Have you ever heard of the practice of steaming your face? It’s a great way to step up your skincare routine and give yourself a spa-level treatment at home.
Steaming your face may sound scary if you’ve never tried it, but if done correctly, it’s a gentle and effective self-care practice that can give you a stunning glow without the hefty price tag of a facial.
Face steaming has a slew of benefits on its own, but adding oils, botanicals, and herbs into the water can boost the effects even further. You can customize your facial steam to your skincare needs by hand-selecting the ingredients to target your problem areas.
So, how do you steam your face with lemons? There are two effective methods for steaming your face using lemon. One is to add lemons or lemon juice to a bowl of hot water and hold your face above it using a towel draped over you to trap the steam and another is to use a hot towel saturated with lemon water.
In this article, we will go over one of our favorite face steaming ingredients – lemon water. We will discuss the surprising benefits of steaming your face with lemon, how to do it correctly, and what to keep in mind to do it safely.
What Is Face Steaming?
Face steaming is exactly what it sounds like – using steam from water and other ingredients on the face as a treatment that cleanses, hydrates, and provides an abundance of other benefits.
There are several different ways to steam your face. It can be done at a spa, but if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, you can DIY it at home using a bowl and a towel.
Commercial face steaming devices are also available (like our favorite from Amazon), but if you don’t want to spend the money, a bowl works just as well.
Face steaming is effective because it opens up your pores and helps cleanse toxins out of the skin.
Think of all the pollution your face deals with on a daily basis – from dirty air to the ingredients in your makeup – some of that stuff lodges itself deep into your pores and poisons your skin from the inside.
Steaming can help get some of that stuff out, clear out your pores, help eliminate blackheads, and prep your skin to absorb other treatments like serums and creams.
Steaming Your Face With Lemon
When it comes to face steaming, you can add a variety of skin-friendly ingredients to the water to enhance the effects of the treatment. One of our favorites is lemon.
Lemon has many uses in skincare and is one of the most commonly used ingredients in skin cleansing products.
Benefits of Lemon For Skin
Lemons are miracle workers when it comes to your skin. They’re chock full of vitamins and acids that make your skin appear clear and glowy. Below are some of the well-known benefits of lemon in skincare.
Antioxidants
As you probably know, lemons are high in vitamin C, which is why they’re so great to eat when you have a cold. But did you know that vitamin C is also great for your skin?
That’s because vitamin C is an antioxidant. Lemons contain high levels of other antioxidants too, such as citrates, flavonoids, and vitamin E.
According to Dr. Rhonda Klein, a board-certified dermatologist in Connecticut, “Antioxidants protect the skin by limiting free radical production, which can damage the skin. With daily use, they can reduce lentigines (sun spots), help combat visible signs of aging, and calm skin inflammation. Several antioxidants provide the skin with hydration and increase moisture retention to help revitalize dull-looking skin.”
Basically, antioxidants help keep your skin healthy and young-looking. They help eliminate free radicals caused by exposure to a toxic environment or UV rays.
Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties
Lemons are notorious for their antibacterial properties, which is another feature that makes them so great for when you’re feeling sick.
Turns out, your skin benefits from that too. Bacteria and microbes are partially to blame for the development of acne and other blemishes. Some acne is caused by yeast instead of bacteria. Thankfully, lemons help with that, too!
Lemons contain compounds that eliminate germs and fungi, thus helping to clear up your skin. Using lemon in your steaming water can be extremely beneficial for anyone who has been dealing with recurring breakouts.
Collagen
Did you know that collagen production relies on vitamin C? Collagen is the protein that gives your skin elasticity and structure. With age, collagen production decreases, leading to sagginess and wrinkles.
Without sufficient vitamin C, your skin can’t produce enough collagen. Sounds like another reason to add lemons to your beauty regimen!
Citric Acid
Another phenomenal ingredient in lemons is citric acid.
Citric acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), which you may have heard of, as AHAs are becoming an increasingly popular skincare ingredient.
Like all AHAs, citric acid is a natural chemical exfoliant. It helps your skin shed dead skin cells, regenerate new cells faster, and even out the skin tone. This process also helps reduce dark age spots and acne scars.
