13 Beauty Uses for Ice Cubes That Totally Work!

When temperatures outside get cooler, reaching for a bucket of ice might not be the first beauty trick that comes to mind. But incorporating ice into your skincare routine can actually be a great way to add an instant glow when winter skin dulls.

13 Beauty Uses for Ice

We already know that ice can work wonders on painful sunburns in the summer, but it can also treat puffy eyes and pesky zits and add radiance to skin year-round. There are so many hacks for using ice, including starting your day with lemon cubes. Here are 13 more refreshing ice cube beauty ideas!

1. Cucumber + Honey Cube Cleanser

For a glowing skin cleanser, try a frozen facial scrub. Cucumbers are naturally cooling and soothing to skin irritations [source] while they gently clean and moisturize the skin.

Start by pureeing a cucumber, then add a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of honey, pour into an ice tray and freeze. Before using, I like to let the cube sit for 30 seconds or so to soften slightly.

Gently rub the cube over your face and neck, using the icy slush to exfoliate. You can let the juice sit on your face for 5–10 minutes before rinsing.

2. Green Tea Puffy Eye Cubes

Green tea has become one of my facial favorites. With plenty of antioxidants [source] and a dose of caffeine, it's a perfect eye soother. You've probably heard of using old tea bags on your eyes, but I like the iced tea treatment even more.

Brew a cup of strong green tea (or even black tea) and pour it into an ice cube tray. Apply a cube to dark circles and puffy eyes, and the caffeine and ice combo will reduce swelling and excess fluid around the eyes.

3. Instant Ice Water Facial

I started doing this after Giada mentioned it in her book, Feel Good Food. She starts her day the same way every day: yoga, a glass of water with lemon, and a face dunk in ice water.

Trust me—it will definitely wake you up! Plus, the cold contracts the blood vessels and tightens everything right up, giving you an instant morning face-lift.

4. Shrink a Pimple

When you get a zit, try ice to reduce the pain and swelling. Apply an ice cube (in a plastic baggie, not directly to the skin) for 5 or minutes or so, and it will not only help the redness but also relieve the pain.

5. Icelandic anti-cellulite body treatment

This Icelandic technique for tackling cellulite on the body is so easy and virtually free. It’s based on the simple principle that increased blood flow helps muscles do their job of holding things up and removing toxic buildup.

It’s also great for general well-being. And unlike the Swedish equivalent of hopping in the sauna and rolling in the snow, this doesn’t require a bravery award and can be done at anytime of year.

—Plastic cup or ice pop mold
—1 cup water
—1 handful of rose petals or dried roses, optional
—Tea towel or similar towel

1. Pour the water in the plastic cup or ice pop mold. Place in freezer and wait until frozen solid.
2. Take the ice block out of the freezer and place on plate near shower.
3. Have a warm to hot shower.
4. Before drying off, pick up the ice block using the tea towel and massage the whole body with the ice block, concentrating on the lumpy bits.
5. Follow with a body moisturizer. This Caffeine Butter Bar will also help give cellulite the wriggle on.
6. Do this once a week for three months and once a month for maintenance after that.

6. Ice Cube Rosewater Facial

The same warm/cold combination can be done as part of a home facial to tone sagging skin. Rosewater may be the perfect cure for refreshing dry winter skin and beating the winter blues. Aside from its natural toning, relaxing, and anti-inflammatory properties [source], rosewater feels refreshing and downright glamorous. 

If you already have a bottle of rosewater in your medicine cabinet, you can simply pour it into an ice tray to freeze into cubes. If you don't have any on hand, making your own rosewater at home is also a really simple (and cost-effective) option.

—Plastic cup, ice pop mold or ice cube tray
—¼ cup of rosewater or water
—2 handfuls of rose petals or dried roses
—Heat-safe bowl
—Boiling water
—Towel

1. Pour the rosewater or water in the plastic cup, pop mold or ice cube tray. Place in freezer and wait until frozen solid.
2. Boil a kettle-full of water. Pour boiling water into a bowl with rose petals. Take rosewater ice block out of container and place on a plate next to bowl.
3. Hold face eight inches above the boiling water and cover the back of the head and bowl with the towel to trap the steam. Stay there for a minute.
4. Holding the rosewater ice block with the towel, massage the face and neck with the ice, avoiding the nose and upper cheeks.
5. Tone and moisturize as usual. This rosewater toner is a great follow-up option.

