You don't need to cleanse your face right after steaming. In fact, you should apply your skincare products like serums, masks, or moisturizers after a face steaming session to make the most out of the open pores and enhanced absorption.
Whether you clean it afterwards too though is entirely a matter of choice. If you're worried about all that sweat being left on your face after steaming then you can either splash your face with lukewarm water, use a toner to remove any residual sweat and dirt, or do another gentle cleanse.
Blackhead removal
Diliberto says steaming is a tried-and-true way to prep pores for blackhead extraction. “Steam can help soften the skin and loosen oil and buildup in your pores,” says Diliberto. “Steam your face before removing blackheads to make the plugs easier to release.”
While steaming, the blood vessels dilate and further increase the redness on the face and worsen rosacea,” says Dr Kapoor. She adds that people who have inflamed skin, psoriasis, eczema, active stages of acne, rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis should not try it.
Use soothing essential oils for your facial steam
Lavender oil is great for relaxing and calming the skin. You may try eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil for acne or if your skin feels congested. Orange essential oil really helps to brighten dull skin and release clogged pores.
As you get ready to begin your skincare routine, a common question is, “Do you cleanse before or after steaming your face?” The answer is to cleanse your face before steaming. Cleansing your face first removes makeup and dirt.
Steaming or applying warm water to the face can help clear and unclog the pores – in doing so, acne outbreaks can be reduced. Steaming the skin allows it to absorb acne medications and other skin ointments more effectively. After receiving steam, your skin softens, making anything you apply more effective.
Disadvantages: It can aggravate sensitive skin, or if you suffer from rosacea or eczema, the heat and steam may trigger "facial flushing", so anyone prone to redness should avoid it.
After a steaming session, you can gently remove the whiteheads using a good exfoliating scrub. Follow this steaming and scrubbing routine for not more than thrice a week. Both these ingredients which are known for their antiseptic properties have been used since time immemorial when it comes to skin care.
While ice can help reduce symptoms of an inflamed pimple, heat works well on noninflamed, blind pimples. A blind pimple is a type of closed comedo that develops in the deep layers of the skin. This type of acne occurs when a plug of sebum and dead skin cells trap oil, bacteria, and dirt deep within a hair follicle.
Now that the dirt and impurities have been loosened from your pores, wipe it all away with a toner. Make sure you apply your toner and moisturiser immediately after you turn off the steam to lock in the hydration.
Although the benefits of steaming face are far too many, steaming everyday can prove to be slightly harsh as the pores will not have enough time to close. Therefore, limit the process to 10 minutes once a week for best results.
This is the face-steaming bottom line.
It's safe, as long as you don't have skin concerns triggered by inflammation, including melasma and eczema, and as long as you don't make the water too hot or get too close. If that all checks out, feel free to go full steam ahead (read: just once a week for 10 minutes).
The heat from the steam does a wonderful job at loosening dirt, sebum, and any other debris trapped deep within the pore. It softens the build-up, allowing stubborn blackheads to be purged from the pore, leaving skin brighter and clearer.
Steaming and Acne
Steaming has no effect on inflamed pimples and larger blemishes like nodules and cysts. You can't extract these large, deep blemishes no matter how much you steam your face. Steaming too often or with steam that's too hot can make inflammatory acne look worse by increasing redness and inflammation.
Steam your skin
Try positioning your face around 30cm above a bowl of hot water and drape a towel over your head to keep the steam in. Pop your favourite podcast on and relax for five to ten minutes. If, at any time, the steam becomes uncomfortable or feels too hot, stop right away.
Don't poke too early. Wait until your pimple has a firm white head. That means the pus is close to the surface and ready to be drained.