Unlike many other AHAs, citric acid is generally safe for all skin types and can be particularly helpful for those with oily skin, as it has astringent properties – meaning it helps reduce excess oil production and minimize pores.
Another unique feature of citric acid is that it helps balance the pH of your skin – allowing a proper skin barrier to function without becoming too alkaline.
As you can see, lemon has plenty of extraordinary qualities that improve the condition of your skin – from cleansing to brightening to fighting acne and everything in between.
Now, let’s go over the different ways you can incorporate the powers of lemon in your face steaming treatment.
Lemon Juice Vs. Lemon Essential Oil
Both freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon essential oil can be used in your face steaming solution, however, bear in mind that there are some differences.
Lemon essential oil does not contain citric acid, so if that’s what you’re using, you will miss out on some of the benefits of citric acid for your skin, like exfoliation.
Another thing to consider is that lemon essential oil is made out of the lemon rind, lemon skin, and alcohol. This means two things: it is very concentrated and it contains alcohol.
When using lemon essential oil in your steam solution, you will need less than if you were using lemon juice. You may also want to avoid lemon essential oil if you have dry skin as the small amount of alcohol may be drying.
If you can’t decide between using fresh lemon oil or essential oil, why not use both? A steam bath can be prepared by mixing both ingredients. This will give you the potency of the essential oil with the citric acid of the fresh lemon juice.
If you are going with one or the other, just be mindful of how much of each you are using. Remember that if you’re using an essential oil, it is highly concentrated, so you won’t be using it as much.
Here is a general guide for how much of each you’ll need for a face steam solution:
- Juice of 1 lemon per 6 cups of boiling water
- 3-5 drops of lemon essential oil per 6 cups of boiling water
- Juice of ½ lemon and 2 drops of lemon essential oil per 6 cups of boiling water (if mixing both)
Once you figure out how you want to add the lemon essence to your water and in what quantities, it’s time to put together the setup and get your face ready for a relaxing steaming!
How To Do A Lemon Face Steam Using A Bowl
The easiest and most inexpensive method to steam your face involves a large bowl and a towel. Most of us have these things on hand, which is why this is the most popular method for DIY face steaming.
Here is everything you’ll need for a rejuvenating lemon steam:
- A large bowl that can fit 6 cups of water (mixing bowls or salad bowls work well)
- Large fluffy towel
- Water kettle or pot to boil your water
- 6 cups of filtered water
- Lemon juice or lemon essential oil (see above for measurements)
Start by washing your face with water and a cleanser. Next, get out all of your supplies and block off at least 30 minutes of self-care time. Follow the steps below:
- Place your bowl on a table or any surface that you can comfortably sit in front of with your face over the bowl.
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a kettle or a pot.
- Pour the water into the bowl and add your lemon juice or essential oil. Stir with a spoon to get the lemon essence mixed into the water. If you are adding any other herbs, you can add those in now.
- Let the water sit for about 2 minutes as it mixes with the lemon, allowing it to cool down slightly. This is important as you don’t want to burn your skin on very hot steam.
- If you have long hair, tie it back and away from your face.
- Sit down in front of the bowl and lower your head over the bowl so that your face is 6-8 inches above the water.
- Drape your towel over your head and the bowl, preventing the steam from escaping. This will create a little “tent” where the steam can work its magic on your face.
- Steam your face for 5 to 10 minutes. If at any point it gets too hot, lift the edge of the towel to let some cool air in.
- When done, gently wash your face with cool or lukewarm water. Dispose of the lemon water down the drain.
Here’s a visual tutorial from Anastasia Itua on YouTube.
How To Do A Lemon Face Steam Using A Hot Towel
Another great method to steam your face with lemon water is by using a hot towel. Hot towels are often used at spas so this technique gives you a luxurious experience.
Plus, you can lie down while doing this!
