Efficiency of the procedure
Expanding pores through steaming is necessary for high-quality cleansing of the epidermis from acne, comedones and blackheads.
This stage is aimed at:
- delicate softening of the stratum corneum;
- surface disinfection;
- oxygen saturation;
- stimulation of active regeneration and collagen production;
- removal of toxins from the upper layers of the epidermis;
- removal of puffiness;
- increasing skin tone.
Indications for steaming:
- hardware or mechanical cleaning, deep peeling is planned;
- There is an intolerance to any skin care products.
Salons and clinics often use a vaporizer that produces moist steam. It is filled with ozonated water or medicinal solutions. Classic methods include compresses and steam baths. The safest and most modern way is to use a steaming gel for subsequent facial cleansing.
Why steam your skin before cleansing?
A warming facial mask before cleansing helps prepare your skin for the procedure. Steaming is recommended for the following purposes:
- for deeper cleansing of the epidermis;
- before performing certain cosmetic procedures.
As a result of steaming, the pores open, which makes cleaning more effective and allows you to easily remove sebaceous plugs. This in turn contributes to greater benefits in future care. Applying moisturizing and nourishing creams to steamed and cleansed skin will lead to proper nutrition and hydration.
Steam baths
The traditional procedure involves expanding the pores using steam.
How to make a steam bath:
- Heat the water.
- Cleanse the face of cosmetics and impurities.
- Remove the hair, cover the head with a towel and hold it over the container for 10 to 20 minutes. Distance - at least 20 cm. The exact time of the session depends on the type of skin (oily skin needs longer steaming).
- The towel is removed.
- Remove moisture by lightly blotting your face with a napkin.
For greater efficiency and to solve certain problems, they use not plain water, but medicinal decoctions, antibacterial solutions, essential oils, baking soda and potatoes.
The following herbs are suitable for problem skin:
- calendula;
- sage;
- chamomile;
- St. John's wort;
- mint;
- linden flowers;
- rose petals;
- dandelion;
- parsley.
Antiseptic solutions are simple to prepare. Add a teaspoon of a pharmaceutical drug (Miramistin, Chlorophyllipt or hydrogen peroxide) to the water or dissolve a Furacilin tablet.
Buyanov Sergey Yurievich (Expert Doctor):
It should be borne in mind that chemical particles entering the steam dry out the skin. While the steaming procedure is aimed at maximum hydration. Plant elements release only essential oils into steam.
Rules for using homemade masks
All masks should be applied to skin that has been cleaned of cosmetics, washed with running water and dried with a towel. In this case, the adhesion to the skin will be maximum. It is best to carry out the procedure 2-3 hours before bedtime. After steaming and cleaning, it is not advisable to go outside, especially in winter.
By skin type:
- on dry skin, steaming can be done no more than 3 times a month and no longer than 5-7 minutes;
- for normal, you can do it once a week for 7-10 minutes;
- and if you have oily skin, steaming can be done every 5 days and for 15-20 minutes.
Masks are applied freshly prepared and warm, slightly warmer than the surface of the skin.
While the mask is on the face, it is undesirable to move... Facial expressions create folds on the surface and the film mask can tear. It is better to lie down for a while and relax your facial muscles. It is also not advisable to perform physical work while the mask is on your face. This will cause the skin under the mask to sweat and may cause skin irritation and the spread of inflammatory elements.
For convenience and a better thermal effect, you can cover your face with a napkin, pressing it tightly to the mask (leaving only holes for the nose and eyes).
Precautionary measures
The use of thermoactive cosmetics does not cause complications or negative consequences. In case of intolerance to the components of the composition, an allergic reaction is possible, to avoid which a preliminary skin test should be performed.
Failure to follow the rules of the procedure is fraught with burns and the appearance of spider veins.
Contraindications
Steaming has a number of limitations:
- the presence of inflammatory manifestations;
- use of lenses;
- high body temperature;
- rosacea;
- bronchial asthma;
- increased intraocular pressure;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- pregnancy and lactation period.
Cold hydrogenation cannot be performed only in case of individual intolerance to a certain component of the warming agent. Before the procedure, a skin allergy test is required.
Recipes
For home use, masks are prepared from the simplest ingredients and applied freshly prepared, hot (but not scalding). They can also be used after taking a bath or in a sauna. In this case, the exposure time should be reduced a little, so the skin will already be warmed up.
Honey mask with yolk
Mix one tablespoon of honey with the yolk of one egg and heat the mixture in a water bath. Add a teaspoon of olive or almond oil to the already warm mixture. Apply for 15-20 minutes. The mask is suitable for normal and dry skin.
Oatmeal mask
To do this, you need to cook oatmeal in water, adding only 1 teaspoon of soda to the finished mixture. Apply hot to face and keep for 15 minutes. Optimal for normal and combination skin.
Semolina mask
This is a dense semolina porridge cooked in water, but without adding anything. Also apply hot for 20 minutes. Suitable for normal skin.
Potato mask
Boil the potatoes with their skins on, then peel them while hot and grate them finely. Can be mixed with a teaspoon of olive oil. Apply to face and cover with a tissue for 10 minutes. Works very well on mature aging skin, stimulates collagen synthesis.
On potato water
After boiling the potatoes, take 100 ml of the resulting water, add 1 tablespoon of soda and 10 drops of tea tree oil to it. You can apply several layers to your face and renew after drying. Suitable for oily and problem skin.
