Skin Icing - What is It and What are the Benefits?
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or the beauty side of Instagram over the last year, you’re probably familiar with the term “skin icing”. Skin icing has been around for centuries; Catherine The Great was known to rub ice cubes on her skin to keep a youthful appearance! Skin icing is a broad category of frozen skin care ranging from cryotherapy, to CoolSculpting, to simply putting your favorite serum in the fridge overnight and using it in the morning!
What is Skin Icing?
Skin icing is a form of cryotherapy, a way to treat skin conditions with ice and cooler temperatures. Many people take skin icing literally by rubbing ice cubes on the skin prior to starting their skincare routine for the day. Skin icing isn’t limited to one method, area of the body, or level of intensity. It’s accessible to everyone and can alleviate a wide range of skin conditions!
Benefits of Skin Icing
It’s refreshing and may help you wake up in the morning, sure – but skin icing also has cosmetic and medical benefits.
De-puffing and Reducing Inflammation
The most common purpose for skin icing is to reduce swelling and puffiness. If you’ve ever placed an ice pack on a swollen ankle, you’re basically a skin icing expert already without even trying. Applying ice globes, cool under eye pads, or even cold spoons to your under eyes in the morning greatly reduces puffiness!
Not only does reducing inflammation make your skin look more chiseled and even, but it can also bring comfort to those who struggle with risen or painful acne blemishes.
Fat Reduction
While light skin icing preps the skin for a day, high intensity treatments like CoolSculpting can have permanent and life changing effects! CoolSculpting is an FDA-approved, non-invasive fat freezing treatment that eliminates stubborn body fat that resists diet and exercise. CoolSculpting is ideal for those who struggle with unintended weight gain from conditions such as PCOS. It can freeze up to 25% of fat cells in just one session. The intense cooling machine treats 9 common problem areas, including:
Double chin
Love handles
Abdomen
Arm fat
Bra fat
Reduces Pore Size
Pore-filling primers can leave skin feeling slimy or suffocated. Skin icing greatly reduces the size of enlarged pores so you can feel confident in your skin without makeup! If you’re a makeup lover, skin icing creates a clean and even slate for foundation.
Reduces appearance of Blemishes
Skin icing reduces the appearance of acne blemishes and rosacea. Using chilled products can help bring comfort and confidence back to irritated skin. If you’re someone who struggles with uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation, try popping your favorite moisturizer in the fridge before you apply it!
Smoother Overall Skin Appearance
Because it reduces inflammation and pore size, skin icing creates an overall smooth and clear complexion. Ice is a gentle exfoliant, so it can help reduce skin texture as well. Whether you’re looking for an easier base for applying makeup or want to rock a natural look with confidence, skin icing can help!
Methods of Skin Icing
There are many different methods of skin icing available depending on your desired results.
Frozen Skincare
Placing your favorite skincare products and face masks in the refrigerator overnight is a great way to stimulate and wake up your skin in the morning! This is a great method for anyone who doesn’t have the time to ice roll or add additional steps to their skincare routine. Not only does using cold skincare help you feel more awake, but it’s a great way to enhance the soothing, pore filling properties of your favorite products!
We recommend using high quality skincare products to get the most out of your skin icing benefits. Urban You For Me carries luxury products that will transform your daily skincare routine into a spa treatment!
Ice Rolling
Ice rolling or applying ice cubes directly to the skin is the most traditional form of skin icing. Because the cooling effect is more concentrated, using regular ice may amplify skin icing benefits and provide quicker results. If this is your method of choice, follow these guidelines to avoid accidentally damaging your skin:
Use purified water or check your water supply’s PH balance: in some places, like New York, the tap water has a higher PH balance. While this is fine for drinking, the high PH levels can wear down your skin barrier.
Make sure you prep your skin before: Ice can be harsh if used directly, so be sure to cleanse your skin and apply a light layer of moisturizer over your skin barrier before use
CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting is a med spa service that generally takes around 60 minutes per session. Your provider will create a treatment plan with you at your wellness consultation to determine how many sessions you need and where you want fat to be eliminated from.
CoolSculpting is FDA-approved, fast acting, and requires little to no downtime after treatment! Unlike surgery or weight loss medications, CoolSculpting has little effect on your daily life with very few side effects! Book your CoolSculpting consultation with a certified provider HERE and get 4 treatments FREE when you buy 4!
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is the most intensive form of skin icing. It is used in a medical setting to treat some forms of cancer or remove blemishes like warts or skin tags. Cryotherapy uses extremely low temperatures to freeze and remove abnormal tissue.
Download the Urban You app to book your CoolSculpting consultation, purchase medical grade skincare from Urban You For Me, manage your membership status, and receive exclusive deals on your favorite medical spa services!
Want to learn more about skin icing? Check out the most recent episode of The Beauty Standard podcast, hosted by Urban You CEO Nicole Gregory featuring Ameon Beauty founder Alina Mehrle!
