Facial Icing: The Free, Effective, Natural Treatment for Irritated Summer Skin
With the warm summer months upon us you may notice your skin appearing flushed, irritated, itchy or even slightly puffy. If you’re otherwise healthy, this could be a sign of a little sunburn, water retention,( which is a symptom of dehydration) or you’re experiencing hay fever or allergies. All of these symptoms are exacerbated in warm conditions and improved when your skin is cooler. And when the weather is warm this can mean bringing the cool to your skin, through the introduction of facial icing.
Both simple and essentially free, icing your face has a myriad of benefits for the skin, including:
- Contours & lifts, removing puffiness and visibly firming and contouring the face
- Minimises enlarged pores making skin appear smoother
- Helps to reduce dark, under-eye circles
- Helps heal acne breakouts by reducing inflammation and redness
- Brightens complexion. Increases blood circulation to rejuvenate skin
What is Facial Icing?
Perhaps you’ve placed your sheet masks into the fridge before applying them on your face. Or maybe you’ve heard of dunking your face into a bowl of ice cold water. Similarly, facial icing consists of exposing the skin to cold temperatures by rubbing ice cubes all over the face. One of the many great things about facial icing is that it’s practically free! Just grab a couple of ice cubes from the freezer and you’re good to go. It is the perfect natural boost for your skin, especially during the hot summer months.
Benefits of Facial Icing
The first benefit you’ll see on your skin when facial icing is a healthy glow. The cold from the ice will boost the blood circulation in the skin and give your cheeks a nice rosy color as well as even the skin tone. It will help cell regrowth which will lead to production of collagen, a vital protein for plump, firm, and radiant skin.
The ice will cause your pores to contract, which will minimize the appearance of enlarged pores. Though it won’t be a long term benefit, it’ll give you a great base to apply your makeup. Additionally, facial icing has the ability to give you a nice face sculpt by tightening and firming the skin. Rubbing the ice from the chin, up the jawline, and along your cheekbones will give your face a contoured appearance.
When we get injured, the first thing we do is place ice on the area to reduce and prevent inflammation. You’ll get the same result if you apply ice to the face. Inflammation of the skin can lead to acne and rosacea. When applied to the skin, the cold from the ice will constrict the blood vessels as well as drain any excess fluids in the lymph nodes to reduce puffiness. Though it won’t cure existing acne or other conditions, facial icing will help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
Tips for Facial Icing
The best time to incorporate facial icing is after your skincare routine. Once you’ve washed your face and completed your LoveSkin skincare routine, whether that be in the morning or before bed, take 5 to 10 minutes to ice the skin. At LoveSkin, we have a Muslin face cloth that can be used to wrap the ice cubes to prevent irritation. Our Muslin face cloth is made from 100% pure cotton and is gentle on the skin, perfect for this icing technique.
When applying the ice to the skin, similar to using your Guasha Tool, start at the center line of the face and go outwards to the edge of the hairline. Rub the ice on your face in a constant motion along the cheeks, chin, forehead, jaw, and nose for the best results.
Remember:
- Don’t apply ice on your skin more than once a day.
- If you have sensitive skin, don’t apply ice cubes directly to your face, instead place the cubes inside our Muslin Face cloth.
- Do not leave an ice pack or cube on a particular area of your face for more than a minute.
- Be careful while applying ice cubes around your eyes, especially if they contain any special ingredients. Also don’t rub too hard under the eyes as it’s a sensitive area.
