Ice Water Facials: Skin Treatment for All Ages
How does an all natural skin treatment sound? One that works, whether you are young, old, or somewhere inbetween? Ice water facials (and a CBD daily soothing serum) could be the holy grail you are looking for.
But what exactly is an ice facial? And can you DIY it in the comfort of your home so you can reap daily benefits?
What Are Ice Water Facials?
Ice water facials go by several names: skin icing, ice bath facials, ice facial, ice therapy, facial icing, cryo facials, and cold water therapy for your skin. This facial is a form of cryotherapy.
When you have an ice bath facial, you expose your skin to cold temperatures for a few minutes to half an hour, which reportedly comes with various benefits.
Facial cryotherapy isn’t new. It’s said that Catherine the Great, the last Russian Empress, applied ice cubes to her face and neck daily.
Skin icing is also a South Korean beauty hack. It’s called Jamsu, meaning “to submerge:” You submerge your face in icy cold water to reap various benefits.
Types of ice facials range from the most basic, where you apply ice to your face and dip your face in ice cold water, to going for a professional treatment where liquid nitrogen is pumped onto your skin and evaporates from there.
Which Celebs Swear by Skin Icing?
In an interview with Vogue, Friends star Jennifer Aniston said, “Get a bowl of ice water and splash your face 25 times … It just wakes your skin up.”
And she isn’t the only celeb who has jumped onto the ice facial bandwagon. Others are:
- Gabrielle Union
- Kate Hudson
- Kate Moss
- Joan Crawford
- Bella Hadid
- Kourtney Kardashian
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Joan Collins
The Promise of a Chilly Skin Treatment
Does a chilled skin treatment do wonders for your skin? Celebs, makeup artists, and influencers are swearing by the beauty benefits that skin icing holds.
1. Reduced Pore Size and Puffiness
When you expose your skin to the cold temperature of ice or cold water, your facial capillaries (tiny blood vessels or veins) constrict and improve facial lymph node function to drain excess lymph fluid.
As a result, the ice tightens facial tissues and may reduce puffiness, just like CBD eye creams do. Pores also appear smaller.
2. An Instant Healthy Glow
After the initial constricting phase, the cold helps boost blood circulation. Your skin can have an instant radiant glow since improved circulation brings oxygen and nutrients to the skin.
CBD daily soothing serum may be another option for those looking for a healthy glow. It’s all natural, safe, and well-tolerated.
3. Decreased Inflammation and Pain
If you’ve exercised and pulled a muscle, a medical professional may advise you to ice the injured area to help reduce swelling. Various ice/cold topical rubs also help with muscle soreness, inflammation, and more.
When you apply cryotherapy to your face, it may decrease inflammation caused by acne. During the constricting phase, less blood flows to your face, and the lymph nodes drain more fluid from your skin’s surface.
This vacuum-like effect minimizes redness, relieves pain, and lessens inflammation.
What Does Science Say About Skin Icing?
There’s limited science behind this trend, despite what those who practice this ritual daily say.
One study concluded that icing an injection site may help reduce pain. Following that logic, it’s likely that icing your face may also decrease pain from acne and other dermatological conditions.
In essence, the “evidence” of facial icing is purely anecdotal. But that doesn’t mean skin icing can’t help you with acne or provide other benefits.
How To Use Ice Water Facials for Clearer Skin?
Several methods for doing an at-home ice water facial exist.
Method 1: Cold Water Dunk
- Get a large, wide bowl.
- Add about 10 ice cubes to the bowl and top it up with refrigerated water.
- Holding your breath, submerge your face in the cold water for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Lift your face from the cold water and wait for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for five minutes.
- Air dry your skin or gently pat it dry with a soft towel.
Method 2: Ice Cube Massage
- Put a few ice cubes in a bowl.
- Rub an ice cube over a facial area for a few seconds before switching to a new area.
- When the ice cube has melted, replace it with a new one.
- Gently massage your face and neck for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Dry your skin with a face towel.
Alternatively, if your skin is sensitive, wrap four to five ice cubes in a tea towel and gently massage your face with the towel in a patting motion.
Use plain water ice cubes or freeze other ingredients to double up on the benefits. For example, you can freeze the following in ice cube trays:
- Aloe vera juice to promote wound healing, improve acne and soothe flare-ups
- Authentic green tea to decrease inflammation
- Cucumber water to nourish your skin and soothe puffiness
- Rose hydrosol to boost skin hydration and promote anti-inflammatory effects
- Tea or coffee since the caffeine may better penetrate skin and improve circulation
- Rosehip seed tea, which is high in vitamin C, helps protect skin against aging
You can also use ice globes or an ice roller and massage your face with the cooling wands. Or why not add in a dose of CBD daily soothing serum for even more benefits?
A Holistic Approach With a CBD Daily Soothing Serum for All Ages
Clean Beauty and Wellness advocates a holistic approach to skincare, aging, and beauty. We believe a holistic approach is always best.
Why don’t you consider combining ice water facials with a natural treatment option?
Our Sunshine Serum, a CBD daily soothing serum, will put the shine back on your skin. This serum is infused with full-spectrum CBD to help hydrate and balance your skin, while vitamin C helps correct age spots and hyperpigmentation and combat free radicals.