7. Use Ice as a Makeup Primer

Before applying makeup, rub an ice cube over your skin to tighten and shrink pores. Who knew a fast and free alternative to expensive primers was waiting in our freezers all along?

8. Pain-Free Eyebrow Tweezing (Almost)

Hate tweezing? Who doesn't? You can make it less painful by rubbing an ice cube over your brow before, during, and after tweezing. It will numb the skin slightly and reduce any redness and swelling.

9. Enhance Your Favorite Skincare Products

After applying serum or using your favorite face mask, run an ice cube over your skin. The ice will constrict capillaries and help to seal in your product, allowing its ingredients to penetrate deeper. 

10. Aloe Sun-Soother Cubes

We love aloe vera juice around here! For a simple sunburn soother, pour pure aloe vera into an ice cube tray and freeze. Apply to scorched skin for instant relief.

Even if you're not getting much sun this winter, these aloe cubes still come in handy to soothe irritated areas [source] and moisturize dehydrated winter skin.

11. Lavender Ice Face Massage

Facial massage is one of those things you do and always think, “I should definitely be doing this more often.” It feels so pampering and relaxing.

For an easy massage, wrap a handful of ice cubes in a bath rag, add a few drops of a soothing essential oil like lavender, and gently massage your face and neck before bed. The massage and ice will improve circulation and calm inflammation, and the lavender will help you get a good night’s sleep [source].

You can also make soothing lavender ice cubes to soothe skin itching and irritation. Just add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a cup of water and freeze, then rub on affected areas.

12. Beat Bloat with Pineapple

Pineapple is one of the greatest sources of bromelain which is a digestive enzyme that can help combat bloating and gas. Toss a few cubes into your water and sip away.

To make about 16 ice cubes, fill a traditional ice cube tray with 2 cups of fresh pineapple juice. I juiced 1 large pineapple, including the core. The core has the highest amount of bromelain. You can also use canned or frozen pineapple juice.

13. Freeze Your Face Mask

Homemade face masks are always a great part of a home facial or to use in between esthetician visits to prolong the benefits of a facial. But it can be tough to mix up just enough for one face mask—you want the benefits of using fresh ingredients, but if you make too much, what do you do with the leftovers? No one wants it to go to waste!

We have a solution that's nothing short of genius. Freezing small amounts for later use in an ice cube tray is a fantastic way to have a mask at hand any time you need one, and it will avoid wasting those precious ingredients.

This tropical enzyme-packed mask is great for aging skin, pigmentation problems, or overall exfoliation. Full of alpha hydroxy acids, vitamins A and C, and polyphenols, this mask will help dissolve dead skin cells while moisturizing the skin.

One ice cube is usually the perfect amount for a single mask. A bonus of making masks to use later is it will allow you the benefits of ingredients even when they're not in season.

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Papaya Mask for Aging Skin

This tropical enzyme-packed mask is great for aging skin, pigmentation problems, or overall exfoliation. Full of alpha hydroxy acids, vitamins A and C, and polyphenols, this mask will help dissolve dead skin cells while moisturizing the skin.

Author: Deborah Harju

Materials

• ½ fresh papaya peeled and seeded
• 1 cup pineapple
• 5 strawberries
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Ice cube tray

Instructions

• In a blender combine all ingredients and blend until pureed.
• There is usually enough water in the fruit to puree well, but if you need to add a little water to blend it smoothly, go ahead.
• Pour into ice cube trays whatever does not get used immediately and freeze for a later date.
• Whenever you would like a mask, pop out a cube and defrost by placing in a bowl and leaving it on the counter until soft.
• You can mash with a fork as it softens and then apply with fingertips, avoiding the eye area. Leave on for 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water, follow with moisturizer.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician who has been practicing for more than 20 years. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.