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I’ve never been one for a cold shower, but lately I’ve found myself turning the mixer valve hard right for a refreshing blast. Not because Britain is battling another heatwave, but because this oddly mild autumn has left me feeling permanently overheated.
Late October should mean crisp mornings, cosy layers and rosy cheeks. Instead, we’re stuck in that awkward seasonal limbo: central heating is creeping back on, temperatures are refusing to properly drop, and my skin can’t seem to work out what season it’s in.
The result? A complexion that’s looking decidedly worse for wear. My skin feels dehydrated yet shiny, my eyes are puffy, and the fresh-faced glow of summer has long since packed its bags.
So alongside cracking a window wherever possible and sleeping with one foot permanently outside the duvet, I’ve been seeking out cooling skincare designed to calm, hydrate and refresh. And surprisingly, some of the best products draw inspiration from one of wellness’ coolest trends: cryotherapy.
While whole-body cryotherapy treatments can cost well into the triple figures, a growing number of skincare and bodycare brands have bottled that icy, invigorating feeling into products you can use at home.
Whether you’re battling post-heating dehydration, puffiness, redness or simply want your skincare routine to feel a little more refreshing, these are the cooling buys worth adding to basket.
Elemis Cool Down Body Wash 200ml
Packed with ingredients like energising magnesium and menthol to create a cooling sensation on impact, this body wash has been working overtime in my shower. Skin feels cleansed but not stripped of essential oils. The tingle from the menthol and eucalyptus lingers long after I’ve stepped out of the shower, zapping away heatwave lethargy and leaving me feeling recharged. Save it for the last step in your morning shower or reach for it after a gruelling workout to help bring you back to a functioning temperature.
Buy Now for £32
The Ritual of Seshen Body Gel
A cooling gel slathered across sun-parched limbs – once tried, there’s nothing like it. Rituals comes to the rescue with this lightly scented body gel, loaded with soothing, skin-calming ingredients – perfect for flooding your skin with much-needed hydration. Inspired by ancient Egyptian beauty rituals, the water-based aloe vera-enhanced formula sinks in quickly, leaving no stickiness or greasiness – you can get dressed within seconds of application. Sold in a 200ml glass pot, you can be as generous as you like. Best applied while you’re still slightly damp from the shower or bath.
Buy Now for £28.90
111SKIN Cryo Revitalising Moisturiser
Founded by Harley Street’s Dr Yannis Alexandrides, 111Skin is all about delivering clinical-grade products at home. This gel-like moisturiser has been formulated to mimic the effects of cryotherapy, banishing dullness and de-puffing to leave your skin looking and feeling revitalised. The hero ingredient is actigen, which helps boost circulation, while hyaluronic acid reinforces the skin barrier and the brand’s signature NAC Y2 complex, which you’ll find across the 111Skin product line, assists cell repair. Just 1 -2 pumps are all you need to cover the face and neck, so while it is expensive, the 50ml tub goes a long way. The brand recommends keeping it in the fridge to boost the cooling sensation on skin. Just what the doctor ordered.
Buy Now for £120
Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Ice
As if the name of Milk’s product alone isn’t enough to have you adding straight to basket, its function closes the deal. The soothing jelly serum has been designed to visibly soothe the skin, using a mix of ingredients like niacinamide, caffeine, aloe, and seawater. Pores appear smaller, puffiness is magically deflated, and thanks to a Redness Calming Complex, unwanted rosiness is sent packing. Handily, it’s delivered in a stick format, so you can sling it in your bag without worrying about possible leakage. The brand suggests keeping it in the fridge to heighten its cooling effect.
Buy Now FOR £28
Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask 75ml
When the scorching temps are making your complexion look like it’s on its last legs, it’s time to crack out the big guns. Enter Clarins, which harnesses the power of cryo technologies in this cream mask. The anti-ageing formula works from the get-go, mimicking the effect of super-low temperatures to calm hot spots, tone, firm and brighten the complexion. The aqua-coloured cream cools instantly, lowering skin temperature by 4°C according to the brand. Menthol in the formula helps both calm skin and leave it feeling fresh.
Buy Now for £54
Dr.Jart+ Cryo Sorbet™ Icy Facial Mask
The cult Korean beauty brand continues to flex its muscle against hellish temperatures with this mask, designed to cool and refresh tired skin. Whether you’re puffy from the heat or broken sleep, ten minutes is all you need to see noticeable results. Instantly cooling, it transforms skin by reducing the look of pores, draining puffiness and imparting a gorgeous glow to skin, using an infusion of B12 and Dr.Jart+’s CoolGlyco™ Technology, which brought down skin temperature by 6°C in brand tests. You’ll get four masks in this bundle, which start off as a powder but transforms into a sorbet on skin, so it’s perfect for travel too. Just add water.
Buy Now for £20
La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Instant Fresh Cooling Water Gel Moisturiser
Low humidity is the enemy of youthful looking skin. Combat the heatwave with La Roche-Posay’s cooling water-based moisturiser, which contains a hit list of powerhouse ingredients: think hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5. The formula also contains BHA to refine skin and give it a cool, matte finish. It’s suitable for all skin types, and will leave your face feeling nourished and flooded with hydration. Wait for your serum to skin in before application, finishing with a layer of SPF.
Buy Now for £20
Garnier Anti-Fatigue Hyaluronic Acid and Icy Cucumber Cryo Jelly Face Mask
Beauty editors across the land swear by Garnier’s cryo mask, which claims to bring down skin temperature by a very impressive 7°C. While I didn’t have a temperature gauge to hand, I can confirm it does feel immediately cooling on skin. The jelly-like formula is enriched with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and menthol offering a triple-threat solution to parched faces while helping to repair the skin barrier. Exceedingly budget-friendly, the vegan mask can be added to your home compost as it’s biodegradable. It’s a win.
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