Bath procedures: how to properly steam in a Russian bath and sauna

Bath procedures

The temperature in the Russian steam room is much higher than in the baths of other nations. For example, the difference from hammam is very large: 50 degrees versus 70 and even 100, respectively. But thanks to the humidity that characterizes steam in Russian baths, staying in it is more than comfortable.

So, going to the bathhouse is like a small holiday for the weekend. Nice atmosphere, plus conversation with friends. Isn't this what you've been waiting for all week? But besides intimate conversations, you can also improve your health in the steam room. I just need to add right away that hypertensive patients and people suffering from skin diseases are deprived of such joy. Everyone else can be recommended to adhere to certain rules aimed at improving the functioning of the body.

Before going to the steam room, rinse under warm water. Just not entirely, it’s better not to wet your head. Afterwards you can wipe yourself dry or go wet. There won't be much difference.
To avoid discomfort and warm up the whole body, use a cap. Many people have ears that are particularly sensitive to high temperatures and will not be able to enjoy the steam to the fullest without additional accessories.
The first entry into the steam room is a warm-up one. Do not stay inside for more than 5 minutes. Afterwards it will be possible to increase the time as much as possible. And remember - you can’t tolerate it.
After the first entry, try not to rinse under cold water or jump into the pool. The steam has only opened the pores, and you need to give some time for natural sweating to allow the toxins to come out. But accompany subsequent visits to the steam room with swimming in cold water. This will be a good exercise for the blood vessels. They expand in hot water and contract in cold water. Just don't necessarily rinse under ice water. The temperature should be comfortable for the body.
Those whose skin does not tolerate a broom can be advised to use a skin scraper or a special mitten. This will help the hot steam remove dead cells. As a result, sweating will increase and more toxins will be released from the body.
You cannot go to the bathhouse on an empty stomach or vice versa after a heavy meal. Before your hike, eat a vegetable salad 1.5 hours before your hike. Immediately before going to the bathhouse, drink herbal tea, which you can take with you.
Avoid traditional carbonated drinks. Drink plain water or tea in the bath. To cleanse your body, drink a glass of water before entering the steam room. With sweat, more toxins will be released from the body, plus profuse sweating will allow you to lose weight.

Preparing to enter the bathhouse

Before you go steaming, you need to get ready properly.
Preparation for visiting the bathhouse consists of two stages. First you need to find all the necessary things for the steam room. You need to choose them carefully. The first thing you should take care of is a broom. It is necessary because they give massage. It activates blood circulation and has a healing effect. Brooms are made from different types of trees, each of which has its own special properties. The most popular are:

Birch. Eliminate pain and tension in muscles and joints, promote the regeneration of new cells.
Oak. They normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands, give elasticity to the skin, and eliminate stress.
Linden. Brooms are diuretics, relieve swelling, and help relieve headaches.
Eucalyptus and conifers are used for colds.

It is also important to take sheets or wide towels with you to the bathhouse. One is wrapped around the body, the other is laid underneath. You should also cover your hair with towels to protect it from high temperatures. Some people take special felt hats for this. But they must be personal, as you can catch parasites and diseases.

In addition, to protect your feet from strokes and overheating, slippers are taken to the bathhouse. Ordinary, well-known flip-flops will do.

To achieve maximum effect, it is useful to brew tea with herbs: mint, thyme, chamomile, linden, lemon balm, spices - ginger, cinnamon. It’s good to add fruits, berries or honey to them. Drinks should be warm or hot, as they should trigger thermogenesis, which means speeding up the process of losing weight and removing toxins.

It is important to remember that visiting the bathhouse is prohibited on an empty or full stomach, after drinking alcoholic beverages. Also, you can’t do all this during a steam room.

Features of the Russian bath

Today, those who can afford a bathhouse on site can regulate the steam in their own way, creating a certain atmosphere for this. But, a traditional Russian bath should have wet steam. To avoid drying out the heat, add water in small portions.

You can improve your internal atmosphere and improve your health by adding various infusions to the water, which are available in pharmacies. Or you can prepare the herbs yourself. A spruce branch clears your breath well. The spruce competes with a twig of wormwood. If you install the bush over the heater, then adding water, the steam will spread the aroma throughout the room, allowing the body to absorb valuable substances through the skin.

Recommendations for the use of cosmetics

We must remember that skin steamed in a bath becomes very sensitive, so the use of any new cosmetic product can cause allergies, and scrub microparticles can easily scratch the skin.

All products must be applied gradually and very carefully. After the bath procedures, the body is thoroughly dried with a towel. Dry, clean skin is wiped with tonic and lubricated with nourishing cream.

It is recommended to lubricate problem areas of the skin on the elbows, knees and feet with a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice, taken in equal parts.

The bathhouse is a good place for simple cosmetic procedures. Skin pores, enlarged by the heat of the bath, accept simple home remedies and luxury cosmetics from expensive stores with equal gratitude.

After peeling and applying masks, a woman feels inspired and beautiful. But when going to the bathhouse, you must remember that sometimes high temperature and high humidity are contraindicated. In such cases, in order not to harm your health and pamper your skin and hair with miracle masks, the procedures can be carried out at home.

