Best facial steamer 2021: Brighten and cleanse your skin at home
Are you guilty of opening your dishwasher post-cycle (or even better, your boiling water tap) and leaning your head over the top to let the steam wash over your face? You’re not alone, and we don’t blame you. It’s the nearest thing to a spa-like experience in your own home. The old school ritual of submerging your face in warm vapours seems to have had a resurgence with online searches for facial steamers rising by 350 per cent recently. But are they really worth it?
Steamers are often regarded as pointless gadgets that don’t serve much purpose other than to give you a little pamper. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Steam opens up your pores and helps loosen any build-up of dirt for a deeper cleanse. When your pores are open, blackheads are easier to remove and therefore your skin will look clearer and more youthful.
In addition, your skincare will benefit ten-fold from using a steamer, as your products will work more effectively on a clean, clear surface. Steam-fresh skin allows creams and active ingredients such as retinol, to absorb better and penetrate deeper into the skin. While the increase in the skin’s temperature encourages oxygen to flow to the surface, feeding the skin cells with nutrients and giving your skin a warm post-gym healthy glow.
However, if you suffer from rosacea or eczema, the heat and steam may trigger facial flushing, so anyone prone to redness or sensitivity should avoid using a steamer altogether. For the rest of us however, steam will quickly become your skin’s new best friend.
But why not just put your head over a bowl of steam? The nano-sized steam particles emitted from facial steamers are rich in negative ions that penetrate skin more effectively than regular steam, so it’s not a superfluous investment after all.
Although you may be tempted to make steaming a regular part of your skincare routine, you should keep it to once a week only. Ironically, steaming too often can dehydrate your skin as the natural oils that moisturise your skin can be stripped away if you overdo it. Keep to twice a week at the most, for ten minutes at a time.
Always ensure your skin is thoroughly cleansed before a steam and then follow with another cleanse to remove any debris that may be sitting on your skin as a result of the steam’s hard work. Follow with your usual serum and moisturiser to lock in hydration, but do it fast! You have approximately a 60-second window before moisture begins to evaporate from your skin.
Never has it been easier, or more necessary to treat yourself to at-home self-care. These facial steamers will clear your skin and your psyche. Here are the ones to have on your radar…
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Sarah Chapman pro hydro mist steamer
With a celebrity client list that puts most other facialists to shame, Sarah Chapman knows a thing or two about skin. When Victoria Beckham posted on her Instagram that she was “impressed with this machine,” this was enough for us to sit up and take notice.
If you’re religious about your facial appointments, then this is a great alternative at-home treatment. It has high-tech features like ionic and ultra-sound tech which aim to mimic the same in-salon signature Skinesis facial treatment that Sarah Chapman is renowned for. The machine claims to clear pores, brighten the skin and slough away dead skin cells, leaving you fresh faced.
The steamer is simple to use. Just plug in and hit start for a pre-programmed five-minute steam that has a built-in timer. The fine mist will soon adjust speed, but it will still feel comfortable throughout the short time. You’ll be amazed how bright, dewy and plump your skin looks with every use.
Initially, this is a pricey purchase, but your skin will thank you for it and we guarantee you’ll soon become obsessed with this new addition to your skincare regime.
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UMI facial steamer
This one-button-does-all facial steamer is as simple as it gets, but it’s all you need if you’re looking for a good quality product at a great price. A machine from Amazon’s own brand (who knew?) it’s affordable, but still offers a good level of functionality and performance. It’s like a portable sauna that gives off a steady flow of warm mist, packed with negatively charged water particles that work to penetrate the skin.
There are no fancy frills with this device, but it punches way above its price point in efficacy and value for money. With its five colourways to choose from and a fool-proof design, this makes a fun and perfect choice for teens with congested skin.
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Panasonic EHXS01 the facial steamer
This high-tech steamer uses nano-ionic technology to deliver steam particles that are 18,000 times finer than your regular ones, which means they can easily penetrate your pores, making excess dirt and other impurities easier to remove.
