I certainly don't consider myself a beauty guru by any means. I wash my face twice a day, I apply moisturizer every now and then, and I certainly love a good makeup look (and why shouldn't I?). But am I that person who is constantly scanning Sephora for the best night cream or serum or lifting-tightening-brightening gel exfoliator? No. I'd just rather spend my money on 30 pairs of shoes that I may or may not wear throughout the year. However, I certainly get the appeal of all those products. There's something really soothing about pampering yourself and spending time to apply lotion, serum, or...you know, ice, to your face. Yes, ice. If you haven't heard yet, ice rollers have become pretty darn trendy in beauty routines lately. They're affordable, easy, and the benefits are (supposedly) endless. I know, I know; I was confused too at first — so I decided to try it out for myself using the Hansderma Skincool Ice Roller everyone's been raving about.
Now, here's the thing: If you're expecting this beauty product to change your life or reverse wrinkles, blemishes, etc. instantly and for good, then that's probably not going to be the case. Yes, many claim that ice rolling daily can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes, but it's not going to reverse anything overnight. It's not going to completely cure your acne or totally eliminate dark circles. However, stay with me, because it's still pretty awesome. Here's the run-down of how it works, what my results were, and my suggestions for using it well.
1. It's Easy To Use
Essentially, it's just what it looks like: A cylinder that you keep in your freezer until you're ready to use it. Attach it to the super-light and easy to use handle and then you roll it all over your face accordingly. It could also probably be used for sore muscles, I think. It takes about 2 minutes to set up.
2. You Can Use It Every Day (If You Remember)
Ideally, you'll use this thing on the daily. However, there's one sort of big problem here. While it's very easy to remember to grab the moisturizer that's sitting on your counter every morning or evening, heading to your freezer to get the "ice" part out of and then attaching it to the tool and rolling takes some time to work into your daily habit. Sometimes it seems out of the way or you just don't have time, so you end up not doing it. And, like a lot of beauty products, if you're looking to see serious results with this, you're going to have to use it every day. That just didn't work for me. Sometimes I forgot it was there and sometimes it just seemed like a hassle. However, this isn't to say I didn't love it when I DID use it.
3. If You Go To The Gym A Lot, You NEED To Buy This
The best thing about an ice roller is, obviously, its cooling effects. I'm training for a half marathon at the moment, and I would often get back from a run or the gym, hop into a hot shower, and then get out of the shower only to still be sweating from all of the heat and exercise. And there is nothing worse than sweating while trying to apply makeup. The ice roller cools your skin down instantly, and takes away any redness. This was great for me, who usually resembles a tomato after working out. Honestly, I would recommend the ice roller for this reason alone, but it also had some other benefits when I used it.
4. It Makes Redness Disappear
OK, well, maybe it doesn't make redness disappear completely, but it soothes the skin SO well. I honestly think that it should be included in a post-breakup survival kit, because this thing works wonders on puffy, red eyes. It instantly wakes you up and seems to have the same effect on your skin. It may not make everything disappear, but it certainly helps rejuvenate and sooth any red or raw skin.
5. No, It Won't Make Your Pimples Go Away
BUT, like I said, if you have a nasty pimple that you just haven't been able to leave alone, the ice roller is amazing at soothing your skin and taking away some of the angry redness from the area. Sometimes, that makes all the difference.
6. The Best Part Of The Ice Roller?
It's affordable. The Handsderma SkinCool ice roller is only $30, and will last you literally forever. The final verdict from me is that I'd say it's more of a practical beauty product that can be worked into your routine when needed, like after a tough workout, an intense crying session, or when your skin simply needs to calm down a little bit. It would also come in handy if you injure your face for some reason (this would feel amazing on a swollen nose, I bet).
7. However, If You Do Want To Use It Every Day...
People swear that daily use can totally change your skin overall. It's not that I don't believe that that's true as much as I can't imagine having the time to head to the freezer once or twice a day to set up a tool and then use it for five minutes. But either way, it's only $30, right? So I highly advise you try it out.
Images: Olivia Muenter (4), Giphy (3)
