Living in London, you won't be surprised to find it plays havoc on your skin, anyone who travels regularly on the tube will be all too familiar with black tissues! With that in mind, imagine just how dirty your skin can get and indeed feels after a day travelling round, never mind at least 5 of the 7 days each week! I do as much as I can to ensure my skin is as clean as I can get it and whenever the opportunity arises for a facial, I jump at the chance.
So being given the chance to try the Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer, I jumped at the chance, it had to be a better method than leaning over a bowl of hot water. As you can see it looks like a simple, easy to use contraption and thankfully it is.
"Panasonic's Nano Facial Steamer helps to remove makeup and dirt, promotes smoother, softer skin and can be used daily as a fuss-free component of your skin care regimen."
Using the water tank that is easy to remove and insert into the steamer, you have two options, half fill it for a 3 minute treatment or fully fill it for a 6 minute treatment and for this I just use normal tap water. Then using Ultra-fine nano-sized particle steam which is 4,000 times finer than normal steam to penetrate the skin and effectively supplement moisture and encourage deep pore cleansing. It is also said that cleansing with the facial ionic steamer will result in the removal of makeup, dirt and excess oil to leave your skin feeling incredibly clean and refreshed.
What I love about this machine is not only how easy it is to use, but how incredibly effective it is. After washing my face with warm water and wiping it dry with a muslin cloth, I set the steamer up ready to go, again, if you have a tight schedule then 3 minutes is perfect timing or if you do have that little bit longer than 6 minutes once a week is even better. So once the water tank has been filled and inserted, steam will begin to appear within about 15 seconds, so it is really quick. To use, you need to ensure that your face is 20cm away from the opening to avoid burning your skin, helpfully there is a measurement tape included to show you how far back you should be. Then with your eyes closed, set a timer (I use my iPhone) for 3-6 minutes and allow the steam to work its magic.
Once that allotted time is up, simply grab two/three cotton wool pads and wipe your face and it is here you will see how much 'stuff' has been removed - honestly it is like the first time you get a Dyson Hoover and despite hoovering your carpet everyday, this thing still manages to find stuff to hoover up! Seriously, these cotton wool pads are just vile, but at least that stuff is no longer sitting on my skin!
Since using this steamer for the last few months, I have been amazed at how effective it is at cleaning my skin and they do say that the cleaner the skin, the easier it is for your products to work like they are supposed to. So not only do I have baby soft skin, I do feel that my skin is being the chance to breathe once the dirt and grime has been removed. I have had less blackheads on my nose, less dry skin on my cheeks and my makeup is lasting much longer on my skin, which is always an added bonus and it is a great way to have a facial at home!
If this sounds like a machine you would like to try, honestly I cannot recommend it highly enough, then you will find it retails for around £99.99 online and is worth every penny.