Hands up if you have woken up with a puffy face or if, at the slightest whiff of salt, your body is screaming at you to stop. Unfortunately for most of us, it’s likely to be water retention, unless you have allergies or a medical condition – in which case, please seek guidance from a doctor. That irritating bloat or puffiness is often triggered by food, alcohol, allergies, late nights and can also be a symptom of PMS.
While experts recommend treatments like lymphatic drainage, when it comes to quick at-home remedies to treat your puffy, bloated face (if it’s not a serious medical condition), cryotherapy beauty tools simulate the same process. A step up from your usual jade roller or gua sha stone, there are ice rollers, cryo orbs, ice globes, frozen masks and gels that can soothe your skin all from the comfort of your own home. Effectively a luxury version of a cold compress, the cool temperatures of the cryotherapy facial tools can help de-puff you. Just ask Lady Gaga or Victora Beckham.
Cryotherapy treatments can have benefits for a wide range of medical conditions including: rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, muscle and ligament strains, back and neck pain, as well as possible relief from inflammation of the skin such as eczema and psoriasis, according to 111SKIN.
According to Healthline 'the intense cold causes your blood vessels to contract and your pores to tighten [which results in] an increase in the flow of blood and oxygen to the face, which can make skin glowy and more vibrant.'
A 111SKIN cryotherapy facial, where electronically cooled purified air at minus 30 degrees is blasted on your skin, claims to increase microcirculation, reduce inflammation, oxygenate and detoxify, reduce overproduction of oil and harmful bacteria, lift and firm by improving muscular tone, improve epidermal firmness and reduces open pores, as well as promoting collagen and elastin production.
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Natalie Corner, Grazia’s commercial deputy editor, tested out 111SKIN’s Whole Body Cryotherapy treatment at its Harvey Nichols London location to test out the effects. It is a gas-free cryotherapy chamber that uses extremely low temperatures (minus 80 degrees to be exact), inciting vasoconstriction and leading to a vast array of physical and mental benefits.
'After changing into 111SKIN’s own sports bra, shorts, padded slippers, ski gloves, donning a face mask and wrapping up my ears in a headband, I hopped into the chamber after direction from Isaac, 111SKIN’s host. He explained that I’d spend three minutes (almost the length of the Beyonce song I’d chosen to listen to) standing in the chamber with the freezing air blasting my skin.
 'This was much better than my attempts at standing under a cold shower in the morning as I didn’t have to contend with water, instead the blasts of cold air was invigorating. I even practised my Wim Hof breathing method taking shallow breaths to manage the biting temperature that hit the back of my throat, then exhaling and keeping my lungs as empty as possible. Once you manage your breathing, the chamber really wakes you up! I could get used to a session every week.'
If you haven't got the time for a weekly cryotherapy session, why not see which tools can help you replicate that freezing sensation at home...
Charlotte Tilbury's Cryo-Recovery Face Mask is made from a flexible, skin-cushioning silicone that is reusable and easy to clean. All you have to do is pop it in the freezer (or fridge) for 30 minutes before use and then after applying a serum, like the Magic Elixir Crystal Elixir, place the mask on your face for 10 minutes. You can also massage the metal nodules on the mask on your pressure points for extra relaxation.
Review: 'Really enjoy using this mask as I have a tendency to puffiness in the mornings. After cleansing I add a serum then put the mask on for 10 minutes, on removing my skin feels fresh and firmer with all trace of the serum absorbed. My only criticism would be that it doesn’t fit properly on my jaw line.'
The benefits of cryotherapy on both the body and mind are two-fold – skin is near instantly calmed and de-puffed while your mind feels revitalised. Pop these in the freezer and run them over the contours of the face for a fresh, post-yoga glow. The large orb is also available for £36.
Review: 'Very pleased with this roller. Well made and does the job as described. Bought the mini roller which is plenty big enough for the whole face. Recommended to people who need a little de puff action in the mornings.'
Another favourite of Jennifer Aniston and loved by Gigi Hadid, the 001 London CRYOpress roller recreates salon-standard cryotherapy ice facials in the comfort of your own home. The roller is sustained at a temperature of -8 degrees to 2.5 degrees aiming to naturally boost circulation, soothe inflammation and promote lymphatic drainage to improve your skin's condition.
Review: 'I love this! I have sensitive skin which can often feel sore but using the Cryopress with the Alpha Serum made it feel so much better. I was worried the roller would get warm after a few rolls but it stayed nice and cold for the full treatment and more besides. It’s really easy to use and feels gorgeous.'
Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga and Victoria Beckham's choice of pre-carpet prep, this 111SKIN Sub-Zero De-Puffing Energy Facial Mask is inspired by the science behind cryotherapy, and like cold on the skin, effectively de-puffs your morning face. So if you've had a bad night's sleep, feel overheated or just want an overall de-puffing, this will help soothe your skin. Hannah Banks-Walker, Grazia's head of fashion commerce says: 'I can't get enough of these skin-saviours. Over the winter, I amassed a stack of them so that I could use them at least twice at week or just when I felt like my face needed some TLC. I've nearly finished said stack now, which is alarming because I just don't want to be without them. They're that good.'
Skin Proud's Frozen Over is a viral fave with over three million views to date on TikTok, thanks to its innovative cooling properties that hydrate, calm and soften skin like no other. It is infused with anti-inflammatory aloe vera extract to calm, soften and hydrate skin and enriched with hyaluronic acid to provide intense hydration and lock-in moisture for a plumped appearance.