Here’s everything you will need to steam your face with a hot lemon towel:
- A clean hand towel
- A large bowl
- Hot filtered water (not boiling – if it’s boiling, just add some cold filtered water to it so that it is comfortable to the touch)
- Lemon juice or lemon essential oil
Once again, start with a clean face. Follow the steps below:
- Place you hand towel into a bowl and pour hot filtered water over it so that the towel is fully submerged.
- Add lemon or lemon essential oil to the water and mix it up with your hand.
- Let the towel soak in the lemon water for about 5 minutes.
- Check to make sure that the temperature of the water is hot, but not burning. It has to be comfortable for you to hold it on your skin. We suggest dipping your hand into the bowl and holding it there for several seconds to ensure it is not too hot.
- Carefully remove the towel from the bowl and wring it out so that it is damp but not dripping.
- Place the towel over your face and sit back or lay back. Get comfortable!
- Relax for 5-10 minutes. If it’s hard to breathe, you can always wrap the towel over your face in a way that keeps your nose peeking out. Do whatever feels comfortable.
- After you are done, remove the towel and rinse your face with cool water. The towel can be washed and reused. Dispose of the lemon water down the drain.
Here’s a visual tutorial from Matt Southerland on YouTube.
Take Caution
Steaming your face at home is generally safe and easy, however, there are a few precautions we want to share.
The biggest risk associated with face steaming is steam burns. These can happen if the water is too hot and the vapor burns your face. Steam burns are more damaging than regular water burns.
Here are a few things you can do to avoid a steam burn:
- Don’t put your face too close to the water’s surface.
- If you start to feel like your skin is burning, move further away or allow some cool air to get in.
- If you are using the hot towel method, check the water beforehand and make sure it is comfortable to the touch. If it’s too hot to touch, the towel is too hot for your face.
- Keep your eyes closed while you are steaming your face to avoid irritating them.
- Rinse your face with cool or lukewarm water after you are done steaming.
- Apply a moisturizer or serum after your steam session to help soothe and hydrate your skin.
If you have sensitive skin or suffer from skin conditions like rosacea, psoriasis, or eczema – you may be more susceptible to steam burns and irritation. If that sounds like you, start with cooler water and steam your face less frequently. In some instances, steaming may not be the best treatment for you.
How Often Should You Steam Your Face?
We do not recommend steaming your face more often than once a week.
Face steaming is a great weekly self-care ritual that you can do on the weekends. If you do it more often, it can cause skin irritation and redness. Not the look you’re going for.
Each steaming session should be no longer than 10 minutes for best results. If you have sensitive skin or a skin condition, you may want to limit your steaming sessions to 5 minutes or less.
When it comes to the delicate skin on our faces, it’s always better to start slow and work our way up to more frequent treatments.
Other Ingredients To Add To Your Lemon Steam
Feeling adventurous? Add some of these beneficial plants to your steam water for an extra beauty boost:
- Brewed green tea instead of water for extra antioxidants
- Lavender flowers or lavender essential oil for a calming effect
- Rosemary essential oil for additional antioxidants and acne-fighting compounds
- Rose petals for extra hydration and lovely aroma
- Chamomile flowers to reduce inflammation and redness
- Orange essential oil to unclog pores and uplift your mood
- Basil leaves for antioxidant and antibacterial properties
These are just a few suggestions. You can experiment with a wide range of herbs, flowers, and essential oils. This is a great opportunity to enjoy some of the aromatherapy benefits of some oils, too.
If you’re suffering from a cold, a lemon face steam can double as a great treatment for congestion as well. Just make sure that whatever herbs and oils you are using are safe for your skin. A simple Google search can help answer that question for you.
Final Thoughts
Steaming your face is a great way to relax and treat yourself while rejuvenating and cleansing your skin. As long as you are careful about avoiding a steam burn, they are easy and cheap to do at home and provide benefits that go beyond skin-deep.
Steaming your face with lemon water is versatile as lemons juice can fight acne and exfoliate your skin while adding other herbs and oils enables you to create a well-rounded and customized treatment for your specific skin type.
If you’ve never tried a face steam, we urge you to give it a go! You might fall in love with the luxurious and relaxed feeling it gives you. Not to mention the glowy and clear complexion you’ll be staring at in the mirror after your steam session is over.
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