Can we talk about steaming before extractions?

For the longest time, I'd steam a client for a full 10 minutes before starting extractions, thinking it was the only way to soften everything up. Then I had a client with rosacea who couldn't handle the heat. I tried a new method: a warm, damp towel compress for 5 minutes, followed by a thin layer of my regular cleansing oil. The oil seemed to help loosen things up just as well without the irritation, and my extraction time was actually faster. Now I'm rethinking my whole routine. Do you all stick with traditional steaming, or have you found gentler alternatives that work just as well?

3 comments

3 Comments

david_jones388d ago

My buddy who runs a small salon had a similar wake-up call. He steamed this regular client for ages, then one day she came in with a bad sunburn from her vacation. He used a warm chamomile tea soak on cloths instead, left them on for like seven minutes, and said the pores were just as ready. He hasn't gone back to the steamer for sensitive skin since.

ryan_shah388d ago

That chamomile trick is a solid backup plan for irritated skin. My cousin's esthetician keeps a whole box of herbal tea bags in her treatment room just for that. It's way cheaper than replacing a broken steamer too.

tessa_murray8d ago

Oh man, that reminds me of the time my friend tried to steam her face at home with one of those little gadgets. She fell asleep with it on and basically gave herself a mild burn, lol. Her whole routine for a week was just cooled chamomile tea pads and aloe gel. She said it fixed her skin way faster than any fancy cream would have.