CRYO BEAUTY: 10 best cryo beauty tools and skincare to soothe and de-puff heat-stressed skin
While the term ‘cryotherapy’ may sound a little high-tech and intimidating, its meaning is actually very simple. Also known as cold therapy or ‘skin icing’, it is the centuries-old practice of using coldness on the skin to work myriad wonders, from toning and tightening to de-puffing and even helping with skincare absorption. And now, thanks to a host of clever new innovations in at-home cryotherapy, you no longer have to book a professional facial to achieve the results yourself. Read on to find out about the best ice globes, cryotherapy tools and cryo beauty products to add to your everyday regime.
Facial cryotherapy tools can transform the skin in a matter of minutes, boosting the blood supply to give you a healthy glow, constricting blood vessels to even out your complexion and reduce under-eye circles, and tightening pores to give a more sculpted appearance. Most effective first thing in the morning, just five to 10 minutes using an ice globe or cryo roller can minimise puffiness and help your skin absorb products more effectively.
However, if not used properly, cryo beauty tools can actually damage the skin, causing ice burns or broken capillaries. Experts recommend using rollers and massagers no more than two to three times a week and warn that those with skin types prone to broken veins should be extra cautious. Always use an oil, serum or moisturiser before applying a cryo tool – this acts as a lubricant for more effective massaging – and never linger on one area for too long, as this could cause skin injuries. Once you’ve got the hang of it, though, you’ll wonder how you ever did without these miraculous tools in your beauty routine. Here’s our edit of the best at-home cryotherapy products to invest in now.
The Hero Skincare Range
The Regenerative collection from 111Skin is perfect for anyone new to cryo beauty who wants to dip a toe in its icy waters. Their hugely popular Sub-Zero De-Puffing Energy Facial Mask is one of their bestselling products, beloved for its anti-inflammatory properties and the fact that it can energise even the most lacklustre skin. Beauty Editors also love the two-step Eye Duo system, which combines a serum to improve eye drainage with a nourishing cream to strengthen the damage-prone under eye area, and the Cryo ATP Sports Booster, which mimics the effect of extreme cold on the skin. ATP is a form of natural cellular energy that encourages more oxygen for optimised cell function. Just a few drops will leave your skin tightened, toned and reinvigorated.
The Celebrity Favourite
A five to 15 minute massage once a week with the cryotherapy Ice Facial Massager by 001 gives such an instant glow that Jennifer Aniston, Bella Hadid and Lily Allen are all said to be fans. Inspired by clinical cryotherapy, the cooling rolling motion of the tool promises to boost blood circulation and deliver oxygen to the skin’s surface, while also minimising pore size and reducing muscle tension. Keep it in the freezer to ensure the temperature stays between -8 and -25 degrees Celsius and use it in an upwards motion to ‘lift’ the face or downwards to detox the skin.
The Original Ice Globes
These antifreeze-filled glass rollers come up again and again as a cryo beauty tool favourite among experts due to their de-puffing and cooling properties. While the shape of a lot of cryotherapy devices means they’re not friendly to all areas of the face, these ergonomic ice globes are the perfect size to work well all over. Keep them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before using and apply a little oil or serum to your face before rolling them over your brows, working upwards from the middle to your hairline and around the rest of your face with slow, circular motions. Designed to support lymphatic drainage, you’ll immediately notice reduced puffiness and tighter, firmer skin afterwards.
The Multitasking Mask
The flexible design of this silicone mask has been developed to combine the benefits of acupressure on specific facial pressure points – thanks to small cooling metal beads embedded within the mask – with those of cryotherapy. Designed to target specific problem areas, the gel bead pockets help lift and smooth the chin, jawline, forehead, cheekbone and nasolabial lines. Simply pop it in the freezer for half an hour before use, and this reusable mask will have you looking refreshed and contoured in ten minutes.
The Trending Treatment
These innovative masks from K-beauty favourite Dr.Jart+ work in conjunction with ampules of gel-like serum, one filled with a highly concentrated hyaluronic acid to intensely hydrate, the other filled with an allantoin complex to soothe and cool. Once the serum has been applied, the mask – developed with special patented cooling technology from Korea – locks the serum in place and helps the skin absorb its ingredients.
The Turbo-Charged Ice Cubes
An upgrade on the humble ice cube, the Express Radiance Ice Cubes – formulated to be kept in the freezer – are infused with mineral-rich marine spring water, red seaweed, and evening primrose oil, which each bring their revitalising, brightening, hydrating and firming benefits to a facial icing session. Extra ingredients include wild indigo extract to stimulate the release of endorphins and lysine to tone and help diminish fine lines and wrinkles.
The Viral Skincare Sensation
This clever moisturiser became a cryo beauty must-have last year after going viral on TikTok. It can be used in two ways: either as a room temperature gel or straight from the freezer, where it takes on a sorbet-like consistency, enhancing its instantly cooling and de-puffing cryo credentials. Enriched with hyaluronic acid to deliver a powerful hit of moisture, it’s also infused with anti-inflammatory aloe vera and lemon to help with brightness and pigmentation.
The On-The-Go Cryo Saviour
This make-up bag must-have is a cheat dose of cold therapy for when you don’t have a fridge to hand. Formulated with caffeine to energise the skin cells and natural sea water to soothe and hydrate, this clever balm mimics the effects of cryotherapy by boosting micro-circulation, giving the skin an instantly refreshed appearance.
The Hollywood Go-To
LA-based Nurse Jamie is the skincare expert of choice for many of Hollywood’s most famous faces (the Kardashian clan are all regulars at her Santa Monica clinic), and her popular range of tools brings her experience working on A-listers’ skin straight into your home. These massaging orbs come in two sizes – ‘large’ and ‘mini’ – and are made from stainless steel, which increases localised blood circulation to improve the overall appearance, quality and tone of your skin.
The Post-Treatment Saviour
Crafted from medical grade stainless steel, these ergonomically designed ice sticks are a firm cryo beauty favourite with top make-up artists, who use them to prep and de-puff the skin before shoots and shows. Filled with cooling liquid, they glide seamlessly over the skin, instantly calming redness, restoring firmness and flushing out toxins. Experts particularly recommend using them after certain cosmetic procedures, including microneedling, skin peels and laser treatments, for their ability to calm and soothe the skin.
