Do I Need to Invest In a Facial Steamer Yes, You Do.
If you're in the market for a facial steamer you can use at home, you've come to the right place. The best part of any facial is the moment the steamer comes on. As soon as you feel that warm, moist, air hit your skin, you know you’re in for some pure, uninterrupted relaxation. True, you also know that there is an onslaught of uncomfortable extractions looming in the future, but for those few peaceful minutes are like a mini vacation before the real action starts. Aside from the much-needed zen, facial steamers also offer some pretty important benefits to your skin—and thanks to a slew of easy-to-use facial steamers, you don’t have to book a professional appointment to get them.
The benefits of facial steaming
"Facial steaming can help hydrate and soften the outer layer of skin,” says Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. “By hydrating the skin, it also helps increase penetration of active ingredients applied topically immediately after steaming.” This means that when you apply your usual serums on freshly steamed skin, they'll be able to get way down deep under the surface of your skin in order to do their jobs more effectively. The same goes for moisturizers: "When followed by moisturizers, steaming can help to add moisture to the skin," adds Dr. King.
Steaming can also be helpful for priming your skin for extractions, which explains why facialists rely on the process before they squeeze out your blackheads. "It can soften up keratinaceous debris and sebum... so comedones will be much easier to extract," says Dr. King. "And the heat increases circulation and can help pimples or cysts come to a head." It's also great as a pre-cursor to any exfoliants or targeted treatments because it's easier to melt away dead, dull skin cells from the surface once the skin is softened by the steam.
Who should (and shouldn't) use an at-home facial steamer
"Oily and acne-prone skin will benefit most with using steam," says Taylor Worden, celebrity facialist and founder of Taylor Worden Skin, pointing to the pore-opening and sebum-loosening properties that steaming brings about. Some dry skin types can also benefit from the process thanks to its hydrating and softening benefits, but if you have severely dry skin, eczema, or rosacea, it's best to steer clear of steaming in order to avoid irritation. And if you're prone to redness, Dr. King suggests proceeding with caution, because the heat from the steam dilates your blood vessels which can cause skin to flush.
How to use a facial steamer
There are a few different ways you can integrate an at-home facial steamer into your regular routine. Use it after you cleanse your skin to open your pores before you apply the rest of the products in your regimen, or prior to doing your own extractions.
As far as frequency goes, pros suggest limiting your steamer use to once or twice a week for five to ten minutes. "More than that can dry out the skin," says Dr. King.
It's also critically important that you keep your face at least six to 10 inches away from the water. The reason? "You don't want to risk getting too close and getting burned," says Dr. King. "Steamers have more safety mechanisms [than your usual pot of boiling water], but you still need to make sure that you are keeping your face at a safe distance."
