Why freezing your face can be great for your skin

It's cold outside, but, while freezing your bottom in near-zero temperatures might cause coughs, chapped lips and chilblains, the current frosty climate actually works wonders for your complexion.

Turns out, women have been deliberately freezing their faces for centuries - wise to the beautifying benefits of cruel climates, it's a traditional Ayurvedic concept - beloved for its ability to grant your skin an enviable 'je ne sais quoi'.

'Icing' (technically known as Cryotherapy) works wonders for dulled, lacklustre complexions. You know the pretty 'healthy' look your skin has after a brisk, bracing walk in wintertime? Well, you can mimic that poreless, carved marble-clarity (without risking a sniffle): all you need is ice cubes (and ten minutes).

By rapidly constricting blood vessels, 'icing' works to take down redness, minimise the visibility of pores, reduce inflammation (great if you're suffering breakouts), and instantly diminish puffiness (great if you've over-imbibed). It's the perfect quick-fix when you look a bit... 'meh' - instantly revitalising tired, fatigued faces. 

Think of it as the skin care equivalent of tight-lacing a corset. Everything will look a bit more firm and 'lifted', with far fewer unwanted bumps and bulges.

Simply take an ice cube from the freezer - your can use plain iced water, chamomile tea (great for soothing) - or try one of our super-charged options, brimming with sk-invigorating actives to recapture your skin's youthful glow ({Peter Thomas Roth} has tapped into the Cryotherapy 'thing'). 

After cleansing/showering/steaming... whatever constitutes your usual morning-time skin care routine - place an ice cube in a muslin cloth and simply sweep all over your complexion, paying attention to any areas that need a little extra 'help' (this works wonders for bags and dark circles).

Finish with a toning spritz, then once your face is almost dry, apply your serum/day cream/sun cream as you would usually. You should find that your products seem to absorb much more readily, and that your make up glides on seamlessly (that's if you still need it!).

S.O.S. for skin in crisis, this is the simplest way to look well-rested in mere moments. Just be careful - if you're susceptible to broken capillaries, the rapid vasoconstriction can contribute to thread veins if you're 'icing' too regularly. This is best reserved for mornings-after-the-night-before, or special occasions when you need to look fabulous, fast!