We’ve all been there. First thing in the morning, staring into the mirror and not recognizing the swollen eyes or puffy cheeks staring back. Whether you had one too many cocktails, a super salty bedtime snack or just a record low sleep score, getting rid of some of that excess fluid can become the top priority in your morning routine. On one particularly puffy morning, I decided to try a new facial tool to help counteract my wild night.
As the Email Campaign Specialist at Eminence Organic Skin Care, I’m lucky enough to get the opportunity to test out their new products, and I was so excited to give the new Cryo-Thermal Sculpting Tool a whirl. Read on to follow my journey and find out whether this new tool might be worth incorporating into your routine.
What Are Cryo-Thermal Tools?
You’ve probably seen them all over your feed, but these face-enhancing tools are not a new invention. Have you ever put spoons in the freezer or tried ice globes or heated facial wands? These are all examples of handheld tools designed to deliver cold (“cryo”) and/or warm (“thermal”) therapy.
What makes these tools such a skin care hack is their ability to transform the look of the skin in just a few minutes. Let’s explore how.
Cold Therapy
Cold therapy is a common way to refresh and improve the look of skin. When applied to the face, cold temporarily constricts blood vessels, which leads to reduced inflammation. Cold temperatures improve the look of water retention and puffiness (think undereye bags or puffy cheeks) and can also help reduce swelling and redness from acne, allergies, sunburn and other irritations.
The look of pores can be helped by cold therapy as well. A shot of cold can temporarily make pores appear smaller and less noticeable. While it is often said that cold “closes” pores, they don’t actually open and close but applying cold can temporarily minimize the look of them. I’ll take it.
Heat Therapy
If you or your esthetician has ever used a warm compress or steam on your skin, then you’ve experienced some of the benefits of heat therapy. Heat promotes blood flow to the face, delivering oxygen and nutrients that can improve radiance and skin health. Hello, glow! Heat also allows skin care products like serums and oils to penetrate deeper into the skin and can help relax facial muscles, meaning that over time less lines and wrinkles will show up. If you weren’t already using heat in your skin care routine, I bet you’re warming up to the idea.
My First Experience with Cryo-Thermal Therapy
Cold for Depuffing
The morning after a particularly late (and fun) night was the perfect time to take my new tool for a spin. I re-read the instructions on the box and got to work. I decided to try combining both temperatures because of the increased benefits. Alternating between warm and cold treatments can help with multiple issues by improving circulation, reducing inflammation and enhancing product absorption. This technique, often used in spa treatments, can help to rejuvenate the skin and promote a healthy, radiant complexion.
The tool comes packaged in a very cool tray that makes heating or cooling the spoons really easy. In the spot where each of the two spoons is stored, there’s a shallow cavity that can be filled with warm or ice water. The tools are then left for three minutes to reach optimum temperature.
I started with cold to tackle my puffier-than-usual undereye area. After cleansing my face with my go-to Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser, I warmed the Ashwagandha Ultra-Rich Restorative Cream between my hands and then smoothed it over my face and neck. Next, I took the spoons out of the ice water and started on my forehead.
With one spoon in each hand, I placed the tips on the center of my forehead and glided them outward, along my brow bone to the temples, repeating the motion six times. Next, I placed one under each eye, gliding gently from inner to outer corner and repeated six times.
Continuing in the eye area, I rested the spoons on my closed eyes and just held them there for a few seconds. The cold felt so good, and I instantly noticed any stress and tension I was feeling melt away. Then I went over the brow bones again and slid the tools towards my temples and then down my neck to my collarbones. If you’ve ever done any lymphatic drainage massage, this move will feel familiar. Any stagnant fluid that is being stimulated needs somewhere to drain and that’s the key to this. Lymph nodes are interconnected by lymphatic vessels, forming a network that carries lymph fluid throughout the body, and many are located on the neck.
Warm for Rejuvenation
Then I moved on to the second part of my session. I filled the cavities with warm water and waited three minutes. After testing the spoons on the back of my wrist to make sure they weren’t too hot, I began at my chin, gliding the flat side of the spoons from the center of my chin, along my jawline to the base of my ears and repeated six times. Then I placed them on each side of my nose right under my eyes and glided them out towards my ears six times.
Next, I flipped the spoons and glided them from the outside of my nose, under the eyes to my temples and repeated before smoothing them upwards from the browbone to the hairline six more times. Finally, I glided the spoons from the center of the forehead to the temples and down my neck again.
Warm & Cool for Toning & Lifting
Because I had extra time, I chose to perform the cold therapy first and follow it with the warm therapy. But doing both at once is an option too. Using one cold and one warm spoon in tandem can visibly tone and lift the skin and is a relaxing way to get the benefits of both the cryo and the thermal in less time.
Watch this video for a quick tutorial.
My Results
After this 10-minute session I saw a noticeable improvement in both the puffiness and the overall radiance of my skin. My eyes and face looked a bit more sculpted and less bloated. And my skin overall had a healthy, rosy glow. The glow lasted for a few hours and definitely helped me look more vibrant and awake. My skin also felt more hydrated all day.
Physical results aside, I also felt really relaxed. Maybe it was the 10 minutes I took to myself before starting a hectic day or perhaps it was the calming, woodsy scent of the Ashwagandha Ultra-Rich Restorative Cream, but what might have been a stressful day was actually relatively chill.
How I’ve Incorporated Cryo-Thermal Tool Into My Routine
I’ve started using my tool in different ways, depending on the day. My new morning ritual is a quick cold session to depuff, especially after a late night or restless sleep. In the evening, I love to relax with a five-minute warm facial massage. As well as helping my serums absorb into my skin, it relaxes my facial muscles and just adds to my overall wind-down for the night.
I’ve also been experimenting with different products. I love using the spoons with an oil at night, the Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil is my go-to and provides great slip. In the morning, I like the feel of the cold spoons with my Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer. I spend five minutes and then continue with the rest of my skin care for the day.
Another new habit I’ve started is depuffing after a long flight. I packed the spoons in my makeup bag and the minute I got to my hotel, I filled two glasses with water and ice, waited three minutes and then got to work erasing any evidence of the salty airplane food and jet lag from my complexion.
Benefits I’ve Noticed Over Time
As well as the immediate relief and relaxation I’ve been feeling, I’ve also noticed some longer-term changes now that I’ve been using the Cryo-Thermal Sculpting Tools for a few weeks. I wake up with less morning puffiness, my skin feels firmer and just seems to glow.
I’ve also used the warm tool to help when I feel any tension in my jaw and the cold tool if I notice the beginnings of a headache. Adding the element of heat and cold just takes the massage up a notch and feels soothing.
These tools are now part of my daily routine, and I feel better, look more rested, sculpted and glowing.
Are you interested in trying cryo-therapy? Visit your nearest Eminence Organics Spa Partner to find out more!
