You’ve probably heard that using ice cubes on the skin can be good for inflamed blemishes or to reduce puffiness, but its uses extend far beyond that. Makeup artists, estheticians, and dermatologists recommend ice cubes for everything. Pimples? Ice cubes. Puffiness? Ice cubes. Natural makeup primer? Ice cubes. The best part is that ice cubes can stand alone or be mixed with things like chamomile tea, caffeine, or even milk to promote a healthy glow by increasing blood circulation, soothing inflammation, and minimizing pores.

Soothe Stubborn Breakouts:

Sometimes it feels like everything you do to soothe an angry breakout just makes it worse! Breakouts are caused by bacteria and can be extremely painful when inflamed. Pressing ice cubes gently against the skin can constrict the blood vessels, reducing inflammation and forcing those blemishes to calm down.

Chamomile tea is a natural anti-inflammatory and works wonders for your skin. The flavinoids in the tea mixed with the cool temps of the ice packs an extra punch, leaving your skin looking tight, bright, and nourished. Here’s what you’ll need:

Chamomile Tea Bags
Ice Cube Trays
Filtered Water

Boil water and use it to steep 1-3 Chamomile tea bags. Let the water cool off to room temperature, and pour the tea into your ice cube trays. Let freeze overnight. When ready to use, grab 2 cubes and gently massage your face starting with the under eyes, and moving out toward the cheekbones, and onto the chin and forehead. If you have an especially stubborn breakout, use in the morning and at night on freshly cleaned skin!

Say Bye-Bye to Under-Eye Bags:

Under-eye bags can come from a variety of things – lack of sleep, sleeping in your makeup, aging, smoking, or even too much sun exposure. Cool temperatures reduce swelling and inflammation, so chamomile or iced coffee ice cubes may be just the DIY fix you need! When it comes to the eyes, these magic ice cubes can be used as a cold compress or to drain excess fluid from the eye area. Here’s what to do:

Wrap the ice cubes in gauze or cotton, then, starting with the inner eye corners, slide the cubes up toward the brows in a circular motion. If your eyes look especially tired, swap your chamomile cubes for iced coffee cubes and repeat the steps above!