It can seem impossible to get rid of puffy eyes and dark circles for those of us who struggle with them. Hydrating creams and lifestyle changes can help, but rubbing ice under eyes to de-puff and glow is an effective quick fix!
We believe the best things in life are free. Skincare companies scoff at that notion, with most of the greatest products setting you back a cool $50 to $150 at Sephora or other specialty skincare stores.
While we can't deny that many of those products do work – they're backed by well-researched scientists who are intensely focused on skincare science – we're talking today about one skincare product that will cost you nothing: water.
You can use ice to chill down the puffy eyes or unsightly dark circles that plague so many of us. The chilling effect of ice causes blood vessels around the eyes to constrict, reducing swelling and improving overall blood flow, both of which help our eyes shine bright.
Learn more about why this simple ice beauty tool works wonders to give under eyes a quick boost, and how regular use can help to prevent this problem in the first place.
Think of it: You have an at-home ice facial right at your fingertips!
Are Ice Cubes Good for Your Eyes?
Ice cubes aren't just great for injuries – they also provide many benefits when used regularly around your eye area. Icing your face helps to improve blood flow and keeps your skin looking and feeling healthy.
Blood is a detoxifier for our skin, as it moves to bring antioxidants through the body and flushes away toxins so our organs can break them down. If the blood vessels near your skin are weak, they're not working optimally to detoxify your skin.
By using ice to strengthen these blood vessels, your skin will receive more nutrients, detoxify, and look healthy and glowing.
The Benefits of Ice on Face
Puffy Eyes
Puffy eyes are caused by several factors, like fluid retention, lack of sleep, allergies, smoking, and genetics. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
Although you can't control which genes you have, you can reduce puffy eyes by drinking lots of water, getting adequate sleep, cutting down on salt and alcohol intake, and keeping allergies at bay.
You can also use ice to reduce your puffy under eyes. Ice slows blood flow to the region, which instantly reduces some swelling (a form of inflammation).
Dark Circles
Dark circles are another thing we can inherit from our parents. Fatigue, aging, eye strain, allergies, and dehydration are a few other causes of these pesky circles.
To reduce your dark circles, keep your body adequately hydrated and get ample sleep. Sleeping on your back with your head on an elevated pillow can help drainage and blood flow during the night.
Rubbing ice on face, especially the under eye, will help improve facial blood flow. Ice can also shrink dilated blood vessels to improve discoloration. These vessels are so close to the surface of our thin, delicate eye skin that improving the vessels will immediately enhance the color of your under eyes.
Eye Pain
If you're experiencing eye pain, ice can reduce inflammation and provide some pain relief.
Eye pain is not an everyday experience and can be a sign of a potential underlying issue. If you're experiencing eye pain, head to an eye doctor for a professional diagnosis.
How to Use Ice on Eyes
You can use ice on your under eyes before a big event for an immediate boost – or use it daily to gradually improve your skin and blood vessels and prevent puffiness and dark circles from happening in the first place!
Perform this ice facial once daily to reap all of the benefits of this chilly beauty secret.
Choosing the right ice cubes
Your face is full of pores, which can pick up bacteria and become clogged quite quickly. We don't want our ice facials to cause breakouts or infect acne and open wounds, so it’s a good idea to use filtered water for your facial ice cubes.
Regular ice cube trays will make ice that's full of cloudy impurities. These impurities can make their way onto your sensitive under-eye skin. Use aclear ice maker to make crystal clear ice that's purified as it freezes using the directional freezing technique.
Use a dedicated ice maker for your ice facials only. Wash the maker after every use with hot, soapy water to kill harmful bacteria.
Green Tea and Caffeinated Cubes
Caffeine helps restrict blood vessels, which are the main culprits behind puffy under eyes and dark circles.
Freezing a caffeinated beverage in your ice maker will double down on the vessel constricting effects of caffeine and ice.
We love to use green or black tea over coffee, as tea contains other ingredients that help your under eye area. The antioxidants – mainly flavonoids and tannins in tea – have an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin, tightening and further drawing out the fluid.
Helping product absorption
We usually perform our ice facials before putting on our face cream, but you can also use ice cubes to help your skin absorb your favorite skincare product.
Ice makes blood vessels constrict, which is what helps de-puff and brighten under eye circles. This constricting also creates a pulling movement within the skin, which helps pull products into pores and provides better product absorption.
Protecting your skin
Ice burns are a form of skin damage that happens when our skin is exposed to ice for too long.
To avoid burning your skin with an ice facial, don't place ice directly on skin. Our instructions below call for a thin muslin cloth to be placed around the ice. That way, you'll still reap the ice facial benefits without the harsh effects of the ice.
It would be best if you also kept a close watch on the time while you're performing an ice facial on yourself. Keep the ice moving, and don't leave the ice on your skin for any longer than 20 minutes. Our ice facials usually take 5-10 minutes, tops.
How-To Guide: A Step-by-Step At-Home Ice Facial
- Wash your face in warm water with your usual facial cleanser. Pat dry with a clean, dry towel.
- Remove your ice cube from the ice maker. Wrap the cube in a clean, dry cloth. We like thin muslin, which allows the cool water to come through quickly.
- Start rubbing your face from the outside in with the ice. Gently massage the wrapped ice cube in small circles on the chin, cheeks, and forehead.
- Move inward until you reach the eye area with the ice cube. Eyebrows can be rubbed with a swiping, outward motion.
- Move to the under eye area. Use a very gentle and light touch on this extra-sensitive area. Applying too much pressure can cause premature wrinkling.
- Softly move the ice from the inside corner of the eye, sweeping out and up.
- Repeat as desired, for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the ice from the skin and dry face with a clean, dry cloth.
- Follow up with toner, eye cream, and facial moisturizer of your choice.
Final Word: Ice Eyes to De-Puff
Icing your eyes is a great way to reduce puffiness and brighten up this uber-sensitive skin on your face.
Keep the blood flow healthy by performing this quick ice facial daily – and remember:
- Wrap your ice and track the time for your facial to avoid painful ice burns.
- Instead of water, freeze brewed black or green tea for an extra boost of antioxidants and skin-tightening ingredients.
- Try rubbing ice after skincare product application to increase the product's absorption into your skin.
- Ensure you're drinking enough water and getting ample sleep to prevent under eye issues.
That’s all it takes to keep your eyes looking younger and feeling healthier! Incorporate a short, 5 or 10-minute ice facial into your morning or nighttime routine daily, and you're sure to start seeing results almost immediately!