We tried a -15 degree Celsius cryotherapy facial – here’s what happened

If you keep up with beauty fads and trends, you’ve probably heard of cryotherapy.

Skincare giants like Kate Somerville have embraced the trend, and spas across the globe have also introduced facial – and even whole-body – cryotherapy treatments. Even celebrities like Mandy Moore, who candidly documented her entire cryotherapy chamber experience, swear by it.

But what is Cryotherapy?

If you’re new to cryotherapy, here’s a quick rundown: it is essentially the process of using cold temperatures for health and beauty benefits.

It’s not a new practice either. This form of therapy has been around as early as the 1700s to ease pain, slow cell aging, improve skin recovery, reduce inflammation, and even burn calories. Which makes it only natural that beauty brands are riding on the trend for its beauty benefits.

The New Anti-aging Wonder?

According to IDS Aesthetics (the medispa arm of renowned Singapore-based beauty brand IDS), cryotherapy can slow down your skin’s ageing process and restore that coveted youthful glow. Here’s the science behind it: the cold temperature aids in boosting the oxygen and nutrient supply to the skin’s surface, thereby stimulating the collagen and elastin production.

I’ve tried the abovementioned Kate Somerville serum, which really did leave my skin feeling firmer, and was curious to see if it would actually work in a facial. So, as with all things hype-y in beauty, I decided to give the cryotherapy facial a go.

Here’s How My Cryotherapy Facial Went

IDS Aesthetic offers two cryotherapy treatments: the Soothing Saviour and Crystal Clear. I tried the latter, also known as the IDS Light Cryo Treatment (SGD280 for 45 minutes), which is designed to tone, brighten and restore your skin’s firmness. In short, everything you want out of a facial.

The cryotherapy facial consists of a total of 8 steps: it starts with a double cleanse, microdermabrasion, and IPL therapy to truly cleanse and get your skin ready for the actual cryotherapy treatment (pictured below). After which, a serum infusion, face mask, and a refreshing layer of moisturiser and sunscreen are then applied to the skin to lock all the goodness in.

But let’s jump right into the actual cryotherapy: the cryotherapy technology used here uses a temperature of -15 degree Celsius to tone your skin and restore its firmness. And in case you were wondering, it doesn’t actually feel like you’re uncomfortably freezing your face at all. I’m not a fan of freezing temperatures (particularly not on my face) and found the session to not bother me at all.

The serum infusion which follows the cryotherapy technology is also delightfully tech-y. Using an ultrasonic technology, active ingredients (such as resveratrol, arbutin, vitamin C and multi-peptides) are penetrated into your skin. Through a mild electrical current, all these skin-loving active ingredients are driven right into the deeper layers of your skin for maximum absorption.

The entire facial, which took about 45-minutes, was perfectly timed. And despite its various steps, it felt comfortable, relaxing and delightfully spa-like.

So, Was It Worth It?

The verdict? My skin actually looked brighter, firmer and my complexion looked distinctly more even. (And mind you, I rolled into the spa on not the best of skin days.) Also, I did notice that my skin look less textured, although the cryotherapy treatment does not claim to reduce your pore size.  I can’t vouch for the science behind it, but I’m assuming that the skin-tightening power of cryotherapy does tighten your pores as well. Win-win.

Needless to say, I was pretty happy with my facial post-treatment. But if you’re like me, you’re probably genuinely wondering if these facials actually promise sustainable results. I mean, from experience, most facials leave your skin in better shape immediately after you set foot out of the spa. But it’s skin-loving effects are sometimes shortlived.

So did it last? It certainly felt so. It got my skin date-night-ready that same weekend; plus my complexion felt and looked distinctly better during my London trip the following week (and all the intense Instagramming I was guilty of.)

So, here are my concluding thoughts: if you need a quick fix before a major event or want facial results that deliver instant, yet sustainable results, the Cryotherapy Treatments at IDS are certainly worth a buck. And hey, with Mother’s Day coming up, it’ll make for a perfect pamper session for the madre as well.

IDS Aesthetics is located at Novena Specialist Center, 8 Sinaran Drive #05-07 Singapore 307470. For more information, visit their website. 

Sarah Khan

Photo: IDS Aesthetics 

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