DIY Facial Steam Instructions

Facial steaming is one of the most popular techniques to improve facial skin with a whole bunch of benefits it provides. Applying warm steam to your face safely opens the pores and provides a deeper clean to your skin by loosening up any dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells for easier removal using a facial cleanser or scrub. A further benefit is that the more open pores, and removal of dirt and grime from your face, allows for better absorption of any products you wish to apply.

However, even though steaming provides a host of benefits, some people aren’t able to efficiently steam their face, particularly at home, so the benefits may be little to none. Below is a list of ways you can get a proper facial steam at home:

Machine Steam

Perhaps the easiest way to steam your face at home is by purchasing and using a home facial steaming machine. Thankfully, they’re affordable (less than $20 on average) and easy to use so there’s no need to break the bank or go to aesthetics school.

If you don’t plan on steaming very often, or just don’t feel like having another gadget in your home, there two other ways you can still get great results:

Bowl Steam

A bowl steam may have you feeling awkward but consider it one of those “you gotta do what you gotta do” things. To do this, you’ll need 3 things:

A large bowl that can resist high heat (the larger the better)
A pot
A large towel (your bath towels are more than big enough)

First, add water to the pot and bring it to a boil. You can always wash your face as the water is boiling. Next, carefully pour the boiling water into the bowl.

To get your steam, hover your face over the bowl and cover your head, shoulders and around the bowl using your towel. This will trap the steam and heat under the towel and on your face.

Be sure to keep your face far enough away from the bowl of water to avoid burns.

Towel Steam

The towel steam is similar to the bowl steam, except that the towel is used in a different way. Instead of using it to keep the steam from the bowl trapped, the towel is applied directly to the face.

Simply boil your towel in the pot or add it to the water after it starts boiling.

The tricky part of this getting the right amount of heat on your face without burning off your epidermis. Perhaps the least messy way to get this done is by having another bowl with room temperature water nearby and transferring the towel to that bowl briefly using a pair of tongs. This will make it safer, not only for your face, but your fingers as well (when your wringing out the towel).

Final Word

If you are on a tight budget but still want the amazing benefits of steaming your face, you can try the methods mentioned above. But remember, always wash your face before you begin, be careful to avoid steam burns, and cleanse the skin with a cleanser or scrub while your face is still relatively warm.

About the Author

Trysh Sutton is a wife, mother, strategic leader and teacher. She runs a website called Pure Path Essential Oils, which is a naturopathic wellness site that promotes healthy living and healing through the use of essential oils and sustainable living.

You can follow her on social media to learn more about the benefits of essential oils, and healthy living practices: