GlowUp Facial Steamer: A Fog Machine for Your Bathroom
This $89 facial steamer promises spa-quality results. What it delivers is a bathroom that looks like a horror movie set and skin that somehow feels worse.
The GlowUp Facial Steamer markets itself as "your personal spa experience." Having used it for two weeks, I would describe it more accurately as "a small appliance that fills your bathroom with so much steam your smoke detector goes off and your wallpaper starts peeling."
Setup is straightforward: fill the reservoir with distilled water, press the power button, and wait 30 seconds. What happens next is not a gentle, luxurious mist caressing your pores. It is a volcanic eruption of scalding steam that hits your face like you opened an industrial dishwasher mid-cycle. I flinched so hard I knocked the unit off the counter.
The Steam Output
The GlowUp has one setting: maximum. There is no temperature control, no intensity dial, no way to adjust the output. It is full blast or nothing. The manual suggests sitting "8-12 inches from the nozzle for optimal results." At 8 inches, it feels like you are trying to steam-clean your own face. At 12 inches, the steam disperses into a cloud that engulfs your entire bathroom. My mirror was dripping. My towels were soaked. The toilet paper roll was ruined.
“"Setup is straightforward: fill the reservoir with distilled water, press the power button, and wait 30 seconds”
Click to TweetThe Skin Results
After two weeks of daily use, my skin was not glowing. It was angry. Red, irritated, and drier than before I started. A dermatologist friend looked at my face and asked if I had been "pressure washing it." I had not, but I understand the confusion.
The Verdict
The GlowUp Facial Steamer is $89 worth of aggressive, uncontrollable mist. If you want a spa experience, book a spa. If you want to recreate the atmosphere of a sauna inside your small apartment bathroom, this is your product. Your wallpaper will hate you.
What to Buy Instead
Tried-and-tested alternatives that actually deliver on their promises. We may earn a small commission on purchases.
Dr. Dennis Gross Facial Steamer
Adjustable steam, reasonable output, and zero smoke detector incidents.
Hot Washcloth
Run a washcloth under hot water. Hold it to face. Pores open. Cost: free.
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
Dermatologist recommended. Wallet approved. Face not pressure-washed.
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