Have you ever wondered if you should use skincare products in conjunction with the sauna? What skin products should you use before, during, and/or after the sauna?
Short answer
Go into the sauna with clean, bare skin: cleanse off makeup, sunscreen and heavy creams first. Inside the hot room use only water, a plain salt or honey scrub, or a little aromatherapy – no serums, retinol, acids or scented lotions, which sting and cause redness on hot, flushed skin. After the final round, rinse off, then apply toner, a hydrating serum and a moisturizer while the skin is still damp: that is the moment it takes up moisture best. The same order works in a steam room or hammam.
The best skincare products to use around a sauna session are the simple ones: a gentle cleanser before, water or a mild scrub during, and toner, serum and moisturizer afterwards. The heat and sweat do most of the work; your products should support that, not fight it.
Keep reading as this article explains in detail the best ways to make the most of a sauna by using skin products. There are tips included that can help before, during and, after the sauna session.
| Phase | Use | Skip |
|---|---|---|
| Before | Gentle cleanser, lukewarm shower, plain water | Makeup, sunscreen, heavy body lotion, perfume, retinol or acid products from the night before |
| During | Water on the face, plain salt or honey scrub (traditional saunas), a few drops of diluted essential oil on the stones or in the steam room | Serums, face masks, oils on the skin, anything scented in a shared room |
| After (rinsed, skin still damp) | Toner, hydrating serum (hyaluronic acid), moisturizer or body lotion, lip balm | Harsh scrubs, alcohol-based toners, hot showers that dry the skin further |
Should you use skincare products with the sauna?
When used properly, a sauna can enhance beauty by stimulating circulation, providing relaxation, and reducing facial puffiness by clearing the sinuses. Unleashing the best potential and bringing the best out of a sauna involves you knowing what your skin needs and what works best for you.
Heat and sweat soften the outer skin layer and rinse sweat, oil and loose dead cells off the surface. Cleansers before the session keep that process clean, while face masks, moisturizers, exfoliators and toners work best afterwards, when the skin is warm, soft and slightly damp.
It is advisable to remove any makeup and wash away all impurities before using the sauna. Make-up products sit on the skin and mix with sweat, which is how clogged pores and post-sauna breakouts start. If you are deciding between the two rooms for your skin, see our comparison of steam room vs. sauna for skin.
Skin products to use before the sauna
Many factors affect the skin products to use before the sauna. Read further as we take a deep dive and explore some of the best skin products to ensure you enjoy the best sauna experience in any circumstance.
The best skincare products to use before the sauna are:
- Lotions (light, unscented – and only if you shower first)
- Cleansers
Lotions
If you’ve ever put lotion on before heading outside on a hot day, you know that you’re likely to be a sweat-slick in those places much faster than you are anywhere else.
A thin, unscented lotion applied well before the session (then rinsed in the pre-sauna shower) keeps very dry skin from feeling tight in the heat. A thick layer applied right before you go in does the opposite: it sits on the skin, traps sweat and can block pores. Lotions do not burn fat or “detox” you – sweating is cooling, not cleansing.
When choosing a lotion for the sauna, you should consider hypoallergenic lotions to help hydrate your skin. Some people also use the sauna hoping to reduce the appearance of cellulite; a lotion will not change that either way.
If your skin is dry and you mainly visit the sauna for comfort, a light lotion in the morning and a proper moisturizer after the session is the better routine.
Cleansers
A facial cleanser is a skincare product that is used to remove dirt, oil, dead skin cells, make-up, and other types of toxins/pollutants from the skin. It helps to clean skin pores and protect the skin against conditions like acne. The regular pH of the skin is within a range of 4.5 and 6.5 and with the use of a cleanser, the pH of the skin increases due to the presence of harsh surfactants which can alter the skin barrier.
It is always necessary to cleanse your face first before entering the sauna because with a cleansed face, after leaving the sauna you can easily remove whiteheads and blackheads from your face. If you don’t cleanse your face before using the sauna, dirt, sweat, make-up, etc. are more likely to enter your pores which will cause clogged pores which can, in turn, lead to skin breakouts.
Cleansers typically fall into one of three categories, all of which are good for saunas:
- Foam cleansers
- Cream cleansers
- Gel cleansers
Cleansing is also the reason you should shower before and after the sauna: a quick rinse removes product residue before the heat and sweat after it.
Skin products to use during the sauna
These are tips that can make you get the best out of the session during the sauna session.
The best skincare products to use during the sauna are:
- Herbs
- Essential oils
Herbs
Dried or fresh herbs of your choice can be put into a small amount of water in a dish suspended over the heater stones in the sauna.
As the herbs heat up, the relaxing aroma is released into the room. These herbs also have helpful effects on the skin:
- Chamomile – Chamomile can help with dermatitis and skin inflammation and is great for all types of skin including sensitive skin.
- Rosemary – Rosemary is a fragrant herb and is good for people with oily skin.
Essential oils
There are essential oils that offer a pleasant scent and a relaxing or invigorating feel during the sauna process. Certain essential oils suit different skin types better than others. Some essential oils are known to have an invigorating or relaxing effect.
Some of these essential oils can act as good skincare products for you before during the session:
- Lavender
- Geranium
- Eucalyptus
- Orange
You can use these oils in the water for the stones or in the steam room’s aroma inlet, never undiluted on the skin or directly on the heater. Always dilute them before use.
Skin products to use after the sauna
After using a sauna, it is time to cool down and relax.
The best skincare products to use after the sauna are:
- Face masks
- Moisturizers
- Exfoliators
- Toners
Face masks
After the sauna, you can make use of a mask. The skin is usually more receptive to the treatment after the sauna because it is warm, soft and well supplied with blood.
Putting on a face mask after a sauna helps make the mask work more effectively. Masks can help in extracting excess oil and impurities from the skin.
Charcoal masks in particular also very helpful in the treatment of acne. Make sure to choose the best kind of face mask to suit your skin.
Moisturizers
It is important to take care of your skin appropriately after using the sauna especially after using the shower and your skin is still damp. Whether you have oily or dry skin, moisturizing as the last step will help in hydrating your skin.
You can use a light moisturizer if your skin is oily and you can use a heavier one like coconut oil if you have dry skin. Heat affects more than the face: our guide on whether saunas dry out your hair covers the same after-care logic for your scalp.
It is also recommended to apply a facial scrub to your face before using the sauna. Make sure you do not use heavy facial scrubs for your eye area. The application of serums and moisturizers to your face can make your skin look clearer and healthier.
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A Finnish sauna-honey scrub you apply on the skin in the warm room and rinse off afterwards. Rento is a Finnish sauna brand, so the product is built around sauna use rather than adapted to it. Scented options exist; the plain version is the safer pick if you share the room with others.
Check price on AmazonA cooling lotion for the cool-down, not for the hot room: peppermint and eucalyptus feel sharp on skin that is already flushed. Use it after your last round and after you have rinsed off, which is the point in the session when your skin actually takes up moisture.
Check price on AmazonExfoliators
Facial exfoliators help in the removal of dead skin cells and stimulation of underlying tissues. They prevent the skin pores from being clogged and create a vibrant appearance.
The sauna heat softens the outer skin layer and loosens dirt and dead cells on the surface so they wipe away easily. A gentle exfoliation after the session complements that. Whether wet or dry, the heat is beneficial to the skin and facial exfoliation fully complements it.
Make sure you apply mainly around the forehead and nose. Also, make sure you scrub gently and apply to areas of your face that are oilier than the others.
Toners
A face toner is a secret skincare weapon that helps gently refresh your skin without taking any of its natural moisture. A skin toner does not cause excessive dryness or irritate sensitive skin. It also prepares your skin to absorb any of your post-session moisturizer and any other skincare products you applied.
Using a toner will help remove any traces of dirt, impurities, and grime in your skin pores after you wash your face. When added to your post-sauna skin routine, it improves the tightness and appearance of your skin pores.
Face toners can also help restore your skin’s pH level and smooth your skin by improving the skin tone and refining rough patches.
People with oily skin or acne should consider toners that contain salicylic acid to help close up and clean out pores. It is recommended to use cotton wool to apply your preferred toner to your forehead, chin, cheeks, and nose.
FAQ: skin products in the sauna, steam room and hammam
What products do you put on your body in a sauna, steam room or hammam?
Inside the hot room: as little as possible. In a traditional sauna a plain salt or honey scrub rubbed on damp skin and rinsed off is the classic treatment; in a hammam it is black soap followed by a kessa glove scrub, done by an attendant in the warm (not the hottest) room. In a steam room, water is enough. Everything that moisturizes – lotion, body oil, serum – goes on afterwards, on rinsed, still-damp skin.
Which facial products can you use in the sauna without redness?
Only water, or a mild, fragrance-free cleanser before you go in. Redness after a sauna usually comes from a product reacting with hot skin: retinol, vitamin C, glycolic or salicylic acid, scented creams and physical scrubs all sting more at 175 °F than at room temperature. Use those at night, not on sauna day, and keep the face bare in the heat. A thermal-water spray between rounds is fine.
Can I put cream on my skin before an infrared sauna to stop it drying out?
Better not. A layer of cream between the infrared panels and your skin blocks sweat and can feel greasy and hot. Infrared cabins are cooler (120–150 °F) and dry, so the fix is to drink water before the session, keep it to 20–30 minutes, and apply a richer moisturizer or body oil immediately after your shower while the skin is still damp. If your skin stays tight and flaky, a humidifier in the room or shorter sessions help more than any cream.
Should you wear makeup in the sauna?
No. Foundation, sunscreen and powder mix with sweat and run into the pores and into your eyes, and waterproof mascara comes off in patches. Remove makeup with a gentle cleanser or micellar water before the first round. If you are going out afterwards, pack your makeup and apply it 15–20 minutes after the last cool-down, once the flush has faded.
What should you avoid putting on your skin before a sauna?
Perfume and scented lotions (they heat up, smell strong in a shared room and can irritate), self-tanner (it streaks with sweat), fresh retinol or acid treatments, numbing or warming muscle creams, and anything with alcohol as a main ingredient. Also skip a fresh shave right before the sauna – the heat stings freshly shaved skin.
Should you moisturize after the sauna?
Yes – this is the one step not to skip. Heat and sweat remove some of the skin’s own oils, and the cool rinse afterwards leaves the skin damp and soft, which is exactly when a moisturizer locks water in. Toner first, then a hydrating serum, then a lotion or oil. Oily skin: a light gel moisturizer. Dry skin: a richer cream or a few drops of body oil.
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