There are plenty of out there skincare trends, from micro-needling to UV light masks that look like something from a horror film.
So imagine the excitement, when the relatively normal skincare fad of icing took off, and how could it not? It’s simple, just using ice or ice water to massage your face, and cost effective really just needing one ingredient to do. Plus they’re were plenty of claims promising to reduce puffiness, get rid of dark undereyes, and brighten your skin.
Naturally it grabbed a lot of attention, with the #icefacial raking up 223.1 million views on TikTok, but using ice in your skincare might not be the best idea after all.
Using ice can provide some benefits, like increasing blood flow to your face, improving circulation, and help your lymphatic system to drain. Which is why your face might seem brighter and less bloated afterwards.
But using such extreme temperatures on your skin can have a pretty negative impact.
Skincare queen Cassandra Bankson warned followers about some of the issues with ice facials in one of her TikToks.
The qualified medical esthetician shared how it can, “cause broken capilaries, doesn’t “close pores”, potential for frostnip, can numb face so you don’t feel when tissue damage occurs, can trigger seizures for those with trigeminal neuralgia.”
While in a YouTube video, she highlighted how, when used in combination with products that contain sodium, ice can led to salt burns.
So…yea maybe put down the ice cube tray. Luckily most of the benefits of icing can also be achieved by using a simple facial roller, or just gently massaging the skin.