Go Back
woman doing herbal steam inhalation.

DIY Herbal Steam

Keyword: herbal steam, herbal steam inhalation
Prep Time: 10 minutes
This DIY Herbal Steam Inhalation is a simple effective way to use the aromatic benefits of herbs or essential oils for skincare and wellness.
Print Recipe

Instructions

  • Wash your face (optional, but best practice)
  • Choose a location for your herbal steam (some good options include sitting at the kitchen table or standing at a counter or the stove.)
  • Boil water.
  • Add herbs or essential oils to the water.
  • If desired, move the pot off the stove to a location with a hot pad or other heat-resistant surface.
  • Position your head over the bowl (take care to keep the proper distance to avoid burning yourself with the steam).
  • Drape the towel over your head to form a tent and place your face in a way that the steam is focused where you feel it's giving you the most benefit.
  • Close your eyes to prevent them from getting irritated. This is especially important if you're using essential oils.Inhale deeply, even if doing a facial/skincare steam. 
  • Adjust your head and towel if needed.
  • Continue the steam for 5-10 minutes.
  • Expectorate and blow your nose as needed during the process.
  • Cover the pot with a lid.
  • Let the herbal steam cool and pour it into another container to store in the fridge until your next use. You can reuse the herbs a number of times until you feel that you want a new, more potent batch.
  • To reuse, simply reheat the water and herbs to boiling and steam again. If desired, you can add a bit more herbs for later uses.
  • Repeat every several hours or as desired throughout the day.

Notes

Note: There's no magic amount of herbs to use. You can use less than the recommended amount or more. It's completely up to you. I typically don't even measure the herbs and just toss a small handful into the pot.