Dear Reader,

I plan to write posts from all over the country as I continue this journey, but I am not sure this will occur again. I am coming to you live and in color from my… bathroom. I thought this was apropos because this is where the magic will happen. Why? Because today I am writing about Yoni Steaming. Yes it is exactly what you think it is.

First things first, let’s discuss what yoni steaming is. Yoni steaming, which is also called vagina steaming, is kind of like a facial for your vagina. While you are sitting on a herb filled pot of hot (but not boiling) water, the steam rises through your lady parts and gives it a little pick me up. The herbs tone and rejuvenate your vajajay inside and out.

Now I have heard of yoni steaming over the years a handful of times. This isn’t some new fad at all. Yoni steaming can be seen in different cultures for hundreds of years. Women all over the world use it as part of their self care routine. This time, I decided to actually give it a go. Marty mentioned it during one of our sister chats (along with April) and I knew it was a sign. The benefits of yoni steaming seemed great, with some that definitely peaked my interest.

Here are just a few.

• Improve fertility.
• Increase circulation and blood flow.
• Cleanse the uterine lining of old blood.
• Treat uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, uterine weakness, uterine prolapse & endometriosis.
• Improve period bleeding that is brown or black in colour.
• Reduce period pain and discomfort
• Helps to restore bacterial and PH balance to aid in prevention of infections, bacterial vaginosis and odor.
• Detoxify your mind, body and soul

Before I get any further, and I am sure that most of you already know this BUT your vagina is self cleaning. So while this “cleanses”, your vagina doesn’t need any help.

So off to Amazon I went for my Sew Right starter kit. I know I know there are herbalists and healers that create their own but I wanted to introduce it into my Sunday self care routine ASAP.

I chose the Female Rituals Steam Therapy (1 Ounce) package. The two reasons I went with this one was that a) it was the brand that Marty recommended and b) they had a small 1 oz offering (enough for 1-2 steams), so I could try them out.

As I write and steam, I can tell you some first impressions.  It smells really floral and has a calming effect that I like. Before I even sat down, the aroma took over my house. It is like a really fragrant herbal tea. The scent plus the steam are giving me a really relaxed feeling. The tensions of my week are melting away, if only for a minute. I can definitely see myself having a good rest after I finish this and my pamper day skincare routine.

The second piece I bought for my kit was the Carex Sitz Bath.

Now you can use a pot and sit it in your toilet but… yeah that was a no for me. Or you can get really fancy and buy a Yoni Steam Chair but… while I am down to buy a bougie item or two for selfcare day… that was also a no for me.

This sitz bath sat right into my toilet with a vent space and once I am done I will be able to simply dispose of the herbs and wash it out for next time.

So here are the steps that I did.

• Put the sitz bath in the toilet with half a package (1/2 an ounce of herbs)
• Boiled water in my tea pot and poured the hot water into the mix.
• Steep herbs for 10 minutes in the water
• Grabbed a bottle of water so I didn’t get dehydrated and got undressed.
• Covered myself with a blanket to keep in the steam and put my laptop on top
• Blogged with you all in tow. (Next time I think I will read a book)
• Steamed for about 20-25 minutes.
• Disposed of the herbs and rinsed the sitz
• Laying down with the rest of my water for a bit, finishing up this post and watching Living Single on Hulu.

I plan to definitely incorporate yoni steaming into my moon cycles. They say to do it a week before your period (but definitely not while on your period). I am getting conflicting information about how often to do it, but I think for myself I would like to do it 2-3 times a month on my Sunday ritual. I feel so relaxed and in tune to “her” right now and I want to keep that going.

Have you ever done a Yoni Steam aka Vaginal Steaming? How did you like it? How do you incorporate it into your routine? Do you have any tips for someone using it? Comment below and tell me what you think. Can’t wait to hear from you!

XOXO, Kristi