Natalie Corner, Grazia's commercial deputy editor says: 'I was honestly not expecting this to be as soothing and refreshing as it turned out to be. It's a small tub of clear gel that you pop in the freezer for 2-3 hours and turns into ice-like crystals that you rub and melts on your face. Absolutely ideal to cool down in the recent hot weather and works just as well in the gel form.'
You don't always need to splash out when it comes to testing out new beauty tools. This Latme ice roller is available on Amazon and with over 3,000 reviews with an average 4.5 out of 5 stars it's worth checking out for £12.99. As well as revitalising the face you can also use the ice roller for on the spot relief from migraine, muscle pain, tension or minor injury.
Review: 'I bought this as I wanted something ice cold to put on my face. I was not disappointed not only does it help my skin and my pores it helps with lymphatic and circulation. It also helps my anxiety as it is now got me in a routine where I can relax while using this.'
A cult skincare brand, Dr Jart+ pairs Korean skincare technology with clever design. The brand is famous for its rubber masks, including the Cryo Rubber with Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid mask which is designed to flood your skin with hydration. The two-step mask sets contain an ampoule of serum that is applied to the skin with the mask placed on top, for a better cooling experience place both steps in the fridge beforehand.
Natalie says: 'The best thing about this mask is how utterly bonkers you look wearing it, but at least you're the only one to see it. Putting it in the fridge beforehand was a godsend in the hot weather recently and really helped to cool my puffy face down. It did slip around a bit thanks to the generous amount of serum, but as long as you lie still and relax it is a nice soothing treat.'
These ice globes come in three glitter bomb colours, Pink, Gold and Arctic Blue and couldn't look more exciting if they tried. Put them in either the fridge or freezer, depending on how cold you want them and then start to roll over sections of the face in circular motions following our helpful tips below. Fraîcheur Paris recommend 10-15 minutes daily to see the benefits of brightened skin, tightened and fine lines softened.
Review: 'Absolutely love these ice globes. They feel so good on my face and these are just what I need during allergy season, when my face gets swollen and so sore from sinus pressure. This is exactly what I’ve needed for years.'
Slightly different to the ice globes, these cooling sticks are made from medical grade stainless steel filled with cooling liquid for an extra blast of cold on your skin. The unique shape of the sticks, one side flat and one side curved, makes it easier to massage your eye area as well as other parts of your face.
Review: 'A little pricey but the product itself feels substantial and well-made. The tools contour perfectly to the face and don’t create friction or drag the skin. I would recommend these cryo tools, they would make a lovely gift.'
A bargain at under £10 this gel mask is useful for various purposes – to cool a tired face or sore puffy eyes, provide migraine relief, soothe eczema or rosacea, and can actually be used either cool or warm.
Review: 'This is such an amazing product that I have already recommended to lots of friends. It took me years to find something that gets rid of migraines, but here it is. The smaller ones are good but this one really takes the biscuit, just as long as you can deal with looking like an avatar! It's well worth it – I'm going to be ordering another soon for my husband as mine keeps mysteriously disappearing from the fridge.'
If you're a fan of using facial tools then a simple rose quartz roller and gua sha popped in the fridge will work just as well as a cryotherapy tool. Using the massage techniques combine with the stone rollers will help to reduce morning puffiness and get the skin refreshed.
Review: 'Honestly this is THE most delicious item I have ever purchased for myself. It just feels so soothing on my face and literally melts the stress from my temples. I purchased a vitamin C face serum and I use my roller to gently massage the serum in. I am 59 and gently aged but in as little as a couple of days, I noticed a lovely difference in my skin. Tighter, softer and smoother.'
If you want to level up from rubbing ice cubes on your face, which does work a treat, try out the above products. And if you’ve ever had a facial or massage these DIY tips from Claire Williams, founder of Wow Facial, will help you to emulate lymphatic drainage with tools or your hands on your face during your self-care session.
• Start by taking your thumb and forefinger of both hands and lightly grab the sides of your chin and jawline, then in long sweeping strokes slide them up towards your lymph glands repeat this about 20 times. This is great at lifting the lower face too.
• Next, do long sweeping strokes down from the glands towards your collar bone. This aids the flow of the lymph towards the heart. Again repeat 20 times.
READ MORE: Everything You Need To Know About Lymphatic Drainage
• Next, place the index and middle finger together and place them on your cheeks. Make sure you have made contact with the gland that sits just under the cheek. You should be able to feel a sensitive area. Stoke out and upwards towards the lower temple and repeat about 20 times.
• Move up towards the eyebrows and starting from the centre of your brows with your 2 fingers add slight pressure and stroke outwards towards your temples. Repeat 10-20 times.
• For the under-eye area, you’ll need to take care as we do not want to drag the skin here as it’s very delicate, so using your middle fingers add a little more oil or your favourite eye cream to aid the slip and go from the corner of your eye and out all the way to the temple in one long sweep but with gentle pressure. Only repeat this 5-10 times so you don’t damage the delicate eye area.
• We now need to move the lymph we have massaged out towards the temples and we do this with your 2 fingers, add slight pressure and stroke down towards your glands under the jawline. Again repeat 20 times.
• To finalise the drainage repeat the first step again of massaging along the jawline then doing long sweeping strokes down towards your collar bone.
The main function of keeping your beauty tools and products cold is to help with de-puffing. So your ice rollers, jade rollers and any masks that require refrigeration will work best when chilled.
Products like facial mists, gel and serums don't have to be in the fridge, but during the summer months, it certainly helps soothe puffy, blotchy hot skin. Although not a necessity, a beauty fridge will help you organise your tools and products, especially if you don't have space in your own fridge or freezer.
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