covered with a thin layer of cream, only it must be applied to a thoroughly cleaned face. If you have a small amount of visible red vessels on your face, also apply cream to them.

If you have never done steaming, then for the first time it is better to contact a beauty parlor where you will learn how to carry out the procedure correctly and get recommendations that correspond to the condition and type of your skin from an experienced specialist. Subsequently, you can do steaming at home yourself. There are situations when a festive event is coming up, and you want to cleanse and refresh your face. Pharmacy masks and special gels will help you do this quickly at home.

Of course, very deep steaming will not happen, but the gels often contain substances that have anti-inflammatory, soothing effects, they are enriched with vitamins and plant extracts. Steaming gels not only cleanse the skin. They help increase her tone and create a protective barrier. Gels from good manufacturers have a lasting effect. In case of an allergic reaction, the use of the drug should be discontinued. You can also perform the procedure simply and quickly with a towel dampened with hot water. When it cools, it is again wetted with hot water. This must be done several times.

To carry out the procedure using water vapor, pour hot water into the prepared container. Lean over it - the steam should not burn, the face should be steamed at a comfortable temperature.The best indicator is +60 C. If it gets very hot, raise the edge of the towel. After removing hair from the face and covering your head and shoulders with a towel over the container, stay in this position for the right time.

After steaming, treat the skin with a scrub. It will help remove remaining comedones and other impurities from the pores. If the skin is tender and sensitive, skip this step.

Now rinse your face with cool water. Although this is necessary in order to narrow the enlarged and cleansed pores, do not use too cold water. Blot your face with a clean towel and wipe with a disinfectant according to your skin type. For dry lotions and tonics are suitable, for oily problematic you can use alcohol-containing products, for example, salicylic acid, tincture of calendula, a solution of chloramphenicol. They have an anti-acne effect, have an astringent effect.

Your skin is now ready for applying nourishing creams and masks. Use ready-made cosmetics packaged in tubes. Masks using egg white, lemon juice, cucumber and other products are often advised. They are really very useful, but not now, when the pores are still open and vulnerable to infection.

To make steaming even more beneficial, the leaves, flowers or roots of medicinal herbs are added to it. You can take one plant, a good solution would be to prepare a collection of them. It is taken at the rate of 1 tbsp. l to the procedure. To make the herbs more effective, they are dipped in water until heated and brought to a boil. By the time the water cools to the desired temperature, the steam will be saturated with nutrients.

Herbs act on the skin in different ways:

• for all skin types, you can add chamomile and calendula, which have a bactericidal and calming effect;
• nettle will be useful for toning the skin and stimulating the processes of cell metabolism;
• parsley and dandelion will help whiten freckles and age spots;
• for tired, lost skin tone add rosemary, dill, linden flowers;
• for dry skin, lavender and lemon balm, leaves of coltsfoot are suitable;
• sage, linden blossom, chestnut fruits, peppermint have a wonderful effect on oily skin;
• to get rid of blackheads more efficiently, it is advisable to use yarrow or a string, aloe or St. John's wort, oak bark.

Soda is often used alone or with various additives as scrubs. If there are acne on the back and chest, it is recommended to take soda baths. On the Internet you will find dozens of recipes with this ingredient in its composition. For a steam bath, 1-2 tsp will be enough. product. You can also make pulp from soda with water and apply it after the procedure. The skin will become soft, supple and will delight you with clean pores.

Essential oils can also be added to the bath. They not only have a good effect on the skin, toning and activating the processes in it, but also perfectly affect the psycho-emotional state of a person. Today, there is a large selection of oils on sale, and their effect is indicated on the packages. You can easily find the right one for you. A few drops of oil are enough for a steam bath. It must be added immediately before use.

A steam bath is a wonderful skin treatment and can help in case of emergency. However, one must remember that face care is not a separate rare event, but a whole range of measures. Facial care should be done every day.Only then will you achieve a stable positive result.

Do not forget to use a night cream to restore the epidermis, and during the day to protect the face from the harmful effects of the environment and ultraviolet radiation with a day cream.

A suitable product from an inexpensive brand will be much more effective than an expensive and prestigious brand that does not match your skin type. When caring for your face, do not forget about the delicate skin of the eyelids - they need a special remedy, because ordinary eye creams will be too heavy. If for any reason it is difficult for you to decide on the methods of care, consult a cosmetologist for advice.

See how to make a steam bath for your face at home and clean your pores in the next video.