We recently launched Le Glaçon, an ice roller for your face. Ice rollers are everywhere at the moment (see all of those Vogue celebrity get ready with me videos), but what does ice rolling do? They’re great at reducing puffiness, inflammation and redness in the skin but the benefits are many.
How do ice rollers work?
Ice rollers work by using a skin-specific wheel to roll out your skin in a style that’s similar to facial massage which has been around for ages (think gua sha). Ice rollers combine the principles of cold therapy and facial massage to deliver a range of benefits to the skin. A face roller consists of a roller head (ours is stainless steel) that can hold a cold temperature and a handle for easy maneuvering across the face. When rolled across the skin, the cold temperature of the ice roller causes blood vessels to constrict which can reduce puffiness, redness and inflammation. Simultaneously, the rolling action supports lymphatic drainage and stimulates circulation. The benefits are both immediate and also support your skin health with long-term use.
What are the benefits of ice rolling your face?
Designed to be chilled, these simple hand-held tools are best known for their ability to quickly de-puff and soothe a tired complexion, but the benefits go beyond just waking up your face.
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Reduce Puffiness and Define Facial Features
The cold temperature of an ice roller reduces any swelling in the face which happens when the cold roller meets warm skin, causing blood vessels to constrict. This is great for puffy eyes. That, paired with its ability to remove excess fluid, can help to define facial features, creating a more sculpted (or “snatched”) look to your face.
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Improved Circulation
Applying a super cold ice roller to the skin fresh from the freezer helps to boost circulation, which in turns bring blood to the surface of the skin, stimulating a natural glow. The increase blood flow helps flush away toxins and brings more oxygen and nutrients to the skin, improving overall skin health.
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Reduced Inflammation, Irritation and Redness
Ice rolling can also help soothe redness, irritation and inflammation from factors like sun damage and acne - although it’s super important not to roll if you have an active breakout as you don’t want the roller to push bacteria around the face. And remember to apply light pressure when you’re rolling, not pressing the roller into the skin.
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Tighter Skin and Reduced Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Facial massage has shown great benefits for helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles with consistency over time, and an ice roller for the face is a form of facial massage. It also has an immediate tightening effect which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles more immediately, although this is temporary. Anything cryo is anti-inflammatory, meaning it will slow the effects of aging, speed up healing and can stimulate collagen production, especially when paired with La Crème after rolling.
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Improved Lymphatic Drainage
Just as jade rollers and gua sha help to increase lymphatic drainage in the face, an ice roller works the same way, just at a colder temperature. It’s important to work towards the outer edges of the face, in an upwards motion, to allow your body to flush toxins properly.
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Better Product Absorption
While an ice roller is meant to be used on its own, without any product necessary, it will help the absorption of the products you apply once you finish rolling. We recommend starting your routine with a gentle cleanse with Le Cleanser or La Micellaire, using your ice roller, and then finishing with La Crème.
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Sooth Muscle Tension and Headaches
What does an ice roller do for sore muscles and headaches? Anywhere you’re feeling any tension pain, just roll it out with your ice roller to soothe and relax the muscles. Those that suffer from migraines rave about the benefits for ice rolling.
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Soothes Skin Post Hair Removal
Using an ice roller after hair remove can help soothe skin and reduce redness and irritation, it can also help prevent ingrown hairs given that it helps to calm the skin and reduce inflammation.
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Self Care
Using an ice roller at home is also a welcome moment of self care. It can be a great way to de-stress and unwind. The cooling sensation combined with the gentle massage of the ice roller can help you to relax and feel rejuvenated, especially when paired with a simple skincare routine. We recommend using Le Cleanser or La Micellaire first to remove any dirt, make up and excess oil, and finishing with La Crème.
In addition to all of the amazing skincare benefits of a face ice roller, we love them for a few other, more practical reasons:
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They’re affordable
Considering the plethora of benefits, most ice rollers are relatively affordable and don’t run the risk of expiring like expensive skincare, or have the cost of more tech-forward tools.
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They’re portable
It’s super easy to travel with an ice roller - you just need to pop into a fridge (a hotel mini fridge will do) for it to cool and be ready to use.
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They’re long lasting
Unlike tools that are made out of stone that can break more easily, ice rollers are durable and meant to last without any real repair or complicated maintenance, which also supports sustainability. If you’re going to buy a tool, it’s important to buy one that will last and won’t need replacing.
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They’re great for self care
Sometimes all you need is a few minutes with a tool like a face roller to feel awake, revitalized and re-energized.
While they are certainly a bit of a beauty trend, it’s no surprise that a simple tool with this many benefits has quickly found its way into so many freezers. It’s a much welcome, super simple step to add effortless into any skincare routine.