If you wonder what to do after steaming your face, remember that it all starts with cleansing.
A proper facial skin care routine starts with deep cleansing.
By taking some time to do that, your skin can breathe and be free from impurities that cause acne and other skin problems.
Face steaming is an essential step in your skincare routine that we forget to pay attention to.
This is a mistake because face steaming opens the pores to facilitate residual removal.
At the same time, this step helps your skincare products to penetrate deeper into the skin, after the steaming process.
Let’s cover more details and get tips on what to do after steaming your face.
Benefits Of Face Steaming
Steaming softens the skin surface and penetrates the deeper layers, providing intense hydration and healthy skin.
As a result, it unclogs the pores, softens the skin, and helps the absorption of actives retained in the serums, moisturizers, and others.
Ultimately, the steaming process increases circulation, preventing unwanted lines, wrinkles, and premature aging.
Below you have some extra benefits:
- It helps to cleanse the skin deeply, removing dirt and other impurities
- Improves blood flow circulation in the region, facilitating skin detoxification;
- Assists in the removal of waste and toxins;
- Decreases the occurrence of blackheads and pimples;
- Unclogs pores;
- Softens and rehydrates the most superficial layer of the skin;
- It removes dirt and dead skin cells.
What To Do Before Steaming Your Face?
Before you get started, make sure to cleanse your face correctly.
You can use a gentle cleanser with lukewarm water to remove dirt and prepare your face for steaming.
At this point, take the opportunity to massage your entire face in a circular motion, upward strokes to activate circulation.
Rinse your face, don’t apply anything else, and start steaming.
What To Do After Steaming Your Face?
OK, you might now ask what to do after steaming your face.
Once you have finished steaming your face, gently pat a towel to dry your face.
If you want to remove blackheads, you can use a proper tool (blackhead extractor) to remove them at this point.
After that, you can move on to your regular post steaming routine.
here’s a post steaming routine suggestion:
- Pat dry your skin with a soft towel.
- Remove blackheads with a Comedone Extractor (optional)
- Use a gentle facial exfoliator in circular movements, especially on the T zone to remove dead skin cells (optional)
- Rinse out the face with lukewarm tap water
- Apply a face mask if you wish
- With a cotton ball, apply a facial toner
- Apply serum if you wish
- Finalize with your favorite lightweight moisturizer
- Gently massage your forehead, cheeks, and neck using upward motions.
Now that you know what to do after steaming your face, let’s look at how to build up these steps in detail.
After that, I’m sharing what to do after steaming your face based on skin type.
Remove Blackheads
It is safe to remove Blackheads, but it is always better to look for a professional to do this for you.
If you want to remove them yourself, use the proper tools and never do it with your hands and other stuff.
If you don’t know how to remove them with tools, you can use specific masks for your skin type, including DIY masks.
Remove Dead Skin Cells With A Facial Exfoliator
By Exfoliating your skin, you remove dead skin cells, review, and supply a quick glow.
In addition, this step helps with product absorption and efficacy.
You’ll notice unclogged pores, less acne and lesions, and promotes collagen when you do it regularly.
However, you should exfoliate only once or twice a week.
After exfoliating, avoid using products that contain acids and retinoids.
If your skin is peeling or irritated, you should skip this step.
Face mask
Face masks have concentrated formulas that bring several benefits: extra hydration, anti-aging action, detox, increased luminosity, and pore reduction.
You vary with different face masks, like a sheet mask, peel-off masks, and a clay mask, as there are a variety of forms and targets.
If you have sensitive or dry skin, a good tip is to use masks that contain chamomile.
You can try a face mask that contains pomegranate, which improves skin health for normal skin.
Later in this article, I’m sharing some good masks for your skin type that you can use after facial steam.
Facial Toner
Facial toners are optional but make a difference when adding a high-quality toner to your skincare routine.
Here are some benefits of applying toner after facial steamers:
- It complements the cleansing by removing leftover residuals
- Makeup, pollution, and other factors can unbalance the skin’s acidity. A tonic will help your skin maintain ph balanced
- Many facial tonics are nourishing, containing anti-inflammatory, anti-aging agents, or moisturizing ingredients
- It prepares the skin and boosts potential treatments
- Keeping the skin clean removes oleosity and revitalizes the skin
Apply serum
It is totally up to you to decide if you use serum or not, even though it is a good idea to take this step.
Serums are lighter, easier to be absorbed, and won’t clog the pores.
Even though serums can hydrate the skin, it is more indicated for oily or combination skin because they are lighter.
If you have dry skin, you can use serums to target specific concerns such as anti-aging and combine them with a lightweight moisturizer to assure hydration.
If you decide to use serum, make sure to apply it before a good moisturizer, as the last will potentialize the first.
Moisturizer
Applying moisturizer is essential for everyone, even if you have oily skin.
A great ingredient to look for in moisturizers is hyaluronic acid, as it retains the skin water leaving it hydrated for longer.
Another ingredient I love is niacinamide. I have oily skin, and It removes excess shine and leaves my skin healthy.
What To Do After Steaming Face For Oily Skin?
Even though facial steamers dilate the pores, they are excellent for oily skin because they allow deep cleansing.
Start with a gentle facial soap that contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and sulfur, which have anti-acne and antibacterial action.
- After facial steamer, you can exfoliate oily skin with gentle hydrating products containing Salicylic acid as it has anti-inflammatory action, removes excess oil and remove dead skin cells; give preference to products in a gel or serum.
- If you decide to try facial masks, you can try a clay mask or charcoal masks, as they help purify and remove the excess oil;
- Choose a lightweight moisturizer and non-comedogenic, oil-free products.