Which broom to choose?

Oak is stiffer and lighter, birch is soft, but at the same time it weighs heavier. It's up to you to decide which one to use. The benefits to the body will be the same from both options. You can also combine birch and oak.

Birch is more flexible and has a more pronounced pleasant aroma. Using such a broom relieves rheumatism, depilates the skin and facilitates breathing during nasal congestion. Oak also has many positive qualities, such as cleansing the skin and relieving back pain.

Before steaming, you need to soak the broom in warm water. Just not in boiling water, as many people like to do. Hot water will burn the leaves and they will quickly fly off. Also, the broom will “go bald” if it is not kept in water for the required time. It takes about 10-15 minutes for it to soften.

In general, the sauna has many positive effects. You just need to use the steam room correctly, and not try to beat the crap out of yourself by waving a heavy broom.

Salt peeling

Peeling is the main part of care, which helps to quickly refresh and rejuvenate the skin. For dry skin it can be done no more than once a week, for oily skin - every 4 days. It is better to use salt peeling in a bath, as it:

improves the steaming effect;
removes excess liquid;
removes dead cells;
smoothes the surface of the epidermis;
eliminates light pigment spots.

Salt peeling can be prepared by mixing:

100 g honey and 150 g sea salt.
Half a glass of sea salt, 1 tsp. olive and almond oils, as well as 2-3 drops of lavender or orange ether.
3 tbsp. l. honey, 3 tbsp. l. sea or table salt, 2 tsp. lemon juice.
Salt with water until a thick paste is obtained.

Peeling according to these recipes should be used as follows:

Steam the skin well to maximize the peeling effect.
First apply the mixture to your feet, elbows and knees and massage well.
Next, rub the remaining areas of the body with peeling.
Rinse off the scrub with clean water and apply a moisturizing or nourishing cream to the skin.

If the salt is coarsely ground, it is advisable to avoid the décolleté and face area.

Beauty treatments in the sauna: natural peelings and masks

Peels and masks prepared from natural products heal and improve the overall condition of the skin. They are best absorbed and act on the skin faster if used in a sauna or steam room. What peelings and masks can be prepared at home? How to choose ingredients for an individual cosmetic product?

The sauna is not only an ancient tradition, steam therapy and a procedure for cleansing the body. At home, you can prepare a number of cosmetic preparations to improve the condition of the skin and get rid of problems such as acne, allergies, increased skin sensitivity, enlarged pores, oily or dry skin, and flaking.

With the help of individually designed and independently prepared peelings and masks, you can also speed up the removal of fatty tissue and cellulite, increase the elasticity and firmness of the skin, refresh it, and improve color. In the article you will find recipes and possible compositions for “homemade” peelings and masks for use in baths and saunas.

It is recommended to use natural cosmetics in the sauna. You can experience real spa treatments in the sauna. Using the simplest and most accessible methods, you can prepare peelings, masks, balms, and hair rinses.

How to prepare a scrub

So, when the body warms up, you can massage using a scrub. It will cleanse the skin, improve its structure, tighten it, speed up metabolism, and help get rid of problems such as dirty pores, cellulite, and unhealthy color.

To prepare a scrub, we can use coffee, salt, sugar, oatmeal, and bran. All these products cleanse, speed up metabolism, smooth and nourish the skin. Yogurt, sour cream, kefir, honey, ground berries, seaweed, and chocolate are perfect as an astringent and restorative element (the basis of peeling). Additionally, you can use herbs, oils, tea concentrate, cosmetic clay.

Of course, when selecting a mixture, you need to pay attention to the characteristics and individual needs of your skin. The combination of structures, chemical composition and smell of individual ingredients is also important. It is necessary to become familiar with the effects of each product on the skin. For example, for dry skin it is better to use rich sour cream, honey, and berries. For oily and normal skin, yogurt, kefir, and seaweed are suitable.

It is recommended to combine about three to four components in one peel. To nourish and moisturize, you can prepare a peeling from honey, sugar and a few drops of essential oil. To cleanse and improve skin elasticity, mix sea salt with coffee, olive oil and seaweed.

Peeling should be applied with light circular movements to well-warmed skin. The massage is performed for 5-10 minutes, then the peeling is washed off. Very light facial massage should not last longer than a few minutes.

Making a mask

You can use the same ingredients as a mask or balm as for peeling. In this case, apply the mask to the face or body and leave for 15-20 minutes, then wash off.

Honey masks nourish aging and dry skin. Applied to the chest and back, they also help get rid of colds. You can mix honey with egg yolk and olive oil, adding a few drops of essential oil. You can also use beeswax for cosmetic purposes.

To enrich the skin with vitamins, it is recommended to mix sour cream (dry skin), yogurt or kefir (oily or normal skin) with fruit puree. For example, with apples and banana or peach. You can add a little olive or essential oil to the mixture.

For oily and problem skin, prepare black or green cosmetic clay with mineral water or green tea, then add a few drops of lemon juice and 1-2 drops of olive or essential oil.

Natural cosmetic products should be stored in a cool, dark place. The shelf life will be limited to the shortest expiration date of one of the components.