Splashing cold water on your face is a tried and true way to wake yourself up and give your skin a fresh, flushed look. You can take those effects a step further by using a cooling device called an ice roller on your face. These handheld gadgets combine gentle pressure and cooling sensations to reduce puffiness, shrink pores, and give skin a quick boost.
How to Ice Roll Your Face
Ice rolling may sound like some kind of polar bear plunge, but it’s nothing that dramatic. An ice roller is a device with a handle and rolling cylinder. You can store it in the fridge or freezer to cool the surface of the roller and apply it to your face as part of your skincare routine.
Experts suggest passing the roller over your face from the center outward and upward. Don’t leave the roller in one spot for too long, as that can irritate the skin. Use gentle pressure on most of the face. If you’re using it around your eyes, use as little pressure as possible.1
How Does Ice Rolling Help Your Face?
There isn’t any research on ice as a skincare treatment, but there are known general benefits to using ice or cold therapy techniques. You can see many of the same benefits of ice rolling your face.
- Anti-inflammatory benefits: Icing is a go-to treatment for swelling after an injury. Cold can reduce bags under the eyes in the same way it takes down mild swelling from a bump or bruise.
- Lymphatic drainage: Cold can stimulate the lymphatic system, encouraging your body to flush out waste. This can reduce puffiness in your face.2
- Improvement of acne: Ice may not be able to cure acne, but it can soothe angry pimples. Applying cold to breakouts can reduce redness and pain.
- Shrinking of pores: Cold can’t shrink pores forever, but it can encourage them to contract temporarily. An ice roller can tighten up pores, masking skin and making it look smoother and clearer.3
Ice rollers can’t replace a smart skincare routine. You should continue to use products that address any skin concerns you have, and don’t skip the sunscreen, even if your face feels fresh and cool.
If you have questions about whether using an ice roller is safe for your skin, talk to your dermatologist. They can answer all your questions about ice rollers.
SOURCES:
- New Beauty: “Ice Roller Benefits: Everything to Know About Ice Rolling, the Celebrity Beauty Hack That Works.”
- Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine: “The influence of cold and compression on lymph flow at the ankle.“
- Verywell Health: “How to Shrink Pores: Which Methods Work—and Which Ones Don’t.“
