No one necessarily looks forward to dunking their face in freezing water. But if the ice water facial trend can really reduce redness, puffiness, and pore size as promised, it might be worth a try—right?
Over the course of a week, I incorporated daily ice water facials into my daily skincare routine to track how my skin responded to the cold.
Aesthetically, this ritual was worth the pain.
Immediately after doing the ice water facials, I noticed that my pores looked smaller on my nose, which is where I see them most. My combination skin also felt softer when applying my moisturizers, serums, and sunscreen.
This phenomenon was consistent—I noticed these results each time I did a facial.
The biggest downside of ice water facials was cold-stimulus headaches—a.k.a. brain freeze—that kicked in after the second dip. They’re temporary but can be triggered by very cold water on the face, just like with icy food or drinks.
I was also put off by the sensation of water rushing up my nose upon first dunk, though I didn’t notice it when I submerged my face a second time during each ice water facial.
I made this experiment 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.
Courtesy of Jasmine Thompson
Research says that putting ice water on your face may:
- Reduce inflamed or red skin
- Support a healthier, brighter complexion
- Make pores look smaller
- Make the skin look firmer
- Help wake you up and boost energy
These benefits are due to vasoconstriction, which is when your blood vessels shrink from exposure to cold temperatures. This reaction to cold water can make the skin look temporarily tighter and brighter.
I tried cycling the times I did the facials to see if I would notice any additional benefits. The three times I chose were:
- Early morning: It’s a fairly common practice to splash cold water on your face to help you wake up, so this is when I would perform these facials the most. Was it refreshing? Absolutely. Would I replace it with my morning cup of coffee? Not likely.
- After the gym: Trying the ice water facials after coming home from the gym was a no-brainer. This turned out to be my favorite time to do them because of how fast it helped me cool down.
- Before bed: Since some research suggests that cold water may help with stress relief and support healthy sleep, I wanted to give this a try for one day a week. I felt pretty neutral about it; I noticed no differences in my sleepiness compared to if I hadn’t done the facial.
These are the steps I followed daily that worked best for me:
- Wash your face: Before performing the ice water facial, wash your face to remove any dirt, makeup, or sweat. Although using cold rather than warm water doesn’t make a difference for germ or dirt removal, ice water facials aren’t the same as washing your face. So, not cleaning your face beforehand leaves excess dirt and oil on your skin.
- Dry your face: Make sure your face is dry before applying ice water. This helps prevent irritation and allows you to reap the full skin benefits.
- Prep yourself and 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. Then, use a headband or scrunchie to pull your hair away from your face. This makes sure your hair doesn’t stick to your skin when you’re finished, which can be uncomfortable.
- Perform the ice water facial: While holding your breath, slowly dip your face into the bowl of ice water. Keep your face in the water for about 10-30 seconds. Repeat this two to three times.
- Apply moisturizer: After drying your face again, immediately apply your moisturizer and any serums you use. This helps keep your skin from drying out, which can lead to irritation and flakiness.
Doing ice water facials over the long term can be risky, potentially causing headaches and skin issues like irritation, itchiness, and dryness. They can also worsen existing skin conditions like eczema and rosacea, and cold urticaria (hives). Seek immediate medical attention if you experience severe symptoms of cold urticaria, such as swelling of the tongue, lips, or throat.
If you do try ice water facials, I recommend only doing them intermittently and in warmer months to avoid potential damage or dryness. As someone who has eczema and gets really flaky eyebrows, especially in the winter, I’d rather avoid stripping my face even more.
