Warm steam softens the skin and makes blackheads easier to remove. What a facial sauna can do at home, where its limits lie – and which devices we recommend.
The classic
A tried-and-tested facial sauna with a face mask and an extra attachment for inhaling. Straightforward to use and easy to clean – just right if you want steam to become a regular part of your weekly routine.
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Solid alternative
Similar principle to the Beurer: add water, place your face over the mask, steam for a few minutes. According to the manufacturer, it has an aroma container for herbs or oils.
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Fine, warm mist
A tabletop device with a directed nozzle instead of a hood. The steam comes out as a fine mist – more comfortable if you find a closed mask claustrophobic. According to the seller, the set includes tools for cleaning pores.
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With attachments
A facial sauna with a mask and attachments, including one for the nose. According to the seller, it has a removable aroma compartment and an adjustable steam jet.
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Budget starter
A simple, inexpensive facial sauna for anyone who first wants to find out whether steam does their skin good.
What we like
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Steam softens the top layer of skin and the oil in your pores. That makes blackheads easier to loosen, and a mask afterwards spreads more pleasantly. Pores don’t literally “open” in the process – they have no muscles. And steam doesn’t replace cleansing: it belongs between cleansing and skincare.
Once or twice a week is enough. Any more often can dry out your skin or make it red.
With blackheads, steam can help soften them before extraction. With inflamed acne, rosacea or thread veins, heat can irritate the skin further – skip it or ask your dermatologist.
The principle is the same. A device keeps the temperature more constant and is safer, because there’s no pan of boiling water on the table.
Facial steam is usually fine, but your circulation is more sensitive during pregnancy. If in doubt, ask your doctor or midwife.
