Steamers and the facial.
I have been in the treatment room for about 26+ years. It has been a love hate relationship with my steamer. At times I have avoided it and others used it all the time. Most of my clients have loved when we use steam and every once in a while there is someone that doesn’t like it. But, I do notice when I use the steam helps to soften that top layer of dead skin and helps me do my job.
Benefits of Steaming
- Opens up pores to soften blackheads
- Loosens up dirt, buildup and dead skin
- Promotes circulation
- Hydrating
- Soothing
Steaming can provide hydration, softening, purification. When over done it can dehydrate. I recommend to use 5-15 minutes depending on the skin type. The dryer the skin type the less time. The more oily the skin type you can take more time.
You may want to avoid the steamer with clients that suffer from intense allergies, asthma, or respiratory related conditions because it may aggravate it. Placment of the steamer is usually recommended to be 18-24 inches away from the face. If someone is sensitive you can push it back further away. It is more important for the client to be comfortable.
I like to use the steamer in different ways. For someone that needs a lot of extractions I may use it in the cleansing stage and may do 2-3 cleansings. If someone has a lot of makeup on I will use the Green Tea Cleanser or the Antioxidant Enzyme Cleanser to remove excess before starting. Then I use the Facial Gel Cleanser and Clarifying Cleanser. This helps soften the dead skin and buildup. I also like to use if in the exfoliation phase with masks like the Clarifying Mask or the Revitalizing Enzyme Mask.
How to take care of your steamer
Distilled water is recommended for your steamer. If you use regular water from the tap or drinking water you may have build up on the coils that will cause it to fail.
Remove water daily and never leave water standing for over a week in the steamer.
To clean use the following steps:
- In the holding jar add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and fill the rest with water.
- Turn the steamer on and let it steam. Do not turn on the Ozone.
- Allow the machine to steam for less than a minute or until it won’t steam anymore.
- Turn off the steamer and let the solution rest in the unit.
- When it cools drain the steamer and rinse the holding jar and refill with distilled water.
- Run again for about 10 minutes.
Essential oils for the steam
Some units have a basket in the steamer to hold a gauze or cotton to infuse essential oils. Some Oils that are popular are Blood Orange, Pink Grapefruit even Lavender. See what is your clients preference. Never add essential oils to the water of the steamer because they can clog the machine.
There are many ways to use the steamer. We would love to hear what your tips and tricks are. Reach out to us at info@aestheticbackbar.com.