The sauna treats the skin, body and mind holistically, but did you know that in addition to the relaxing effect, it also has many benefits for the skin?
Let sauna pamper your skin
The sauna treats the skin, body and mind holistically, but did you know that in addition to the relaxing effect, it also has many benefits for the skin?
Sauna stimulates blood circulation and cleanses the skin
Sauna relaxes your skin – as long as it is not not too hot and if you don’t stay there for too long continuously.
The heat of sauna increases blood circulation and this also improves the metabolism of the skin. The increased blood circulation brings more oxygen and nutrients to the skin. This makes your skin look healthier. Heat also relaxes and this eases tension on the face and shoulders. The fresh glow on the skin after the sauna is partly based on this. Perspiration of the skin opens pores and cleanses, allowing certain skin problems such as acne, pimples and blackheads to ease. Warm steam also moisturizes the skin, so it suits well for dry and aging skin types.
Body scrubs, masks and skin massage are a perfect match with sauna
The sauna prepares the skin for a wide variety of treatments. It is advisable also to do a dry brushing before starting the treatments. Before entering the heat of sauna, your skin should be clean, so begin by washing yourself thoroughly.
Perfect treatments for the sauna are for example, peelings and different masks. When the skin softens and warms up, it is more receptive. Peeling also cleanses the skin more thoroughly, allowing other active substances to be better absorbed.
You can also make a peeling mixture yourself by adding a small amount of finely grained sea salt to high-quality facial oil or running honey. For the whole body, the absolutely best mixture is a paste made of honey and fine sea salt. If your skin is very sensitive or couperotic, just let the paste affect your skin without a massage.
After peeling, finalize the treatment with a mask. You can make your own easy mask by mixing a little amount of good serum with facial oil and adding organic oatmeal and rose water in it. The probiotics in oats maintain and increase the proportion of good bacteria on the skin and contribute to the normal functioning of the skin. The rose, on the other hand, calms and reduces redness of the skin. Let the mask stay on the rest of the sauna session. Light facial massage boosts skin circulation.
Other good treatments for the sauna are foot baths, poultices, and whisking. There are a lot of different plants that are awesome for these purposes.
Couperosa and rosacea skin in the sauna?
Heat activates the skin and accelerates its blood circulation. If your skin is sensitive it should always be protected it in the sauna. It is good to choose a high-quality serum that does not block pores. You can also try a towel soaked in cold rose water to protect the face. This prevents heat from entering the skin, treats and ease redness. In addition to rose, also oat soothes and cares sensitive skin.
Products suitable for sauna treatments
Personally, whenever possible, I prefer fresh plants. I add plants to basic ingredients such as fine sea salt, honey and oats. In the winter, I poach dried plants or use them as they are. I also use high-quality skin oil as a base for masks and peelings. Circulove brand has a good product range due to its versatility and nurturability. I personally have a sensitive and couperotic skin and I find them to suite best for me. The series is also ecological and high Finnish quality. The whole product range is also available at Terhen webshop.
For skin cleansing, I use Circulove CLEAN Micellar water with a pH of 5.5. If you have sensitive skin, you can protect it during sauna with a soothing Circulove CALM serum. As I suffer from couperosa myself, I always protect my skin in the sauna.
As a base for peelings and masks, I recommend to try Circulove SMOOTH facial oil, it does not block pores and treat the skin at the same time. The smell is mild and pleasant and in the manufacturing process all the raw materials are fully fermented, which helps in the absorption of active substances and affects the value of the skin PH favorably.
All Circulove products are suitable both for women and men of all ages, but when using any plants be aware of your own hypersensitivity and collect them accordance with everyman’s rights. Plenty of good tips for plants used in skin care can be found in Terhi Ruutu´s, Sauna Therapy -book.
Let’s bathe, pamper the skin and soul, forget all the haste and sorrows for a moment. Let’s enjoy the summer and what nature has to offer! And finally, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the sauna process!
Love, Anna
Anna Velten is Terhen’s Sauna Host and wild herb enthusiast.
Expert: Circulove cosmetologist