Ice facials, also known as cryotherapy in spas and in-office skincare treatments, claim to offer multiple benefits for your skin. While clinical cold treatments are used for targeted issues like destroying fat cells or getting rid of spider veins, you can also give yourself an ice facial at home using ice cubes. A common K-beauty practice, ice facials are known to help freshen up your face, fight wrinkles, control breakouts, boost blood circulation and make your skin look healthy and glowing. But how safe is it to run ice all over your face and what is the ideal way to do it? Read on to find out...
01Benefits of icing your face:
As mentioned above, ice facials can have multiple benefits for your skin. Some of the lesser-known ones are:
- Shrink your pores — Icing your face can tighten your pores, minimise their appearance under makeup and unclog them of dirt and debris. 2. ** De-puffing** — An icing ritual can help depuff your face and under eye area in the morning.
- Toner — Ice can be used as a toner in your CTM routine. Cold temperature can make the capillaries on your face restrict and create a 'pulling' effect, which helps in better absorption of skincare ingredients into your skin.
- Blemish control — Ice can help reduce the redness and swelling of active blemishes on your face.
- **Reduce inflammation **— Majority of skin issues are caused due to inflammation and icing your face can help with that. Subjecting your skin to coldness can construct the blood vessels, signalling your brain to send fresh, warm blood to the skin. The fresh boost of oxygen reduces inflammation and gives you a flushed, rosy glow.
02How to do an ice facial at home:
Follow this step-by-step guide for the ideal way of using ice to give yourself a facial at home: Step 01 : Thoroughly cleanse your face with a gentle face wash to get rid of the oiliness and dirt on your face. **Step 02: **Wrap a couple of ice cubes in a soft washcloth or any fabric that is gentle on your face. When the ice begins to melt, wet the cloth and apply it on your face. Step 03 : Hold the ice pack on different sections of your face for 1 or 2 minutes. You can also use gentle, circular motions — going upwards from your jaw, cheeks, the nose and forehead. This motion gives your face a 'lifting' effect. **Step 04: **Finish off the routine with a toner and moisturiser. For added benefits, you can freeze rosewater, green tea or even cucumber water and use them as ice cubes.
03Precautions to take while icing your face
Make sure to always clean your face before icing it. Do not use the ice directly on your face as it can be too cold for sensitive skin and otherwise. However, if you're using ice to spot fix pimples, it can be done directly, but nor more than a couple of minutes. Never exceed the recommended limit of icing your skin as it can lead to cold burns and a stinging feeling that can be very painful. As for icing your eye areas, make sure to be swift as the capillaries near your eyes are very sensitive and can be harmed if iced for too long. Lastly: never dunk your face in a bowl full of ice water!
