Steaming is beneficial for cleaning all types of skin. It cleans the skin of all surface dirt, stimulates the circulation and unclogs blocked pores. If your skin is dry, steam your face once a week. It can be used every day if you have a very greasy skin. Electrical devices are available to produce steam and this process is known as Sauna Facial.
Steaming can be taken by leaning over a large bowl of boiling water, by covering your head with a towel and making a tent around the bowl. The steam will open the pores, loosen blackheads and bring spots to a head. Do not get to close to the boiling water, for if the steam is too hot, it might cause broken veins. To make steaming more beneficial, add a tablespoon of herbs to the water. Elderflower and camomile are the old favorites for this. You can also try lavender, thyme and rosemary for a stimulating cleanse. These herbs smell delicious. Steam your face for about ten to twenty minutes. By steaming blackheads come out of the pores and it becomes easy to extract them.
If you suffer from pustular acne, I would not advice steaming as the steam and heat can spread the infection. If you have been extracting blackheads use a facemask containing curds, kaolin, cucumber or comfrey, as these are astringent and healing.
