What is Skin Icing?

It is a skincare therapy that involves rolling a few ice cubes in a soft cotton cloth and then using the covered ice cubes to gently massage your face for a few minutes ( no more than 15 minutes).

Where You Can Ice

The circular massage can be performed a few times every day on areas such as your:

  • Jawline
  • Chin
  • Lips
  • Nose
  • Cheeks
  • Forehead
Why should You Ice::Benefits of Skin icing
  • Skin icing eliminates puffiness, especially around the eyes.
  • And reduces oiliness.
  • It eases acne.
  • And calms sunburn.
  • Also, it decreases swelling and inflammation, including rashes and insect bites.
  • And can diminish the signs of aging, such as wrinkles and lines.
  • It helps to burns fat.
  • And minimizes facial pores.
  • Skin icing reduces dark circles around the eyes.
  • And tightens the skin.
  • Gives you smoother skin.
  • Improves blood circulation on your face which improves the skin’s healthy glow.
  • Rubbing eyes over your face before applying makeup helps to close your facial pores and helps your makeup last longer.
How Often Should You Ice Your Skin?

How often you ice your skin will depend on WHY you are icing in the first place.

  • If you wear a lot of makeup every day, ice your skin EVERY MORNING before applying the makeup. Doing this, as earlier mentioned, closes your facial pores BEFORE you apply your makeup this ensuring that no impurities enters your skin.
  • If you are icing areas affected with problems like pimples or inflammation, try icing on ALTERNATE NIGHTS before going to bed. Icing for such problems at night helps the skin to heal and regenerate.
  • To eliminate under eyes swelling, wrap ice cubes in a soft cloth or gauze and gently pat on and around the puffy eyes moving from the inner eye corners up towards the eyebrow in a circular motion. You can also use iced coffee cubes or green tea cubes if coffee doesn’t work for you or your dislike its smell. This can be done as needed.
  • For anti-aging, try to use ice cubes made with rose water or soothing oil like lavender oil, EVERY NIGHT before going to bed. This will curb the chances of wrinkles forming and will have a tightening effect on the skin. Doing this regularly will result in clearer and younger-looking skin within a couple of weeks.
  • When using icing for exfoliation, freeze milk and use the cubes on the face for the natural removal of dead skin. You can also add pureed cucumber or blueberries to the milk for extra freshness and exfoliation. This you can do twice in a week.
Things To Note When Doing Skin Icing::Do’s & Don’ts
  • Always use a clean ice tray to set your ice. It’s best to have a dedicated tray for this purpose. This will prevent the cubes from catching germs when you use the tray for other purposes.
  • Clean your face before icing.
  • After placing the ice cubes in a soft cloth, wait until the ice melts a little. Let the cloth be wet a little before you start applying the ice.
  • Keep another napkin or tissues handy when icing. You will need this to wipe off the excess liquid that will drip off your face while icing.
  • It is not advisable to use ice cubes directly on your skin especially where the skin is thin. It might harm the capillaries right under the skin.
  • If you have to use ice directly on your skin, then wait a while after you take it out from the freezer. You might also have to wear gloves because you will not be able to hold the ice in your bare hands for a very long time.
  • The ice should not be applied over the same region for more than 15 minutes at one time.
  • Once you are done icing your skin, let the moisture dry off naturally from the skin surface.

Credits: Healthline.com. And m.femina.in