What a Week of Ice Water Facials Did For My Skin

Nobody necessarily watches Before to dip their faces in ice water. But if the ice water facial trend can actually reduce redness, puffiness, and pore size as promised, maybe it’s worth a try, right?

Over the course of a week, I incorporated daily ice water facials into my daily skincare routine to track my skin’s reaction to the cold.

Aesthetically, this ritual was worth it.

Immediately after doing the ice water facials, I noticed that my pores seemed smaller on my nose, where I see them the most. My combination skin also felt softer when applying my moisturizers, serums and sunscreen.

This phenomenon was constant: I noticed these results every time I did a facial treatment.

The biggest downside to ice water facials was the cold headaches – aka brain freeze – that appeared after the second bath. They are temporary but can be triggered by very cold water on the face, as well as by iced foods or drinks.

I was also turned off by the feeling of water rising up my nose during the first dunk, although I didn’t notice it when I submerged my face a second time during each ice water facial.

I made this experience more bearable by making it more personal. I treated it like a ritual to look forward to. I specifically chose a bowl and headband that were my favorite color, blue. Rather than using regular ice cubes, I opted for Hello Kitty shaped ice.

Research indicates that putting ice water on your face can:

• Reduce inflamed or red skin
• Promotes a healthier, brighter complexion
• Make pores smaller
• Make skin firmer
• Helps wake you up and increase your energy

These advantages are due to vasoconstrictionthat is, when your blood vessels narrow due to exposure to cold temperatures. This reaction to cold water can make skin temporarily firmer and brighter.

I tried cycling every time I did the facials to see if I would notice any additional benefits. The three moments I chose were:

• Early morning: It’s a pretty common practice to splash your face with cold water to help wake you up, so that’s when I do these facials the most. Was it refreshing? Absolutely. Would I replace it with my morning cup of coffee? Unlikely.
• After the gym: Trying ice water facials on the way home from the gym was a no-brainer. This turned out to be my favorite time to do them because of how quickly it helped calm me down.
• Before going to bed: Since some research suggests that cold water can help relieve stress and promote healthy sleep, I wanted to try this one day a week. I felt pretty neutral about it; I didn’t notice any difference in my sleepiness compared to if I hadn’t done the facial.

Here are the steps I followed daily that worked best for me:

1. Wash your face: Before performing the ice water facial, wash your face to remove any dirt, makeup, or sweat. Although using cold water rather than warm water makes no difference in removing germs or dirt, ice water facials are not the same as washing your face. So, not cleansing your face first leaves excess dirt and oil on your skin.
2. Dry your face: Make sure your face is dry before applying ice water. This helps prevent irritation and allows you to reap the full benefits of the skin.
3. Prepare yourself and your supplies: Place a towel on the surface you plan to use for the ice water facial. Fill a large bowl with water and add your ice cubes. Next, use a headband or scrunchie to keep your hair away from your face. This ensures that your hair doesn’t stick to your skin when you’re done, which can be uncomfortable.
4. Perform the facial treatment with ice water: While holding your breath, slowly lower your face into the bowl of ice water. Keep your face in the water for about 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat this operation two to three times.
5. Apply a moisturizer: After drying your face again, immediately apply your moisturizer and any serums you use. This helps prevent your skin from drying out, which can lead to irritation and flaking.

Doing long-term ice water facials can be risky, possibly causing headaches and skin problems such as irritation, itching, and dryness. They can also worsen existing skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and cold urticaria (urticaria). See a doctor immediately if you have serious symptoms of cold urticaria, such as swelling of the tongue, lips, or throat.

If you try ice water facials, I recommend only doing them intermittently and during the warmer months to avoid potential damage or dryness. As someone who suffers from eczema and has very flaky eyebrows, especially in winter, I prefer to avoid stripping my face even more.