Have you heard of facial steaming before? Steaming is one step you can add into your self-care routine to help relax after a long day and reap the botanical benefits. As we all know, proper hydration and clear pores are the foundation of radiant skin. Facial steaming has been around for many years; In fact, it’s one of the oldest and most effective methods for keeping pores clear & clog-free.

What are the benefits?

• Cleansing: steaming on a regular basis allows your pores to remain open, which allows oil to flow freely and prevent dirt and other debris from clogging your pores.
• Sweating: Sweating while steaming can help push out the dirt stuck at the base of your pores that would otherwise remain lodged inside.
• Youthful Skin: Steaming naturally makes your face shed dead skin to keep a youthful, vibrant glow. Dead skin can make the skin on your face appear less smooth.
• Purifying: Steaming can loosen blackheads and acne-causing bacteria.
• Promotes Circulation: The warm steam and perspiration combine to dilate your blood vessels, increasing blood circulation and nourishing skin with more oxygen. The result is a healthy, natural glow.
• Promotes Elastin and collagen: Due to increased blood flow, a steam facial boosts elastin and collagen production for a firmer, younger-looking appearance.

Not only does adding botanical herbs and oils to the steam create soothing aromatherapy effects, but also offers extra benefits by allowing the ingredients healing compounds to get right to the surface where they’re needed.

Here are a few of the ingredients used and their benefits

Chamomile - works as a good conductor for skin because it has hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties. It instantly makes skin look healthy and glowing. 

Rose - gently cleanses and soothes redness, swollen areas, rosacea, and acne, while the lovely scent is calming the mind.

Lavender -  works as a natural astringent and can prevent and heal acne breakouts. It also helps to reduce discolouration, including dark spots.

Jasmine - extracts can help balance moisture in the skin, as well as protect skin with antibacterial properties.

Eucalyptus - combat congestion with eucalyptus oil is steam inhalation, which allows the oil to react with mucous membranes, reducing mucus and loosening up congestion.

How Do You Do It? 
There is no need to break the bank people. All you need is a bowl, hot water, a towel .. and of course a dot. NATURALS botanical facial steamer blend :) 

• Start with a freshly cleansed face
• Take a large bowl and place it on a towel at a table that you can comfortably sit at.
• Pour your botanical blend into the bowl.
• Heat up enough water to fill the bowl. The water should be hot and steaming, but not boiling.
• Quickly and carefully pour the hot water over the botanicals into the bowl, stopping one inch from the rim.
• Drape a towel over your head and shoulders to make a tent like structure and carefully lower your face to at least 6 inches over the steaming bowl. If the steam is too hot, raise your face so it is further away from the bowl. Be careful not to scald your skin and keep your eyes closed.
• Steam for 5-10 minutes or less if the steam is too much for you. But definitely let your skin soak up all of that botanical goodness.
• Finally, pat your skin dry and apply your skin care products as you normally would. We’d recommend a toner, eye cream, serum and moisturizer.. but you do you.
• If you're feeling extra indulgent you can also add in a facial mask after the steam and before the toner.

When finished, dispose of the steeped botanicals and their liquid, they aren’t reusable. It’s recommend to do a facial steam weekly or bi-weekly, unless your sinuses are congested, in which case you can do it more regularly.

Happy Relaxing!

If you think these products can't pose much of a problem, because they are used on your skin or hair, think again.  Our skin readily absorbs at least 30% of what we put on it - that is why some common medicines are delivered through a skin patch or cream.  Also, if we ingest something toxic through our food or drink, it gets sent (with everything else) to our liver to be detoxified, before being released into our bloodstream.  Our liver saves us from a host of potential problems.  Toxins entering through our skin, however, have no such obstacle to stop them.

ACETONE 
found in nail polish remover, it is an irritant that when inhaled can damage the lungs, liver, kidneys, nerves and can increase the risk of birth defects.

ALUMINUM CHLOROHYDRATE & ALUMINUM ZIRCONIUM
found in most deodorants and anti-perspirants.  It has been suggested (but not yet proven) that there is a connection between aluminum and Alzheimers disease and breast cancer.

BHA or BHT 
are used  mainly in moisturizers and make-up as anti-oxidants and preservatives.  They are also a hidden ingredient in some fragrances.  BHA is toxic to the immune sytem & the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as a possible human carcinogen.  Studies suggest that BHT may be toxic to the skin, lungs, liver and immune system.  Both chemicals can cause allergic reactions, are suspected of interfering with hormone function and promoting tumour growth. They also have the potential to bio-accumulate in aquatic species.

COAL TAR DYES 
the main concern here, aside from causing sensitivity, is their potential as carcinogens, as they are proven to cause cancer when injected under the skin of mice.  Look for p-phenylenediamine or colours identified as "C.I." followed by a 5 digit number.  Also, some of these colours contain heavy metals and aluminum, of particular concern when used in cosmetics that may be ingested, like lipstick.

TALC
is a dry lubricant used in baby powders, feminine sprays and on condoms.  It is a carcinogen when inhaled (which is especially hard for babies not to). Studies and lawsuits have also linked talcum powder and mesothelioma.

DIBUTYL PHTHALATE 
pronounced "thay-late". This is only one of the many phthalates, all of which are highly suspect.  It is used as a solvent for dyes in nail products, a plasticizer to keep polishes from becoming brittle (also in vinyl flooring, toys, cars, shower curtains, medical equipment, etc.) and it is especially widespread in the fragrance oils used in almost every cosmetic or skincare product.  Because of "trade secret" regulations, phthalates don't even have to be listed on fragranced products, which means, almost everything.  Because of the gender bending potential of phthalates, this can be especially dangerous for women of childbearing age.  So far, the list of the main dangers found are - damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs, brain and nervous system, immune system and last, but not least, damage to the endocrine and reproductive system - especially the developing testes in male fetuses.

IMADAZOLIDINYL UREA & DIAZOLIDINYL UREA 
another common preservative that causes dermatitis and releases formaldehyde.

PADIMATE O (OCTYL DIMETHYL PABA), OXYBENZONE & OCTYLMETHOXYCINNAMATE 
are commonly found in sunscreens, but have been shown to disrupt endocrine balance.  Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are safer alternatives, working as actual sun blocks and not sunscreens, therefore more effective as well.

PARABENS
methyl, propyl, ethyl & butyl - these are very common preservatives found in most products.  Formaldehyde releasing and may cause carcinogenic nitrosamines.

PEG COMPOUNDS 
polyethylene glycol compounds are widely used in cream bases in cosmetics. PEG and it's chemical cousin, Propylene Glycol (a humectant found in deodorants, toothpaste, etc.) open the skin's pores, allowing harmful ingredients to penetrate more deeply.  PG is known to cause contact dermatitis, kidney and liver damage, skin and eye irritation and gastro-intestinal disturbances. These compounds may also be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, both of which may cause cancer.

PETROLATUM or MINERAL OIL 
a petroleum based jelly or oil often found in lip and skincare products - advertised as preventing chapping and sun damage.  Ironically, it actually causes skin photosensitivity, promoting sun damage and interfering with the body's own moisturizing mechanism causing dryness that leads to the need to reapply.

PVP/PA COPOLYMERS 
mostly found in hair sprays - can introduce foreign particles into the lungs, causing problems in sensitive people.

TOLUENE
found in nail polish - known to be a hormone disruptor and a potential carcinogen.
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TRICLOSAN 
found in most anti-bacterial soaps, hand sanitizers and deodorants as a preservative and anti-bacterial. It is a hormone disruptor, doesn't break down in the environment and may contribute to the rising wave of bacterial resistance.