I have a confession, winter is my least favorite season. The way the frigid weather makes my skin feel dry, sensitive, and damaged is what makes it hard for me to enjoy this time of year. I was thinking about how interesting it is that I love the benefits of cold therapies like cold plunges, cool facial rolling, and cryotherapy but I get such different results from cold weather. I can’t be the only person who’s wondered: “What’s the difference between cold winter weather and cold wellness practices?”

scrub me secret: One of my favorite wellness rituals I’ve implemented into my daily routine in the past few years is rinsing my hair, face, and body with cold water at the end of each shower. I love how it makes my skin and hair feel and I also feel really energized afterward. When I’m feeling really brave I like to do a hot/cold shower where I alternate between very warm water and very cold water throughout my shower.

The difference between cold weather & cold wellness therapies:

Cold weather lacks humidity:

The answer is simple, frigid cold temperatures always have low humidity. This very low level of humidity is what steals moisture and hydration from our skin and causes dry skin, redness, itchiness, and cracked skin. Low humidity combined with harsh winds is especially damaging to our skin. Cold weather often exacerbates conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema. If you experience flare-ups of eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis, it's important to protect your skin during the cold winter months.

scrub me secret: Protecting our skin from cold weather means wearing proper gloves, coats, scarves, and head coverings. It’s also best to keep hydrating balms on our skin and lips. I really like to use the scrub me multipurpose balm for my lips and hands, I use the Josh RoseBrook vital balm cream for my face and neck, and the scrub me shea butter for my full body.

Cold plunges:

Soaking your body in a cold plunge bath (cold plunges can be anywhere between 35-50 degrees Fahrenheit) has many benefits for your skin and body. The practice of dipping your body into chilled water and staying there anywhere from 40 seconds to 5 minutes helps improve circulation reduce inflammation, and aid in muscle recovery. Some people have even said cold plunges have helped reduce their stress and anxiety and improve their overall mood. I like to dunk my full head and face under the water a few times during a cold plunge. Cold water helps make our pores appear smaller, skin feels firmer, reduces redness in the complexion, and makes our hair look shinier.

As long as you use a cold plunge at the proper temperatures and for the proper amount of time (no longer than 6 minutes - a few times a week) you shouldn’t run the risk of damage to the skin. If you have any cardiovascular issues, a history of heart issues, or other medical concerns consult a doctor before attempting cold plunging.

Cool rinses:

Cool rinses are an easy way to introduce cold wellness therapies into your life. For a cold rinse, all you need to do is set your shower faucet on the coldest setting or the coldest setting you feel comfortable with and stand under the stream of cold water for 45 seconds or more. Since you aren’t fully submerging your body in the cold water you won’t get all the exact benefits of a cold plunge but you will still receive some great benefits like stimulating lymphatic flow, boosting oxygen flow in your body, reducing inflammation in the skin, and shiny/healthy hair.

I find that adding a cold rinse to the end of each of my showers helps my hair look healthy and less frizzy, helps my complexion look clear, and makes my skin feel nice and firm from head to toe. I also love the invigorating boost I feel after a cold rinse.

scrub me secret: cold rinses are said to help reduce overall anxiety; this could be partially because when we are feeling anxious, our body temperature rises and a cold rinse can help decrease that. Also, when we stay under a cold stream of water or in a cold plunge a little bit past when our brain tells us it’s time to get out it helps strengthen our body and mind’s response to stress and anxiety.

Ice rolling:

Using a cold facial roller or chilled stone roller on your skin helps reduce redness, reduce puffiness, help pores appear smaller, and give skin an overall glow. Cold facial rollers are made with materials like aluminum and stainless steel that can hold the cold well but not sting or irritate our skin when we roll it over our face or body. I’m definitely more of a fan of using an aluminum, stainless steel, or stone roller vs. ice directly on the face. Using an ice block or ice cubes directly on the face can actually result in ruptured capillaries or a rash on the skin that makes it look more red and irritated, which is not our goal.

Face blanching:

Face blanching is when you fill a bowl of ice water and then dunk your face in it and let it sit for a few seconds. This is honestly my least favorite cold therapy trend and I think there are many better options. While this does work great for some people it can exacerbate sensitivity and redness in those with rosacea or sensitive skin types. I feel that the ice cubes in the water make it a bit harsh for the skin. If you’re looking to de-puff your face or reduce redness using cold therapies I suggest one of the options above instead. A cold water rinse from your shower head will work just fine!

Conclusion:

Our goal is to use cold temperatures to benefit our skin and body, not cause damage. Hopefully, this blog will give you some helpful insight! If you’re like me I’m sure you have other random skincare/wellness queries. Drop your questions below and I’ll do my best to answer them.