Salva Mubarak Senior Features Writer

You’d think celebrities with flawless skins would have outrageous skincare secrets like the tears of a second-born snail or the essence of dragon breath. So you can imagine our surprise when actress Kriti Sanon revealed her simple home beauty remedy to us at a recent event.

“Ice water,” she said simply, “It’s the most basic thing but it never fails. Whenever my skin is not feeling correct, I just dip my face into a bowl of ice water for some time. Sometimes I do that before getting into make-up because it makes me feel really refreshed and it just tones the skin.”

A quick investigation into the Internet of a few years ago revealed that another celebrity prescribes to the ‘dunking your face into an ice bath’ method to gain beautiful skin.

Katrina Kaif shared a video of herself getting ready on Instagram and instantly went viral, with people trying out her beauty hack for themselves.

But should you try this at home? Will this give you the skin of your dreams? Is the cold, cold water really worth it? We spoke to an expert to get the lowdown…

How To Include Ice Water Baths In Your Daily Skincare Routine

Dermatologist Dr. Sravya C. Tipirneni says you should be using ice water on your face twice a day because of its many benefits. “Ice basically uses its temperature to decrease inflammation on your skin, so it can help with acne and eczema and rosacea, which are all skin conditions related to inflammation and vasodilation of blood vessels. Using ice water on the skin will make it feel refreshed and soothe any irritation,” she says. According to her, ice-cold water also helps by not stripping the skin from its natural lipids and oils, whereas warm or hot water actually removes natural oils from your skin.

But should everyone be using ice water for their skincare routine? Dr. Tipirneni says people who have extremely dry and sensitive skin should avoid the method. “When the water evaporates from your face, it will also take away the oils, lipids, and natural moisture from your skin,” she cautions, “So unless this is immediately followed by a hydrating moisturiser, you should avoid it.”

The dermatologist also offers alternatives to dunking your face in an ice bath. “You can use ice rollers or ice cubes wrapped in a sheet mask or cloth that can act as a buffer between your skin and the ice,” she says, adding, “Be careful to keep the ice cube moving around constantly and not keep it in one spot on your face for a long time because it may cause an ice burn to your fingers. Do not do it for more than a minute on your face and always keep it moving.”

In the end, she admits an ice bath is always the best and safer option. So will you try Kriti Sanon and Katrina Kaif’s skincare trick yourself?