Ice therapy: The ultimate natural treatment for instant shine and firming

One of the little secrets I learned in the field of modeling and cinema is how to have an instant facelift effect, easily, painlessly and inexpensively in the most natural way. It is recommended by beauty experts and applied by many models and actors before shooting to make their skin shiny, firm and rosy. I am referring to ice therapy, which is also known as “facial cryotherapy”, “skin icing”, “ice facial” or even “frotox”, as with the help of cold it directly offers the same glow and tightening of the skin as Botox.

Direct Facelift Effect

It has emerged as one of the top skin care trends on Instagram and Tik Tok, but the rejuvenating benefits of ice therapy have long been known since Empress Catherine the Great rubbed ice cubes into her face, neck and décolleté every morning for a radiant complexion effect.

Ice therapy actually causes immediate tightening of the skin and stimulates the oval contour of the face. At the end of the treatment, the face acquires a bright, rosy appearance. Ice dramatically soothes puffiness under the eyes, eliminates fine expression wrinkles, constricts dilated pores, and the skin acquires instantly a smoother, fresher and rejuvenated look. It is my treatment of choice when I wake up in the morning with a tired face and I have a photo shoot waiting for me. I apply my ice therapy routine and the puffiness subsides right away.

The benefits of ice therapy:

Stimulates collagen production: Ice therapy enhances local blood circulation, thus stimulating the production of collagen and elastin which tightens and tones the youthful, triangular shape of the face.

Ice therapy soothes pimples: Thanks to its anti-inflammatory action, ice relieves acne-prone and irritated skin and soothes redness and swelling of pimples. If we squeeze ice on a pimple, the redness of the pimple immediately subsides.

Pore contraction: Ice reduces the size of pores, which are often clogged and swollen due to excess sebum. Cryotherapy regulates oiliness, tones the skin and makes the face look smoother.

Exfoliates the skin: Cryotherapy helps remove the outer layer of the epidermis which consists of dead cells, does away with the dull appearance and stimulates the emergence of new, healthy skin.

Preparation for ice therapy

Some prefer applying ice therapy by immersing their face for a few seconds in a large bowl of cold water and ice cubes. I tend to make my own ice cubes and apply them locally by hand so as to pay more attention to specific areas. In fact, I do not use just water for my ice cubes, but various varieties of teas so that they will be enriched with nutrients. I use a small glass in which I put the decoction of choice, leave a teaspoon inside and place the glass carefully in the freezer to freeze the decoction around the teaspoon. When I take it out of the freezer a little while later, I have a frozen popsicle on my spoon, which I use for skin toning.

Ice Therapy Tips

• Before applying ice therapy, thoroughly cleanse your face.
• Start from the neck or the neckline and move upwards, towards the jaw, the cheekbones, the area under the eyes, the "crow's feet" and the forehead. Movements should always be circular and directional from the inside out. Make sure that you do not stay firmly in the same place, so that the ice does not stick to the skin and cause a burn.
• If you feel uncomfortable with the direct contact of ice on the skin, you can wrap the ice cube with a thin cotton cloth or a gauze. Personally, I prefer direct contact with ice.
• If you suffer from sinusitis or spider veins, avoid dipping your whole face in the bowl. It is better to use an ice cube by hand and avoid applying to the problem areas, in order not to aggravate the problem. 
• Instead of plain water, you can use a brew or decoction. For example, green tea is antimicrobial and ideal for oily skin or skin suffering from acne and excess sebum. I go for rosehip tea that is rich in vitamin C and prepare it by dissolving rosehip powder in lukewarm water for a higher percentage of vitamins in my ice therapy!

To see all the steps of ice therapy, you can watch the related video on my GoodLife by Gina channel on YouTube, where you will discover other natural skin rejuvenation treatments!