Skin icing is the facialist-recommended technique for smooth, glowing skin

While cold therapy has been used by facialists as a part of some skin treatments for a while now, skin icing seems to have caught on even more so in lockdown, with several celebrities and influencers making it a part of their skincare rituals and posting its many benefits on social media. "The science behind it is to reduce your skin temperature, which in turn helps with multiple concerns like inflammation, open pores, puffiness and so on," says Mumbai-based celebrity skin expert and medical head of The Ageless Clinic, Dr Harshna Bijlani. Ice therapies are temporary, however. "They can give you minimal long-term effect, though they do help tighten the blood vessels and boost microcirculation," says Delhi-based MD and integrative aesthetic, skin and wellness expert, Isya Aesthetics, Dr Kiran Sethi.

What you should know before icing your face

If done the right way, Bijlani says icing can help reduce puffiness, water retention and inflammation, help shrink enlarged pores as well as help contour your face when done in the right strokes (upwards and diagonal, outward-facing strokes from the centre of your cheeks, upwards to the end of the cheekbones). "Icing can also be done on top of a sheet mask or right before your serum application to help with better penetration of products," she adds.

If your skin is dry or eczematous, too much icing will worsen the condition as when the ice water evaporates, it takes with skin the skin′s natural moisture as well, says Sethi. Make sure you wrap the ice cube in a thin, soft cloth and not use it directly on your skin. "Over-icing could lead to ice burns, so be mindful. Don′t over-do it or keep it on your face for extended periods," says Bijlani.

How should you ice your skin at home?

Icing, like most skin products and beauty treatments, is not a one-size-fits-all kind of therapy and depends mainly on your skin type and concern. The safest, according to Dr Bijlani, is using ice-cubes made of plain filtered water infused with skin-friendly ingredients or using a cold frozen spoon under your eyes to counter puffiness. "Using antioxidant rich, anti-inflammatory green tea or chamomile tea to create ice cubes and gently rubbing them on your skin will help control oil production and inflammation for those with acne-prone oily or combination skin, while lactic acid-rich milk can be used to form ice-cubes for those with dry and mature skin," she says.

For sensitive skin, Dr Sethi recommends using oats due to its calming properties. "Colloidal oatmeal can prevent inflammation caused by cytokines due to the activity of avenanthramides (a group of phenolic alkaloids). Freeze oat milk and use these cubes on the face for no more than once a day for a few minutes—but be wary of oats or gluten allergies before you try this out," she adds. If you are battling acne, Sethi suggests using ice cubes with neem, aloe vera, and mint leaves with a dash of tea tree oil. "This is not just antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial but it also reduces oil secretion."

For under the eyes, Sethi recommends using green tea and cucumber juice infused ice cubes. "Green tea will tighten the blood vessels while the cucumber will act as an astringent as well as a calming agent. You can use this under your eyes every day, but ensure you apply some eye cream soon after to seal in the moisture," says Dr Sethi, adding that this combination works well on tired and screen-sensitive eyes as well.

If you′re looking for that instant glow, freeze a mixture of amla juice and yoghurt. "This is not just moisturising, but it also has a lot of proteins, Vitamin C and even a bit of lactic acid. Use this a few times a week for best results," says Sethi.

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