Homemade Herbal Facial Steams

Growing herbs is something any of us can enjoy and have fun with in the kitchen. Whether you grow your chosen herbs in the garden, in a herb wall or in an unusual gardening container in the kitchen, facial steams are an amazing way of utilizing these powerful plants.

I love herbs and growing up we always had a plentiful supply including Mint, Lavender, Chives, Rosemary and Thyme. We would frequently be cutting sprigs and using them as flavoring in Mum’s culinary dishes.

Wandering around the back garden and rubbing the various leaves, petals and spikes, inhaling the aromatic oils now on my skin, my mind would often wander to a bygone time.The front garden, equally hypnotic, was awash with the vibrant purple lavender and its unmistakable heady scent in the summer months.

Using your herbs for a facial steam is an excellent way of incorporating your garden into your beauty regime that does not have you cost you a cent unlike the facials provided in spas and beauty salons.

As a Beauty Therapist I regularly did face steaming for clients having facials, it was a given and expected preparation treatment.

With fresh herbs in the summer you can then dry them for using in the cold winter months to avail of the benefits all year. Other beneficial homemade ways of using your herbs are to make homemade herbal skin toner, potpourri, easy air freshener, herbal facial mask and infused oil.

• Hypersensitive Skin
• Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Acne Rosacea
• Thread Veins
• Broken Capillaries
• Skin Erythema (redness)
• Allergies
• Sunburn
• After a Face Peel
• Cuts, Abrasions and Bruising
• Pregnancy (check with doctor first)

• Eliminates Toxins
• Unplugs Grime and Dirt
• Removes Excess Oil
• Loosens Blackheads
• Plumps Out Wrinkles
• Anti-Ageing
• Cleansing
• Hydrating
• Removes Dead Skin Cells
• Helps Heal Acne Scars
• Pimples
• Increases Blood Flow
• Improves Skin Color
• Stimulates Circulation
• Relaxes Muscles
• Skin Softening

These recipes are to show the variety you may use depending on what you have available and what type of skin you have. Use as few or as many as you wish and it is so simple using minimal equipment, you can easily do this once a week or once a month as part of a DIY Facial. If you wish you may add a few drops of essential oils to add to the benefits.

For best results, do this steam after you have done a gentle face exfoliation which will have improved the skin color and texture by removing all the dead skin cells.

Normal to Dry Skin Steam ~

Chamomile

Calendula

Confrey Leaf

Lavender

Rose Petals

Lemon Balm

You Will Need:

Large Saucepan with Lid

4 pints / 2 litres Distilled Water

Towel

Large Glass Jar (for storing excess)

Method:

• Collect a good bunch (couple of handfuls) of your herbs and petals.
• Bring your saucepan of water to boiling.
• Add in your herbs and cover with the lid. Turn down to simmer for 3 minutes.
• Turn off heat and remove pot to a heatproof surface that will enable you to sit in front of comfortably. Kitchen table is an ideal height.
• Leaning over the pot (about 12 inches from pot surface, not right up close), drape a large thick towel over your head and bowel which will capture all the gorgeous infused steam.
• Adjust temperature (as it will get hot) by moving slightly or raising the towel to allow some cool air in.
• Do this for 5 to 10 minutes, no longer.
• Splash your face with some of the cooled herbal water and then do a final splash of cool water.
• Apply Rosewater onto the skin via a dampened piece of cottonwool.
• Pat the skin dry and apply moisturizer.
• If going out into sunlight don't forget to apply sunscreen.

Normal to Oily Skin Steam ~

Calendula

Comfrey Leaf

Raspberry Leaf

Rosemary

Eucalyptus

Peppermint

(Lemon Verbena, Thyme or Sage are suitable too)

Method:

Make up the same way as the normal to dry skin recipe.

1 – 2 tbsp Dried Rosemary (2 – 3 sprigs fresh rosemary)

1 – 2 tbsp Dried Lavender (2 – 3 sprigs fresh lavender)

Method:

• Add your herbs into a saucepan with 3 cups of distilled or purified water.
• Bring it to a boil and remove from heat once boiling.
• Leave for a few minutes and then cover your head with a towel over the saucepan.
• Breathe deeply and avail of the therapeutic benefits.
• Do this for 5 – 10 minutes before splashing the face with the herbal water. Splash with cool water before patting the skin dry.
• Apply your regular moisturizer or sunscreen.
• Use one herb if it suits or use a combination.

"Creating health awareness through homemade beauty solutions"

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