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Facial steams are excellent for the skin and a must-try ritual for overall self-care! After a long day, simply breathing in the sweet scents of the flowers and the aroma of herbs can calm, relax, and help to relieve tension. And bonus points: they couldn't be simpler to do.
Facial steams cleanse, hydrate, purify, relax muscles, stimulate circulation, and help remove dirt and pollutants from pores. They impart moisture deep into skin layers, bringing oxygenated blood to the surface and helping to release impurities, giving you a healthy, glowing complexion.
While we offer several botanical facial steam blends in the apothecary, you can also easily create your own at home with ingredients you may already have or have growing in your yard. This simple process puts the power in your hands, allowing you to cater to your unique skin type and needs. Here are some of our favorite botanicals to use in facial steams and a guide for how to use them.
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The History of Botanical Facial Steams
The use of steam in health and healing dates back to the Mayan civilization. However, facial steaming, as a beauty ritual, is credited to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In Ayurvedic therapy, facial steaming is referred to as "Swedana" and has been used for centuries to help remove toxins from the skin.
Skin Benefits of Facial Steaming
There is a reason steam is often used in spas as part of high-end facial treatments. But there’s no need to dish out your hard-earned cash when they can be easily DIYed! To familiarize yourself with the practice, here are some of botanical steaming’s most notable benefits:
Cleansing
Steam opens up pores and helps loosen dirt buildup for a deeper cleanse. It also softens blackheads, making them easier to remove.
Improved Circulation
Steam is the secret to a glowing complexion. The combination of warm steam and increased perspiration dilates blood vessels, improving circulation. This boost of blood flow also boosts oxygen, resulting in a natural, healthy glow.
Acne Reduction
Using steam to open your pores allows the release of dead skin cells, bacteria, and other impurities that clog them and contribute to acne.
Oil Balancing
Sebum is a naturally occurring oil produced by your sebaceous glands to lubricate your skin and hair. When sebum gets trapped beneath your skin’s surface, it creates a breeding ground for bacteria and causes acne and blackheads. Steaming helps release trapped sebum and keep skin clear.
Hydration
Steam hydrates the skin by helping to increase oil production, naturally moisturizing the face while increasing the skin’s permeability. This means your skin better absorbs skincare products, giving you more bang for your buck when products are applied after steam.
Increased Collagen and Elastin Production
The increased blood flow experienced during a steam facial promotes collagen and elastin production, resulting in firmer, younger-looking skin.
Ease Congestion
Steam can help relieve sinus congestion and headaches that often accompany it. Combining botanicals with essential oils to create a vapor steam helps to soothe irritated nasal passages and loosen mucus buildup in the sinuses and lungs.
The Best Botanicals For DIY Facial Steams
Almost any botanical can be added to DIY facial Steams, but below are some of our favorites and why they work so well for skincare.
Calendula:
Calendula is an excellent all-purpose addition to any skincare recipe. It is anti-inflammatory, healing, moisturizing, and soothing.
Chamomile:
These humble little flowers have been used in skincare for centuries. Chamomile is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, healing, skin-brightening, relaxing, soothing, and moisturizing.
Green Tea:
This tea is more than just a nourishing drink. In skincare, it is anti-inflammatory, soothing, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-aging, astringent, toning, and rich in antioxidants.
Juniper:
Juniper is one of my favorite additions to any formula for acne-prone skin. It is astringent, antioxidant, antiseptic, soothing, and toning.
Lavender:
Besides being an overall soothing scent, when it comes to skincare, lavender is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores. It is also soothing, moisturizing, and skin brightening.
Mullein:
This fuzzy and often underrated plant is a favorite in Byers Rand Apothecary formulations. As a demulcent, it draws moisture to the skin. Mullein is also soothing, anti-inflammatory, healing and helps improve skin elasticity. It is perfect for anti-aging regimens.
Orange Peel:
Next time you eat an orange, don’t throw away that peel! Save it for your next facial steam! Orange peel is antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-aging, and skin toning.
Pine:
Pine is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of skincare. Still, its benefits include being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, astringent, toning, and healing, and it may boost collagen production.
