A Literal Chill Pill for Your Skin
ON THE ROCKS
As devoted fans of multi-step skincare rituals, it might surprise you that we’re also all about a quick-fix—the simpler the better—as long as it actually works. So, when our star esthetician, Yolanda Porrata, casually mentioned the transformative ice cube treatment that calms, sculpts and refines, we could barely keep our cool.
“”
It almost looks like your pores evaporate.
The treatment was really born out of more of an acne protocol, she says, as ice can kill bacteria in the skin. When dealing with a lot of inflamed acne, estheticians will often recommend icing pimples to instantly bring down inflammation and increase circulation. However, it also addresses puffiness and stagnation, making it an excellent post-party treatment. (Kate Moss and Paul Newman are both known to be devotees of ice regimens.) Not only that, but it works as a prepper, as well–tightening and sculpting the skin so that you have a smooth, buildable surface for makeup.
Acne + Inflammation
Puffiness + Stagnation
Sculpting + Prepping
So, yeah, ice is basically magic. But before you get started, a warning: it's essential that you properly prepare your skin to receive the ice, as it's possible to give yourself frostbite, which is not a good look. Also, if you have very sensitive skin (like extreme rosacea), tread carefully. Yolanda says those with sensitized skin can perform an ice treatment, but it's best to do so over a mask, as you'll need more of a buffer.
STEP BY STEP
1. Prep
“It is kind of messy, so I do it while in the bath because my body is warm and I’m already wet,” she says. Start your bath prep and bring in a small dish with your cubes.
2. Cleanse
At night, this is an incredible substitute for the cold splash step of the 4-2-4 Method. But if you're icing in the morning, quickly cleanse your skin with Treate first.
3. Oil
Massage a layer of Pur oil into your skin. Its clearing and balancing qualities complement the soothing effects of the ice.
4. Botanical Water
Press in a layer of Régénerant for an extra bit of cushion and slip. (You want to be able to move the cubes over your skin easily.) It's also a natural humectant and helps to drastically plump the skin.
5. Ice
Yolanda first wets the ice to soften rough edges and notes that some people prefer to hold it in a piece of gauze. Begin moving the ice over your face in a slow, steady rhythm, making sure you don't linger in one place. Think of this more as a light, sweeping motion than a massage—you don't need to apply much pressure to move the lymph. Begin from the center of the face and move outwards, following the classic lymphatic pathways to flush out edema and any congestion of blood, toxins, and lymph.
6. Layer
Yolanda insists that a layer of Fleur Vibrante Serum Cerate is essential as it provides additional anti-inflammatory benefits while calming and protecting. Next, she adds a layer of Crème de Fleur to firm and moisturize, and finishes with Fleur Vibrante Balm to seal, protect, and highlight.
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