Ice therapy has been said to exist since the ancient times. Swedish women have been known to apply ice instead of toner. Some models, such as Kate Moss, swear on ice water as a must-have beauty regimen. Cold therapy is nothing new in the world of beauty and skincare. Many spas used this technique to rejuvenate the skin, decrease the appearance of spider veins, and even for body sculpting.
Many of those who regularly practice ice therapy use this to refresh their face. Some apply ice therapy to lessen acne inflammation and heal blemishes. Others swear that ice therapy can help minimize the appearance of wrinkles. Although cold actually causes vasoconstriction, alternating it with hot temperature can invigorate and promote blood circulation.
Here are seven beauty benefits of ice:
1. Ice is an effective skin smoother. The cold helps tighten skin and reduces the visibility of skin pores. It closes open pores, thus, preventing debris and excess oil from clogging them.
2. Ice is a good way to prepare your skin for makeup. Since it can smoothen out the skin, tighten it and close skin pores, it is easier to apply a primer base as it will glide on smoothly and flawlessly.
3. Ice therapy is good for pimple and acne breakouts. You can apply ice on the affected area to “freeze” out pimples. Simply swipe it over pimples or acne for two to three minutes. This will help reduce swelling and redness.
4. One way to decrease oiliness on the face is to mix water with astringent and freeze it. You can apply it in the morning to make your skin look perkier, minimize pores and remove excess oil (because of the astringent) all at the same time.
5. For an instant lift with added anti-oxidant boost, boil mineral water with white or green tea leaves added to it. Let it cool and then freeze. You can use it in the evening as facial just before going to bed.
6. One way to get rid of blemishes and dry skin is to boil a cup of rose water. Let it cool. Add a tablespoon of ground oats and an equal amount of ground pea plant (lupine). Mix all the ingredients well. Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze. Scrub into face to exfoliate skin.
7. Another popular use of ice is to reduce puffiness under the eyes. Prepare a bowl or basin big enough to submerge your face and add cold water with ice. Lower your face into the ice, cold water and hold it as long as you can tolerate. Alternatively, you can put one or two ice cubes directly under the eyes or you can wrap them in a towel or washcloth. Apply for five minutes.
Be careful when using ice therapy, as ice can cause cold burns. Stop if the cold is unbearable. Let your skin rest for a few minutes before commencing application. Do not apply ice beyond 10 minutes as it causes reversed effects of cold temperature.
Photo credit: Kyle May on Flickr
