7 best facial steamers to keep breakouts and congestion at bay

Best: Overall

Rating: 9.5/10

A favourite of our testers, this compact facial steamer left our faces feeling soft, smooth and, dare we say it, quite youthful. We set it up in just a few minutes, thanks to its no-fuss design and were able to enjoy a powerful but not overwhelming steam in just a few moments.

It has three different programmes to choose from (luxury spa treatment, nourishing hydration or a deep cleanse) that use nano-iconic technology to emit tiny droplets that are 18,000 times finer than your bog-standard head-over-the-washing-bowl steam. So fine are these particles that they hydrate the skin while stimulating collagen and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. We’d be more than happy to make this a regular part of our beauty regimes.

Best: For dry skin

Rating: 8/10

If you like the pore-cleansing benefits of a steamer but have a slightly drier skin type, the Beurer FS 50 facial sauna is a great option. Designed to cleanse, moisturise and deeply hydrate the skin, it emits a gentle steam mist via a small central nozzle.

We found this steamer was good for targeting specific areas of the face, such as the nose and chin, which helped open the pores and tackle those stubborn areas of congestion. Beurer also claims that the device improves circulations and rehydrates the skin to prevent ageing and wrinkles, thanks to its incredibly hydrating ions. We’d need to use it for a longer period to see if we’d agree on these points, but it’s definitely an enjoyable product to use, especially before cleansing and applying a mask.

Best: Value for money

Rating: 7/10

If you fancy trying out a steamer but don’t want to make a big investment, Magnitone’s steamahead hydrating facial micro steamer is a solid option. It’s one of the largest steamers we tested and has plenty of room for you to place your head above the mister, making it comfortable to use. Magnitone says that it emits deionised micro-steam particles to gently unclog pores and hydrate the skin in just 10 minutes, and you can add essential oils to the water if you like for an extra indulgent experience. This machine left our skin feeling soft and comfortable, and the size of our pores were visibly reduced.

Best for: Making a noticeable difference

Rating: 9/10

If a traditional steamer went into the future and had a makeover, it’d come out looking a lot like Foreo’s UFO 2. While it doesn’t emit steam as such, this clever beauty gadget does use thermotherapy to supercharge the effects of its mask treatments. It does this alongside a choice of seven other light settings, including antibacterial blue light and sunburn-soothing yellow. In signature high-tech fashion, the device is designed to be used alongside the Foreo app, which asks you to select a treatment and mask before guiding you through a 9-second tutorial.

We tried out the anti-pollution and hydrating “make my day” mask and the moisture-boosting Bulgarian rose mask – both left our skin feeling noticeably more glowy and super soft. Our only complaint was that the treatment went all too quickly, but there is an option to repeat it if you need a little extra time. Our preconception was that this might be a bit of a gimmick, but after a couple of weeks of using it twice a week, there was a noticeable difference in our skin tone and texture. The only downside is the hefty price tag and the additional cost of the masks.

Best: For targeting problem areas

Rating: 8/10

If you suffer from congestion on specific areas of your face, then the HoMedics nano facial steamer is an effective way of targeting them without steaming your whole face. It’s designed with an adjustable steam nozzle that can be directed at areas of focus like the chin or nose, which can be more prone to blackheads.

We liked the fine nano-sized steam that feels gentle but penetrates deep into the outer layers of the skin, but you may find it a little underwhelming if you prefer a more powerful steam. This effectively opened up the pores on our T-zone and it definitely made blackheads easier to remove afterwards. Our skincare products also sank nicely into the skin after use, and it didn’t create any irritation on our most sensitive tester.

Best: Hot and cold option

Rating: 9/10

If you have very sensitive and reactive skin, traditional steam may not be quite right for you, but there are some excellent alternatives that give similar benefits using heat. HoMedics illumi is one of our favourites that has both cool and hot settings to increase the skin’s natural absorption, soothe and calm irritated skin, and reduce puffiness and dark circles.

It’s designed with a small metal plate that you glide across the skin, either in the cool, heated or alternate setting that allows you to experience both temperatures. We tried this for a few weeks after cleansing and applying our usual serum, and it helped calm an irritated complexion and maximised the benefits of our products. It also makes a refreshing pick-me-up first thing in the morning.

Best: Spa experience

Rating: 7/10

The Stylpro 4-in-1 facial steamer uses an ionic mist to hydrate the skin and permeate the pores while also doubling up as a humidifier and towel warmer. As such, we found this was a great device for creating a luxurious at-home spa experience and we popped a few drops of essential oils into the water to diffuse once we’d steamed our face.

This might not be the best option if you have a drier skin type that requires a finer, gentler mist because it emits quite a hot, powerful steam that can feel a little too much. But overall, it’s a great quality product for a reasonable price. Like us, you might also find that once you start using it to heat flannels and facial towels for your evening cleanse, you’ll never go back.