5 Facial Steamers You Can Try For A Spa Experience At Home
Plus, where you can get them in Singapore.
By The Singapore Women's Weekly Staff,
Ever thought of getting a facial steamer? Wait, face steamer? Yes, the one that your facialist uses on you before your facial begins to “open up your pores, soften the dead skin cells, and help the skin absorb the skincare ingredients".
There are several commonly acknowledged benefits of facial steaming, such as better cleansing. Steaming loosens the dirt, makeup, product residual particles that are lodged in your skin, so it’ll be easier for you to remove them afterwards
It is also said to improved blood circulation: this one is pretty self-explanatory, the increase in temperature around your face will cause your blood capillaries to dilate and improve blood flow.
READ MORE: 13 At-Home Skincare Devices Worth Your Investment
Of course, the steam will deeply moisturise the skin, refreshing any dry and dull skin (especially if you work and sleep in air-conditioned rooms!). Steaming also improves the absorption of the skincare products and ingredients that you pile on afterwards.
And, of course, if you enjoy the sauna and steam room, you’ll know the immense calming effect that steaming has on your mind – the sound, the warmth, and the few minutes of me-time works wonders.
Lastly, if you (or your family members) frequently experience blocked nose or sinus, a good steam is known to open up and clear the airways, too.
Sold on the benefits of facial steaming? Ahead, we suss out some devices you can use at home to give your skin some TLC.
First up, the most common facial steamer (from a reputable brand) is the fuchsia and white Panasonic Spa-Quality Facial Steamer ($198.34 from Amazon Singapore). It’s not commonly found in stores anymore – it’s retailing at $229 on Best Denki, $198.34 on Amazon, and there are several options on Carousell if you don’t mind buying secondhand.
The cycles are six minutes long, with nano-sized steam particles (thousands of times smaller than regular steam particles) penetrating the skin to remove impurities. Yup, you can use it daily!
London-based Sarah Chapman’s Skinesis Pro Hydro-Mist Steamer ($214.50) is pretty similar to the Panasonic face steamer with features and benefits such as emitting nano steam particles rich in negative ions that penetrate the skin more effectively than regular steam and moisturising skin rapidly.
At $54, this design by the UK-based skincare tools brand Magnitone is a more wallet-friendly option. It uses “deionized micro-steam particles to gently unclog pores for more hydrated skin in just 10 minutes”. What does that mean? Unlike some steamers which work to charge water molecules with a negative charge, this steamer removes all charges from the water, making it essentially pure water which some believe can be easily absorbed into the skin.
This one ($44.99) is basically a brandless, generic steaming device (hence the lower price point). It’s marketed as a sinus inhaler and allows you to drip your favourite essential oil in to get that spa-like experience.
Finally, the Rio Facial Sauna & Steamer with Steam Inhaler ($45) is another generic steamer. You’ll find it available on Amazon and has earned itself some pretty decent and positive reviews on YouTube.
This article was first published in The Singapore Women’s Weekly