You can use products that contain the following ingredients to control oil, minimize pores and prevent acne:
- Salicylic acid
- LHA
- Glycolic acid
- Dioic acid
- Ferulic Acid
- white clay
- Hyaluronic acid
- hydroxy acids – AHA (Alpha hydroxy acid) and BHA (Beta hydroxy acid)
Tip: you can try a Chemical exfoliator that contains Salicylic, retinoic, or glycolic acids.
What To Do After Steaming Face For Dry Skin?
If you have dry skin, you can use facial cleansers that contain actives such as grape seed, almonds, wheat germ, oat extract, and hyaluronic acid.
- Use hydrating scrubs that contain jojoba oil, and give preference to creamy exfoliators.
- Facial Masks that contain honey nourish and retain moisture; Milk and lactic acid hydrate, nourish and soothe the skin.
- Use serum and moisturizers containing hyaluronic acid and ceramides, and experiment with body butter extracts.
What To Do After Steaming Face For Sensitive Skin?
You probably have sensitive skin if your skin reacts to particular products or if you often notice redness, itching, and tingling.
Folks with sensitive skin can start the process using gentle facial cleansers with clean, natural formulas.
Opting for simple formulations free from skin irritants such as soap, alcohol, dyes, and fragrances is interesting.
- Exfoliators containing vitamins B5 and E leave the face healthy and refreshed.
- Facial Masks containing aloe vera, chamomile, and calendula are calming, hydrating, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and prevent irritation and redness.
- Use serum and moisturizers containing Glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and Niacinamide (or Vitamin B3).
If you have sensitive skin, avoid skin irritants such as petrolatum products; paraben, a preservative that can trigger allergies and severe irritation;
Avoid tonics and products that contain alcohol and sulfate.
What To Do After Steaming Face For Acne Prone Skin?
If you wonder what to do after steaming your face, remember it all starts with the right cleanser.
And if you have acne-prone skin, you need to use deep cleansers that won’t strip your skin with natural oils.
You can opt for a gentle cleansing gel to wash and sanitize the face when this is the case.
Give preference to antibacterial products, including ingredients such as aloe vera.
- Exfoliators: Pick products containing LHA or salicylic acid, and remember: you should not exfoliate areas with active acne and scars and be extremely gentle.
- Face Mask: you can use clay masks and charcoal masks but be careful not to use them if you have active acne.
- Serums and moisturizers that contain Tea tree oil are antiseptic and anti-inflammatory functions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Facial Steam Bad For The skin?
Having a facial steaming session is good for the skin. It promotes deep cleansing and better absorption of skincare products, among other benefits.
2. How To Do A Facial Steam At Home?
There are two great ways to do it at home. You can use a facial steaming machine or hot water for this.
a. facial steamer Machine
The facial steamer is a device that turns water into steam to give a sauna effect.
The ideal is to start by filling the water tank, as the manual says. Then you turn it on, and that’s it.
This method is excellent because you can choose between cold and warm steaming.
The hot steaming helps reduce open pores, softens blackheads, and improves blood flow circulation.
While the cold steam treatment closes and minimizes the pores after skincare treatments.
In addition, it improves hydration, restores pH levels, and leaves the skin softer and glowy.
b. DIY Face Steamer
You can add boiled water to a recipient and face the steam treatment as an alternative.
Even though the machine may have more features, this quick steam method works well.
Tip: Cover your head with a towel to help the steam be directed only to your face.
3. For How Long Should I Steam My Face?
You can steam your face for sensitive skin for 10 to 15 minutes.
If you have dry to very dry skin, or oily skin, you can steam your face for 20 minutes.
For combination skin folks out there, it can take 15 minutes.
4. Can I Steam My Face Every Day?
It is not a good idea to steam your face every day. The recommendation is to do it once a week.
5. Is Face Steaming Good For Acne Scars?
Not really. It can help with facial cleansing and improving overall skin texture but doesn’t directly treat acne scars.
6. How To Open Facial Pores Without Steaming?
To open facial pores without steaming, you can cleanse your face with hot water or use a hot soft towel compress.
7. Can I wash My Face with cold water After Steaming?
It is recommended to wash your face before steaming. After doing this, you don’t need to rewash your face.
However, some people like to apply cold water to the face before moisturizing, as it can close the pores.
Be careful and don’t use cold water right after heat.
8. Can I Put Ice On My Face After Steaming?
Be careful as it is not good to put ice on the face right after steaming it.
If you plan to do it, you should give it enough time to make sure your skin is cool, maybe one hour later.
9. What Essential Oils And Herbs Are Good For Vaporizing My Face?
You can use oils and herbs to prepare your facial steaming.
a. Herbs
- Camomille can calm your skin and helps treat inflammation and dermatitis, providing a healthy glow.
- Alecrin has a lovely smell and is an excellent idea for all skin types.
b. Oils
- Lavender is relaxing and great for dry skin and eczema
- Eucalyptus is great for acne and helps unclog pores, cleansing acne causing bacteria.
- Orange with a great smell is great to unclog pores
A Word Of Caution
When steaming your skin, it is essential to take precautions.
Don’t stay too close to the boiling water, and make sure the steaming heat is not too hot.
High heat, in this case, can lead to the rupture of tiny blood vessels, so pay attention.
It is good to place the steam outlet about 20 centimeters away.
What to do after steaming your face Conclusion
Facial steaming softens the skin and penetrates deeper, offering intense hydration while relaxing facial muscles, improving blood circulation, and removing impurities that clog pores.
This article taught you the benefits and tips to maximize this process and what to do after steaming your face to achieve healthy skin.