Clay mask
Mix 1 teaspoon of clay (white or green), 1 teaspoon of zinc ointment, and one and a half teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice.
Heat the resulting pulp in a water bath and apply hot to the face until completely dry. The mask best steams oily skin and dries out inflammatory elements in problematic skin.
Mustard mask
Mix 2 teaspoons of clay with 0.5 teaspoon of dry mustard powder, bring with hot water to a paste-like state. You can add a few drops of lemon juice. Apply before the skin warms up, the exposure time can be from 3-5 minutes to 15 minutes.
Cost of service in the salon
Salons perform atraumatic or combined cleaning using cold hydrogenation. The price of the procedure is from 3,000 rubles.
You can also perform passive steaming at home. To do this, you need to buy medications and strictly follow the instructions. In addition to the products listed above, the following products have proven themselves to be effective:
- 3D Cold hydrogenation gel (Cold Pure Medical Collagene) - 700 rubles;
- Hydration whitening peel gel Beauty Style - 500 rub.
- Cold hydrogenation gel (HYDRO COLD MASK) - RUB 1,700.
- Enzyme peeling “Cold hydrogenation” (G-Derm) — RUB 1,800.
- Enzymatic gel with papain for cold steaming of the skin (NEW LINE PROFESSIONAL) - 890 rub.
- Cold hydrogenation gel for enzymatic cleaning with papain (Mesomatrix) - RUB 1,100.
- Cosmetic product “Cold facial cleansing” (Premium) - 1,000 rubles.
- Hydration gel LeviSsime - RUB 1,280.
- Cleansing mask “Cold hydrogenation with red caviar enzymes” (Normal and Dry Skin Florylis) – RUB 2,500.
How steaming masks work
The mechanisms of action of the masks differ. They are:
- Thermoactive - warm the skin, improve blood flow, open pores. There are many manufacturers - Nuxe (France), Styx (Austria), budget domestic KORA and New line.
- Hydrating gels are applied coldly, dry and seal the epidermis with a film, thereby not causing increased redness and inflammation of the skin elements. When using both, they are applied to cleansed skin and covered with a napkin. Waiting time 10-15 minutes.
Opinion of cosmetologists
Experts recognize only cold hydrogenation as progressive; classical steaming is considered an outdated and ineffective method:
Professional steamers
For those with sensitive skin who prefer not to prepare care products, professional cosmetic steaming masks have been created.
Their operating principle is the same - creating a dense film on the surface of the skin, under which it is heated. Pores expand, blood flow and metabolism in tissues improve. Many of the masks contain additional healing, caring or anti-aging components.
What are there
Masks can be inexpensive (which are always available in a regular store) and professional (sold in pharmacies or cosmetology clinics).
The composition mainly contains components such as clay, zinc, aloe, chamomile, etc.
- Garnier, Skin Naturals (zinc + clay + plant extracts, excellent against blackheads), Artlife (a series of thermal masks with red clay), Floresan (white clay - gently heats and dissolves impurities without causing irritation) have excellent masks with clay.
- Oriflame has a warming mask with aloe (it is warmed up immediately before the procedure), Eveline (this one also contains rejuvenating coenzyme Q10).
- With guarana for deep hydration, the Samtea professional mask can generally replace a whole care complex of products.
- With cayenne pepper and ginseng from the Skinlite brand - it perfectly warms up, dilates blood vessels and rejuvenates the skin.
- With alginates (algae derivatives), Algo Naturel deeply moisturizing film mask. It creates a very dense coating on the skin and causes it to heat up very quickly.
Professional cream that instantly warms up the skin from Biox - Thermal Experience Mask.
Excellent professional lines for skin cleansing include Holy land (Israel), Holika holika (Korea), Image Skin Care (USA), Academie, Nuxe (France). They are sold mainly in cosmetology clinics or on special websites. To ensure their correct selection and use, companies provide training.
Terms of use
- Before starting use, be sure to read the instructions. Do not keep the mask on for longer than prescribed so as not to cause overheating and dehydration of the skin.
- It is advisable to conduct a skin allergy test before first use. It is done on the skin of the forearm a day before the intended use of the cosmetic product.
- Before applying the steaming mask, the skin must be cleaned of cosmetics and care products, washed with soap and water or foam and moisturized with lotion. It is recommended to apply a rich cream to the area around the eyes and lips - it will protect the delicate skin in these places and it will not lose moisture.
- Gather your hair so that it does not touch your face.
- If the product is correctly selected and used, the skin after the steaming procedure will become clean, moisturized, and even in color.
"Avon"
This cosmetic company produces many decent care products at budget prices. Avon's "Volcanoes of Iceland" steaming facial mask is aimed at softening, exfoliating and restoring the natural processes of cells. The cosmetic product contains useful components, namely magnesium, volcanic minerals and spring water.
The thick consistency allows it to lay down in an even layer and act as deeply as possible on the skin. The manufacturer recommends distributing the mask in a circular motion to achieve maximum steaming effect. After use, girls note that the pores become cleaner, the skin is smoothed and the natural tone improves, and elasticity is restored.
According to reviews, this product should be used in combination with the Avon Planet SPA face film mask. This will help remove dirt as deeply as possible, exfoliate the surface and prevent the subsequent occurrence of inflammation. The peculiarity is that after exposure to two care products, the pores become clean and noticeably narrower without additional manipulation.
