I’ve been traveling and wearing a lot of makeup in the past month, and I’ll be doing that a lot this year! As much fun as it is to experience new areas of my country, it can take a toll on my skin, so, one of my favorite ways to reinvigorate my tired skin is with one of my favorite DIY spa treatments – a steam facial!
The Benefits of Steam
According to this article from the Specialists in Dermatology, P.L.L.C., the use of steam offers many benefits including promoting circulation, hydrating skin, loosening trapped sebum and blackheads, promoting better product absorption, boosts collagen production, clears sinus congestion, softens skin, fights signs of aging, and more!
I’ve been doing steam facials at home for many years, long before I had a proper face-steaming device. In those cases, I would use a kettle to boil water, transfer the water into a heat-safe container, and then use a towel to create a tent around the bowl and my head in order to trap the steam around myself.
Currently, I own two facial steamers, the Conair True Glow Moisturizing Mist Facial Sauna System and the EZ Basics Facial Steamer, which comes with a set of five professional skin tools. I already owned a set of skin tools, the blackhead remover by Bestope. There are five tools, and for this kind of facial I like to use the flat edged hoop tool, which I’ll use to quite literally scrape my face, starting on my forehead and working all around my face.
How I Steam My Face
Once all of my tools are set up I’ll begin my spa treatment! If I’m wearing makeup, I’ll start by removing it and cleansing away the remaining products. If I’m already bare faced, then I’ll skip the cleansing step for now.
Now it’s time to relax! Periodically throughout my steam session, I’ll begin “facial scraping” with the tools. It’s important to remember to be careful when using face tools as it’s very easy to injure or damage your skin. I like to keep some cotton balls and witch hazel on hand in order to rinse the facial tools in between passes.
Once I feel as though I’ve steamed long enough – the Conair steamer has a 15 minute timer, the EZ Basics steamer does not, so I recommend keeping a clock nearby in order to judge the time for yourself – I’ll pat my face dry and apply a mask. Currently I’ve been using the Innisfree Super Volcanic AHA Pore Clearing Clay Mask, but you’ll want to make sure you’re using something clarifying such as charcoal.
After letting the mask dry completely, I’ll wash it off and continue with my night time routine – toner, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, and a bonnet to protect my curls while I’m sleeping.
What Do You Think?
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of steam facials, I’ve found several articles that may be useful –
I’ll be back next week to share how I create pageant-perfect makeup, appropriate for any and all formal settings!
Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!
We Aim To Slay 
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