Ever wondered why splashing your face with cold water feels so refreshing? Or why do some go even so far as to take invigorating dips in icy waters? There’s clearly something about the extreme cold that makes us feel alive! Enter: Cryotherapy.
Cryotherapy, which translates to ‘cold therapy’, is a practice where the whole body or parts of it are exposed to cold temperatures for several minutes. Traditionally used to relieve muscle pains and swelling, and to accelerate recovery in athletes, this ‘cool’ technique has now made its way into the skincare arena. While cryo treatments are also done in-clinic by trained dermatologists to treat specific conditions, today there are a host of skincare tools and products you can try from the comfort of your home. Think ice globes, cold rollers, cryo masks, gel-to-ice moisturisers, sub-zero undereye patches, and more!
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Slated to be a huge skincare trend in 2022, we’re taking a deep dive into cryotherapy skincare to see what the fuss is all about.
How Does Cryotherapy Work?
Cryotherapy uses sub-zero temperature to give the skin a cold shock. This is what happens: first – vasoconstriction, where the blood vessels narrow, and second – it is immediately followed by vasodilation, where the blood vessels then dilate and the treated part sees a gush of new blood flow return to the area. This fresher blood which returns brings with it more oxygen and nutrients, resulting in skin that instantly looks fresher and plumper. Fascinating, isn’t it?
Benefits Of Cryotherapy In Skincare
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Introducing the skin to cold temperatures sees a direct improvement in circulation which helps flush out toxins, aids in collagen production, reduces puffiness and redness, minimizes pores and enhances the overall complexion leaving it dewy fresh.
Sweeping ice cubes over the face before a makeup routine is probably the closest we got to cryotherapy without the tools. Besides being messy, experts also warn against the direct use of ice on the skin which can damage it and underlying tissues.
So if you’re dealing with eye bags, hyperpigmentation, or a generally puffy face, cryotherapy skincare products and tools can come to the rescue, leaving the face feeling firmer, rejuvenated and brighter. A big benefit (and this is music to our ears!) is that cryotherapy helps with the better absorption of skincare products into the deeper layers of the skin.
Take a look at some of the cryotherapy skincare products you can get started with…
1. Nykaa Facial Ice Globes for Depuffing & Skin Tightening
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Freshen up after a long day at the desk by popping these spherical massagers (that are usually filled with water or a combination of water and gel) into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before you gently roll them across your skin to ease any muscle tension, and de-puff and tighten the skin.
2. Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-recovery Eye Serum
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Targeted at the eye area specifically, this serum is inspired by cryotherapy and has a moulded cooling metal applicator that fits into the eye contour to give a cooling sensation on the skin. This allows you to gently massage and depuff the entire eye area. The serum is enriched with anti-ageing, hydrating and brightening ingredients.
3. House of Beauty Steel Ice Roller
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This stainless-steel handheld roller device can be popped into the fridge to be cooled before gently rolling it on your skin to refresh and rejuvenate it. This is a great solution for inflamed, irritated or tired skin. The steel roller head stays cooler for longer and is thus, super effective.
4. 111skin Sub Zero De-puffing Eye Mask Single
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Cried your eyes out last night after binge-watching Maid on Netflix? This cooling hydrogel mask is what you need as it wraps around the contour of the eye area and helps treat puffiness. It also targets fine lines and dark circles.
5. Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-Recovery Mask
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Combining the benefits of acupressure and cryotherapy, this reusable facial mask can be placed in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and can then be applied to the face, secured by velcros that go around the head to keep it in place. This mask helps shrink and lift facial skin resulting in skin appearing firmer, smoother, lifted and refreshed.
6. 111skin Cryo Atp Sports Booster
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By mimicking the effect of extreme cold, this booster – which contains adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a complex, natural, organic chemical – helps awaken and energise tired, lacklustre skin, leaving it toned and refined. It works well on post-workout skin that is sweaty, hot, and blotchy.
What we love about these cryo facial tools and products is that they’re low maintenance and easy to use, even for beginners in the skincare world. Time to say ciao to those ice cubes then and save them for your mojito instead!
