Facials: Should I Steam My Face Before or After Cleansing?
Before you cleanse your face for the day or night, it is important to know how to prepare your skin to get the greatest benefits from your cleansing routine. Skin care should be taken seriously from a young age to help keep your skin from showing premature signs of aging and to maintain a youthful glow. The dermatologists at the Dermatology and Mohs Surgery Institute are skilled in teaching proper skin care routines and what works best for all skin types.
How to Determine Your Skin Type
Having a skin care routine can make a huge difference in how your skin ages and when it begins to age. Doing the work ahead of time to keep your skin glowing and looking young will benefit you as you age. The first step in creating a skin care routine is to determine your skin type. Knowing your skin type helps to choose products that will benefit your skin. Your skin type can be oily, dry, or a combination. If your face has a constant shine to it, you have oily skin. If your skin feels dry or flaky, you have dry skin. If you have a mixture of shine and dryness, you have combination skin. Once you’ve determined your skin type, you can begin purchasing skin care products for your skin care routine.
Products to Use in Your Skin Care Routine
The products you use every day play a large role in the aging process. Sticking to your skin care routine helps to delay the aging process and keep your skin looking as young as you feel. Skin care routines do not need to be complex – just make sure you do the routine every day and use products made for your skin type to have the best results.
First, wash your face with a gentle cleanser so as not to irritate the skin. Next, apply toner to replenish the skin through hydration while also removing dead skin cells. Lastly, apply moisturizer to soothe and soften the skin. Applying sunscreen should be added to your morning skin care routine to protect the skin from sunburn. Additionally, working in steaming your face into your routine has many benefits.
Benefits of Steaming Your Face
As you get ready to begin your skincare routine, a common question is, “Do you cleanse before or after steaming your face?” The answer is to cleanse your face before steaming. Cleansing your face first removes makeup and dirt. This is important because once you steam your face, it opens up your pores, and anything left on your skin such as makeup and dirt can get inside your skin and may cause pimples or irritation. When your skin is clean and you are ready to steam your face, you are helping your skin to:
- Get a deeper cleanse
- Get better skin circulation
- Release acne-causing bacteria
- Increase hydration
- Absorb skin care products
- Increase collagen production
Steaming your face can feel as if you are getting the perfect facial. Bring six cups of water to a boil, add herbs, and stir. Next, let it simmer for three minutes. Put a towel over your head and hold your face six inches above the water for up to 10 minutes.
Does steaming sound right for you? If so, the dermatologists at the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute are available to answer any steaming or skin care questions that come up. If you are in Bloomington, Illinois or the surrounding areas, complete this form to get in touch with us.