Peppermint:
Peppermint is known for its tummy-soothing qualities, but it’s also great for skincare. It is anti-inflammatory, cooling, soothing, refreshing, stimulating, and astringent.
Plantain Leaf:
No, not the banana. The plantain plant is a low-lying green often thought of as a weed, but it is also an anti-inflammatory, soothing, anti-itching astringent, and anti-aging skincare ingredient.
Red Clover:
Red clover is another favorite of ours. Its skincare properties include being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, moisturizing, soothing, and anti-aging.
Roses:
Roses have been used as a beauty secret since the dawn of time. They are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, moisturizing, soothing, skin-brightening, and cleansing.
Rosehips:
Rosehips, the “fruit” of the rose plant, have long been loved for mature skin. They are anti-aging, toning, hydrating, calming, and skin-brightening.
Rosemary:
Often considered just a culinary herb, rosemary is known in the botanical beauty world as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, cleansing, invigorating, antiseptic, astringent, toning, and rejuvenating herb.
Sage:
Sage is another herb we associate more with cooking than caring for our skin. However, when it comes to beauty preparations it is anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial, astringent, and cleansing.
Yarrow:
I love Yarrow. This botanical is often used in our skincare line because of its anti-inflammatory, astringent, antioxidant, calming, balancing, and hydrating properties.
Where Can I Purchase Botanicals For DIY Facial Steams?
We grow or wild-forage most of the herbs we use in our apothecary line, and you can purchase certain herbs from us here in our Apothecary. However, when we need to purchase an herb or ingredient, we trust Starwest Botanicals (Use code CONNIE10OFF with our affiliate link for a 10% discount).
Botanical Combinations We Love
Oily or acne-prone skin - 1 Tbsp each of sage, plantain, and yarrow
Mature skin - 1 Tbsp each of rose, rosehips, and orange peel
Dry skin - 1 Tbsp each of mullein, calendula, and lavender
Combination skin - 1 Tbsp each of calendula, yarrow, and rosemary
How to Do a Facial Steam
Steam facials are an easy practice to do yourself at home with only a few ingredients and supplies.
You will need:
A large bowl
Your desired herb(s) or herbal blend
Distilled or filtered water, boiling
A large towel
The Method:
Boil 4 - 6 cups of distilled or filtered water.
Set your herb-filled bowl on a high counter or other location where you can comfortably sit or stand for 10-15 minutes.
Carefully pour boiling water into the bowl containing your herbs.
Hold your face over the bowl and “tent” the towel over your head to prevent the steam from escaping.
Make sure to keep your eyes closed and breathe in deeply to inhale the wonderful aromas!
Steam for 10-15 minutes.
When you're done, rinse your face with cool water, gently pat it dry, and apply your favorite facial cream or serum.
Some helpful notes:
If using dried herbs, simply place all of them in the bottom of your bowl.
For fresh botanicals, lightly mash them in a mortar and pestle before placing them in the bowl.
Do not use facial steam if you have irritated, red, or flushed skin, eczema, rosacea, or other skin conditions, as the steam could cause further irritation.
DIY Beauty at its Best
In a world where store-bought skincare comes filled with chemicals, preservatives, and questionable additives, take back control of your skin health with DIY beauty! Facial steams are one of the simplest DIY beauty treatments there is. They are quick to put together, easy to use, and the results are instant. Be sure to tag us on Instagram with your favorite botanical steam combination, or tell us all about it in the comments below! Until next time,
Disclaimer:
Content from thisunboundlife.com is informational and not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Just because something is “natural” does not mean it’s safe for every person. Many plants should be avoided when pregnant or nursing; some can cause extreme interactions with prescription and over-the-counter medicine.
While we strive to be 100% accurate, utilizing information from scientific studies, trusted sources, and verified publications, we are not health professionals, medical doctors, or nutritionists. It is solely up to the reader to verify nutritional information and health benefits with qualified professionals for all edible plants listed on this website and to ensure proper plant identification.
The information provided by this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Before using herbal preparations, always research them, speak to a professional about any significant concerns, and seek medical advice when needed.