We like the fact that you can you select either a three-, six- or twelve-minute steam according to how much time you have or how deep you want your cleanse to be. Whichever setting you choose you’ll emerge with noticeably brighter and plumper skin. It’s pretty pricey though, so be sure to commit to including it in your skincare routine to get your money’s worth.
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HoMedics illumi hot cold beauty treatment device
Don’t be fooled by the dinky size of this face steamer, it more than makes up for it in performance. It delivers an almost-bare veil of mist over your face, applying hot and cold thermal therapy to help tone and brighten your skin. The machine has three different temperature programmes, cooling, heating and alternating, which allows you to customise your treatment depending on your mood or how your skin feels. (Our favourite is the alternating setting).
It comes with a 100ml measuring cup which is enough water for approximately 15 minutes, which is ample time. It also has a built-in rechargeable battery and a temperature control feature to ensure the steam never gets uncomfortably hot. If you’re short on space and want post-facial skin at a fair price, this is a sensible choice.
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Livivo facial face spa steamer
This one-knob-does-all facial steamer may not look the part, but at this price and with all the added extras thrown in (aromatherapy diffuser, blackhead removal kit) this is brilliant value for money.
We love the fact that it has a large funnel to comfortably fit your face without feeling claustrophobic. It also has a nasal attachment, which you can fill with aromatherapy oils (not included) to scent the water and create a spa-like experience while also helping to clear your air waves and any mucus.
If you’d rather not faff with all the extras, then you’re just left with a reasonably priced steamer. The best bit by far though is the blackhead removal kit, which contains a range of instruments to pluck, dig, press and squeeze out your pimples, which we have to admit, is rather satisfying to do, especially post steam when blackheads, whiteheads and spots are loosened. It’s currently out of stock, but you can sign up to be notified upon its return.
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Rio facial sauna spa
An upgrade from the brand’s original popular design, this facial steamer is a 2-in-1 device which can be used primarily for your skin concerns or as a steam inhaler (with the attachment) to relieve sinus congestion and help improve allergy symptoms. It’s a full-face treatment.
It has simple adjustable steam level settings, a timer and heats up rather quickly. It comes with a small measuring cup, so you know exactly how much water you need and it’s easily adjustable to change from steam inhaler to facial sauna.
This facial steamer can be enjoyed by the whole family, whether it’s skin or sinuses that is the main concern. However, it’s rather bulky, so if you lack storage space, you’re better off buying the original Rio steamer which is more compact.
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Magnitone steam ahead hydrating facial micro steamer
This sturdy large steamer is a good choice if the idea of sticking your head into a funnel brings on heart palpitations. Its roomy design means your whole face can reap the benefits of the steam. The mist felt hotter than the other steamers on this list, but our tester’s skin was beautifully dewy, and her nasals felt cleaner and clearer too. Win, win!
It’s also worth noting that the packaging gives a 15-minute time guide as to how long to use the device according to your skin and its concerns, but we think this is too long at one time and more than twice a week is unnecessary in order to see results. This is a solid middle of the range design, with just one button controlling all.
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Foreo UFO 2
Although not technically a steamer, this smart device from Foreo has the same thermal benefits and also gives you a facial massage too.
The thermo-therapy function opens the pores just like a steamer would. It emits a whopping 10,000 sonic waves per minute, and this combined with LED and heat helps skincare products penetrate the skin.
This colourful “spaceship” (hence the name) gives professional-level results in just two minutes. Expect dewy, smoother and fresher-looking skin in record time.
All our testers gave it a big thumbs up, however our only criticism is you need to buy specific masks to go with the device (you attach them to the tool rather than your face), which amounts to a small fortune once you’ve considered the tool itself.
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The verdict: Facial steamers
It is no coincidence that the steamer that received the most positive feedback and the best skincare results was the one that was designed by a top facialist. Sarah Chapman has considered every single detail from the speed, the temperature of the mist and weight of the machine. Your skin truly has that after-facial glow with every application. If, however, your budget doesn’t stretch as far, UMI is an affordable alternative that is highly effective and leaves you with great skin at ease.
IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.