Why The Plain Old Ice is a Skincare Hero
These days, you can’t walk down the street without seeing an advertisement for the next big thing in skincare, or the one wonder product that’s guaranteed to keep you looking beautiful forever. But then, what if we told you that plain old ice cubes or face ice packs could be just what you need? Celebrity makeup artists swear by ice facials to wake up the skin, and combining the cold stuff with other household products can make it even more useful.
Read on for more about how to get clear, radiant skin.
Ice Facials
Ice facials have been around for years, and can dramatically boost circulation for a coveted rosy glow. Don’t apply ice right to your skin as it can hurt. Instead, wrap an ice cube in a cotton rag or handkerchief, and massage it over your face. You can also incorporate tea and other ingredients for an antioxidant boost. Doing an ice facial after other treatments, such as masking or serums, can give you better results from those products, too, as it helps active ingredients to penetrate.
For a quick fix, you can also plunge your face into a sink of iced water. If it’s good enough for Kate Moss, it’s good enough for us!
Cold Contouring
To sculpt your cheekbones, fill a bowl about 1/3 of the way with whole milk and add ice. Soak a face cloth in the mixture, and hold it against your face for 15 seconds. Repeat five times. The vitamin A and lactic acid in the milk will have your skin looking incredibly fresh. You can also use a frozen milk cube to sculpt your face by sweeping it from the chin to the high points of your cheekbones, and then over your under eye area and forehead. Keep massaging for five minutes for seriously cool contouring.
Freeze Spots
While bacteria cause most spots and acne, a quick freeze can help relieve pain and inflammation by forcing blood vessels to constrict. Alternate an ice cube with a warm compress for a few repetitions to stimulate your circulation, and help the immune system kick into gear to kick out spots and blemishes. You can also dissolve an aspirin into the water before you freeze it to help dry up oozy breakouts.
If you’re struggling with rosacea, avoid applying hot or cold substances directly to your face. Instead, hold an ice cube against the roof of your mouth. This will restrict the blood vessels in the face and reduce redness.
Banish Bags
Ice cubes can be used to minimize under eye bags, too. Make a cold compress out of cotton and chamomile tea, and rest it on your eyes for a while to reduce puffiness, or wrap plain ice cubes in gauze and move them in circles from the inner corner of your eye up towards the brow bone. This helps drain excess fluid from the area and dramatically reduces the puffiness that comes with tired under eyes. Frozen iced coffee works well, too.
