How to Use a Facial Ice Roller at Home for Brighter, Youthful Skin

There are so many DIY beauty trends to test out there that it can be hard to determine what’s worth trying and what’s completely bogus. But when I kept seeing video after video of women using facial ice rollers, I was intrigued to try it out myself. Are the brightening and tightening results legit is what I kept asking myself. So I purchased a roller and turned to dermatologists and estheticians for their advice on how to use a facial ice roller. Keep scrolling to learn their tips and read about my experience testing out this viral skincare trend.

How to use a facial ice roller

The laundry list of benefits to be gained from using a facial ice roller sounded amazing to me: Reduce fine lines? Awesome! Tighten saggy skin? Yes, please! Minimize puffiness? Yay! Ease inflammation? Check! Restore radiance? Count me in! I couldn’t wait to get started—but before I did, our panel of pros offered a few tips. “I always recommend starting slowly—just a few minutes a day—and monitoring how your skin responds,” says Hannah Kopelman, MD, a dermatologist at DermOnDemand.com, a teledermatology platform, and host of the weekly dermatology podcast Derm Club. That’s because holding icy rollers or ice cubes against delicate facial skin for too long can result in freezer burn—as evidenced in the video below. Ouch!

Next, be sure to use gentle pressure. Slow and steady is key, since moving too quickly or pressing too hard can pull or tug skin, which can be counterproductive and lead to skin irritation and wrinkles. Remember, around the eyes especially, a lighter pressure is required because the skin is thinner and more delicate in that area. “To get the best results, use gentle, upward strokes along the cheeks, jawline, and neck,” says Molly Rogers, RN, Aesthetic Nurse at Seaside Skin Care, a med spa in San Clemente, CA. “This will help promote lymphatic drainage and give skin a lifted appearance.”

How often should I use a facial ice roller?

As for how often, opt for using a facial ice roller twice a day, say the pros. “Use your preferred ice roller directly from the freezer as part of your morning routine to refresh and depuff,” says Kristina Collins, MD, a dermatologist at Austin Skin Physicians in Austin, TX and co-founder of Love Foy, a clean skincare line. “Additionally, it should also be the last step at night after applying your serums and moisturizers—this helps seal in active ingredients, enhancing hydration and skin firmness.” Finally, to keep your roller clean use a mild soap or your facial cleanser every few days to diminish product buildup. Just make sure you let your ice roller dry completely before stashing it back in the freezer.

I tried a DIY facial ice roller, here’s what I thought

My bathroom gets lots of early morning light, which is usually great for makeup application or plucking stray eyebrow hairs, but lately, it’s also acted like a beacon honing in on the loose skin under my chin! Oof! I was hoping a facial ice roller could help me tighten up this saggy spot. During my trial run I tried out a few different ice rollers, but the one I preferred, to deal with my neck especially, was a gel one, Revive Soothing Cryo Ice Roller, since it covered a wide patch of skin all at once.

Before beginning any ice rolling routine, Dr. Kopelman recommended applying a hydrating serum or moisturizer. “This helps the roller glide smoothly over the skin and prevents any moisture loss—a key consideration for mature skin, which is often drier,” she says. So I did just that in tandem with my skin cycling routine: Washed my face and then applied my skincare products before picking up the facial ice roller and using it for about 3 minutes twice a day.

In all, I was prepared to use my ice roller for the face for two weeks and then report my findings, but what wowed me right away was how much brighter my skin looked after just one use. Plus, some days I drag myself out of bed and still feel groggy, but the facial ice roller instantly woke me up and gave me a quick energy boost. Perhaps best of all, there was an additional benefit none of the experts had mentioned: Hot flash relief! I loved how I could pick up my ice roller and apply it to my chest and pulse points the moment I felt a hot flash coming on. After a few weeks, the skin on my neck looked a bit more taut as well. So yep, I’d recommend a facial ice roller to everyone I know and will be adding it to my regular skincare routine.

However, if you’re not quite ready to take the icy plunge, Summer Murphy, licensed esthetician and owner of Ritual Skincare by Summer, a skincare spa in San Rafael, CA, recommends this simpler, and also just as effective method: The cold/warm/cold splash. “Begin with a cool splash of water to awaken circulation, then cleanse face with warm water to open pores and remove impurities,” advises Murphy. “Finish with a final splash of cold water to tighten pores and lock in freshness. This routine provides all the benefits of cold therapy without the hassle of an ice bath, leaving your skin feeling renewed.”

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