Skin Care Can Be Cool… Literally
Many of us still feel a little psychologically traumatized by our acne-prone adolescence. Pimples can bring about feelings of insecurity and alienation, even though they happen to everyone. However, skin care can actually be cool… literally.
If you want to try an effective regimen of products, you might want to swing open the door to your freezer, before you head off down the ever-expanding aisle of products in your local pharmacy. According to Statista, a business data platform, acne treatment was a $4.92 billion USD industry in 2016! And by 2025, its value is expected to increase to $7.35 billion USD. That’s great for those businesses. But for us consumers, it’s hard to stay chill as the receipts pile up.
There’s another way!
These simple tricks will make your skin glow and help you to feel fresh and beautiful.
- Ice, Ice, Baby
Makeup artists and facialists agree that ice cubes are a great remedy for eyebags and dull skin.
Are you dealing with jetlag? An early or late shift? Stress and deadlines? And you still want to look stunning? But of course! Ice cubes will be your hero and your best friend. (Until they melt and die.)
If you want to refresh and brighten your skin, just gently massage your face with an ice cube. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, ice can decrease swelling and inflammation and help to soothe pain.
If you try this trick, you’ll be in good company. To prevent morning puffiness, Kate Moss submerges her face in icy water. Lady Gaga takes rejuvenating ice baths after her intense and tiring concerts.
You can find some stunning photos of both Moss and Gaga on the internet and there’s a reason for that. When you massage your face with an ice cube regularly, it helps to reduce the size of your pores and makes you look phenomenal.
- Try Specialty Ice, with Aloe and Turmeric
For clearer and fresher skin, you may also want to change things up by trying aloe vera and turmeric ice cubes. What goes in them and why does it matter? There’s actually some interesting history here…
Aloe vera is a natural skin moisturizer and hydration source for dry skin that can also make it cleaner and clearer.
Kim Chang, an aesthetician with the Baylor Aesthetics Studio, told Baylor College of Medicine that aloe vera contains antioxidants and enzymes, as well as vitamins A and C. On top of that, it’s highly anti-inflammatory. Chang added that aloe vera can help with acne and dry skin.
Turmeric has quite the reputation, as well. People from different cultures around the world have come to think of turmeric as a skin brightener that also helps with acne spots.
According to a scientific article by Sahdeo Prasad and Bharat B. Aggarwal that appeared in the book “Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects,” many South Asian countries use turmeric as an antiseptic. In some parts of India and Pakistan, turmeric paste is actually an important part of wedding rituals. The paste, known as “haldi,” is applied to the face and hands of both the bride and groom before their nuptials.According to Food New Delhi Television, this paste is used to purify and cleanse the body and to ward off evil. Some Indians believe that haldi will save the bride and the groom from any bad omens that might otherwise affect them before the big day. Haldi also acts as a form of blessing, for a strong and lasting relationship, and it has an aesthetic effect by removing dead skin cells in order to create a youthful and rejuvenated look.
Aloe vera and turmeric have a rich cultural history. Bring these two traditional ingredients together and you might get a little skin care magic.
On Little DIY, a website that provides hair and skin care tips, you can find a recipe for aloe vera & turmeric ice cubes:
½ cup organic aloe vera gel
½ cup water
1 teaspoon organic turmeric
In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup of aloe vera gel and ½ cup of filtered water. Mix well. Add in 1 teaspoon of organic turmeric powder. Stir vigorously so that the turmeric doesn’t lump together.
Pour the aloe turmeric mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight, or for 4-5 hours if you can’t wait to get going.
When it’s acne treatment time, clean your face, take out an ice cube, and rub it on your skin until it melts. Then, rinse everything off with plain water.
Pro tip: Don’t forget that turmeric can leave stains on your clothes. Wear something that you’re not totally in love with… maybe an old shirt that reminds you of an ex you now hate! 😉
- Make Your Own Ritual
As with all beauty regimens, this one takes a little commitment. It might be best to do this in the mornings, when it will also have the effect of helping you to wake up.
So, right after you open your eyes, open your freezer! The solution to your skin problems may be waiting for you there.
