Try this at home! Facial steaming leaves skin dewy and soft. (Getty)
Though winter officially ends in a few weeks, its impact on our faces can linger for months. Between dry indoor heat, whipping winds and pore-clogging hydrating products, cold weather can take a serious, annoying toll on our skin. While professional facials alleviate some of this dermal strain, they're expensive, which is why many in-the-know beauty nerds like me try to replicate them at home — often with an assist from a handy steamer.
"There are absolutely benefits to face steaming," explains Dr. Liliana Lopez, DNP, a regenerative aesthetics expert whose New York wellness center utilizes nonsurgical treatments like red-light therapy to help revitalize aging skin. "Steaming brings more oxygen to the skin, boosts circulation and can make skin feel more soft and supple." Lopez says steaming helps accomplish the most important elements of any facial: cleaning out pores and leaving skin clear, hydrated and soft. When done right, at-home facial steaming brings moisture to your face while loosening the hardened oils of clogged pores — particularly the grime found in blackheads.
While you could boil hot water, let it cool a teensy bit and hold your head over the steam while covered in a towel, a facial steamer is safer, more effective and just more glamorous. It also helps with stuffy noses and is great for skin in dry climates. "It’s like a mini spa moment at home and can even help with sinus congestion," says Lopez. She explains steaming can also make skin care products more effective: "Skin is more receptive to serums and moisturizers after steaming, so it helps products absorb better."
However, Lopez cautions that, while the benefits of facial steaming are myriad, you should be extra careful not to overdo it. "If you steam too often, it can strip natural oils and actually leave your skin dry," she says. The heat from the steam can irritate those with ultra-sensitive skin, rosacea or eczema and — if used for too long or too frequently — may trigger breakouts in acne-prone skin.
For safe facial steaming, Lopez recommends the following:
• Steaming 1-2 times a week, max.
• Positioning the steamer at least 8-10 inches from your face. "Keep a safe distance! Holding your face too close to the steam can cause irritation and, [in extreme cases], burns."
• Follow up with hydrating products to lock in moisture.
If you have specific skin concerns, experts recommend consulting with a dermatologist before trying any new device — including a steamer.
In just 10 minutes, this compact, highly efficient Amazon top-seller deeply moisturizes skin and unclogs pores. The steam is so soothing — especially when you add a drop or two of a favorite essential oil and enjoy an aromatherapeutic good time.
If you prefer a closer steam, you can't do much better than this. The sleek cradle design allows you to get up in there and safely seal your face in. Another perk is convenience — it's cordless, which makes it easy for travel. (Note: It runs on AA batteries, which are not included).
If you want to elevate your steaming experience (and give your skin an extra-nourishing boost), this Dr. Hauschka product is key. It's packed with herbal extracts like witch hazel and nasturtium to naturally help soften blackheads and reduce skin inflammation.
For the full spa experience, follow your steaming session with a pore-tightening, skin-purifying clay mask like this iconic, 100% natural version from Aztec Secret.
After a good steaming, Lopez recommends hydrating products like this oil-free face cream from La Roche-Posay, which is formulated with ceramides and niacinamide and is rich enough to moisturize, without clogging pores and undoing all the cleansing work you've just done.
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