My old steamer finally gave out mid-facial last Thursday

I've been using the same facial steamer for about 8 years, one of those basic Conair ones from Target. Last Thursday during a hydrating facial for a regular client in my home studio in Des Moines, it just stopped producing steam halfway through. I had to finish with warm towels and hope she didn't notice the difference. Has anyone else had a key piece of equipment fail at the worst possible time?

3 comments

3 Comments

julia_carter618d ago

Funny you mention the Camry thing because I actually read somewhere that heating elements in cheaper steamers are designed to last about 6-8 years max, so yours was right on schedule. Still sucks it had to be mid-facial though, warm towels are a solid backup but you know she felt the difference.

fisher.thomas8d ago

Build on what the_alex said about the Toyota Camry comparison because that's actually perfect. Those Conair steamers are built with a deliberate lifespan in mind, so 8 years is basically them overdelivering. The heating element is usually the first thing to go, and once it pops, there's no warning or sputtering, it's just dead silence. My buddy had the exact same model die on him during a bridal facial for a whole wedding party, talk about bad timing. He switched to a slightly more expensive one with a replaceable heating element after that, but even those are starting to feel like they have a clock ticking inside them. It's wild how much we rely on a simple plastic box full of hot water.

the_alex8d ago

That Conair model is basically the Toyota Camry of steamers, runs forever until it just doesn't. Did you notice any sputtering or weird sounds in the weeks before it died, or did it just go cold with zero warning? Eight years is honestly impressive for a $40 steamer, but the timing is brutal. Warm towels are a decent save, though any regular client who's been coming for years definitely noticed the difference.