Ice rolling – yes, it’s a thing and I’m all in! I have found that the biggest benefit to ice rolling my face is that it immediately de-puffs and wakes me up. Will I keep it a part of my skincare routine? Read-on for all the details!
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Best Ice Roller
I chose this ice roller because it’s made with surgical grade stainless steel. Most ice rollers are made with plastic. It seemed counterintuitive to be rubbing plastic all over my face. Also, stainless steel is a better carrier of the cold too. It was also under $20. I didn’t want to spend a ton on an ice roller. Also, stainless steel seemed like it would last longer than plastic.
What is an ice roller?
An ice roller is like a cold paint roller for your face. In all seriousness, it’s a skincare tool that you can use to de-puff and perk up tired and inflamed skin. Ice rollers are designed to be stored in the freezer for an immediate cooling effect when rolled over the face.
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6 Benefits of Adding Ice Rolling to your Skincare Routine
The simple addition of ice rolling to your skincare routine can bring with it multiple benefits. Here is a look at 6 benefits to using an ice roller for your face:
Calms red and inflamed skin
Ice rolling can calm red, inflamed skin by constricting blood vessels, reducing swelling, and speeding up healing and recovery. This is one of the reasons that people with acne-prone skin are drawn to ice rolling.
Soothes and de-puffs
Ice rolling is a wake up call for your face. It helps depuff excess fluid from a bad night of sleep, not so good food choices the night before, or even allergies.
Reduces appearance of pores
Ice rolling can make pores less noticeable, resulting in smoother looking skin.
Tightens and firms skin
Ice rolling due to its cold temperature can firm things up (at least temporarily).
Increases product absorption
Ice rolling increases product absorption because it stimulates blood flow to your skin.
Boosts lymphatic drainage
Ice rolling stimulates lymphatic drainage which flushes and eliminates toxins from our body. As you would expect, this promotes a radiant complexion.
Step by Step: How To Use An Ice Roller
- Pull your ice roller out of the freezer (or fridge) and let it sit for a minute or two, (to avoid an ice burn) then get to rolling.
- Use after cleansing the skin but before applying skincare products.
- From your chin and jawline, roll outwards towards your ears, and temples. Then from the center of your face, roll out and up towards the temples. When rolling under the eyes, start at the inner corner and move out towards the outer corner of the eye. On your forehead, start at the center and roll up while moving across the forehead.
- Roll for about 10 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes.
- Once you’re finished, rinse your face with cold water to close your pores.
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Ice Rolling FAQ’s
What’s the difference between an ice roller and a jade roller?
The superpower of jade rollers is in their ability to sculpt and define the face through massage whereas ice rollers specialize in tightening and de-puffing the face. Both rollers can improve circulation, support lymphatic drainage, and give you that post-facial glow.
Is it beneficial to ice roll your face everyday?
For most people, ice rolling everyday is beneficial but if you have rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis, then the cold temperature has the potential to aggravate these skin conditions. If your skin is dehydrated, frequent ice rolling can further dry out your skin.
Is it better to ice roll your face in the morning or night?
You can ice roll your face whenever you want, but personally, I love to ice roll in the morning to de-puff and wake-up my face. One of the reasons why you may want to ice roll in the morning and at night, is because it helps maximize the absorption of skincare products.
How long should you roll ice on your face?
Typically, a 10-15 minute ice rolling session works for most people. However, starting with shorter session will help you skin grow accustomed to the practice. You can gradually work your way up in time as your skin allows.
Conclusion: Is it worth adding ice rolling to your skincare routine?
While I think ice rolling feels good and can benefit the skin in the long run I don’t think it’s a must have in your skincare routine. The change I saw in my skin was minimal. It did help minimize puffiness and wake up my complexion but I didn’t feel it created a big enough change to warrant using it religiously. Will I still use it? Absolutely, especially after a late night, but I don’t think it’s a necessity in a skincare routine.
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I must disagree with your advice to “roll out and up towards the temples”, and to “roll up” on the forehead. While this may seem to discourage downward stress on the skin, it does not help with lymphatic drainage because the lymph nodes are located by the ear (superficial lymph nodes,) and down in the upper neck, by the jugular veins (deep lymph nodes.) There are some beside the nose as well but they eventually drain to the neck lymph nodes. (https://teachmeanatomy.info/neck/vessels/lymphatics/)
All superficial lymph nodes in the head drain to the deep, neck, lymph nodes. Sometimes you can feel the neck nodes, by your jugular veins, when you get sick and they swell.
So, based on advice from 2 Physical Therapists, after having lymph nodes removed under my arm for cancer treatment, you should start with your forehead, rolling OUTWARD. Then roll the mid-face and under the eyes outward towards the ears. Then roll OUTWARD from the center of the chin. Then roll DOWNWARD from the upper temples to the pulse points in the neck (deep lymph nodes.) Roll under the chin UP and OUTWARD, scooping DOWN to the neck lymph nodes. On the neck, roll UPWARD from the collar bone, scooping OUTWARD to the jugular pulse points.
My physical therapist explained that lymph liquid is originally secreted from the blood, through the walls of the veins (the veins almost “sweat” it.) It lubricates and cleanses the organs, muscles and fat. (After my surgical procedure tubes were attached to my sides to drain excess lymph liquid my body produced in defense to injury. It is yellow and watery with fat solids mixed in. It does not have an odor unless it stagnates. Then it smells like puss or worse.) The lymph nodes process the lymph liquid then, actually, send it back out again so the blood vessels can reabsorb it, and filter it through the kidneys, via the blood. (I’m not sure if the nodes are just a pump, or if they do some processing of their own. I’ll have to ask my Doc.)
The ultimate goal is to encourage the lymph liquid to move through the nodes and not be stagnant. When it sits stagnant around the body tissues the toxins and bacteria don’t get filtered. The tissues absorb toxins rather than being cleansed of them. Bacteria and viruses multiply, encouraging infection. Toxins cause slow healing and sore muscles among other things I have no knowledge of. (This is why massage directly after exercise helps prevent sore muscles.)
My references:
I used to think eliminating toxins by stimulating the lymph nodes through massage was unproven pseudo-science. However, I experienced lymph drainage directly after my cancer surgery, through tubes attached under my skin; experienced life-threatening infection from stagnant lymph, and smelled for myself the difference between clean lymph and unfiltered lymph that is not allowed to move freely (because of my lack of lymph nodes under one arm.)
My Physical Therapists at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, said it benefits me to move lymph through my body as much as possible, but it is not helpful to move it into places where no lymph nodes exist. Rubbing the facial tissue UPWARDS moves lymph into the temples and skull where it cannot be further processed and will stagnate. It is better to move lymph downward, towards the neck where the deep nodes are located. In addition, massaging the lymph nodes themselves can speed movement of the liquid through the body, and consequently push toxins into the kidneys where they can be eliminated through urination.
Wow, thank you for this! I so appreciate your response and feedback. That makes so much sense. I’m going to look further into it. Thank you!