Beautyblender sponges are all the rage. Makeup gurus swear by them for applying foundation and concealer, and even skincare products like serums and oils. But now, they can provide an added bonus—that is, if you freeze them first. Applying your products with a frozen beautyblender will not only give you a smooth finish, it can help de-puff your skin in an instant. The trick, which involves wetting the beautyblender, then leaving it in the freezer for an hour before you use it to apply makeup or skincare products, went viral on TikTok with countless beauty bloggers showing how it can de-puff your face—and dermatologists agree. Dermatologist Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD, explains that using cold products can “constrict blood vessels to decrease inflammation,” which can lead to less redness and puffiness. So by cooling down your beauty blender, you can decrease inflammation in the face. Dermatologist and co-founder of teen skincare brand Stryke Club, Sheilagh Maguiness, MD, says this can temporarily improve “fullness or puffiness, particularly around the eyes.” Nick Lujan, the global director of artistry and education at Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, also loves this trick. “Using chilled tools will help to de-puff by constricting the skin and making it a bit tighter,” they said. “It’s a great quick fix for puffiness.” Though many beauty bloggers swear by popping their beautyblenders in the freezer, Lujan says there is a gentler method that will make sure your blender isn’t too hard to create a smooth finish. Lujan suggests “soaking your beauty blender in ice water, then squeezing the water from the sponge and using the sponge to press in skincare or to bounce and smooth over your concealer.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb If you don’t have a beauty blender, Maguiness says keeping moisturizer or serum in the fridge so it’s cold when you apply can have a similar effect. READ THIS NEXT: For more beauty advice delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. If you are trying the beautyblender trick with your foundation or skincare products, be sure to make sure it is completely clean before you use it, whether that means using a new one or one that has been thoroughly washed. Alain Michon, MD, medical director at the Ottawa Skin Clinic explains that you have to be careful to “always use a clean sponge, as the bacteria from the sponge might cause your face to break out.” Michon recognizes that this is a “good short-term solution to help de-bloat your face,” but suggests exploring alternate, more sterile options, like a face roller if you plan on doing it consistently to avoid this. You can take it up a notch by adding some gentle face massaging as you apply, says Aimee Paik, MD, SVP of Dermatology at For Hers. “The cooling effect can help to constrict blood vessels and decrease swelling,” she says. “Gentle facial massage with a firm product such as a frozen beauty blender can also decrease swelling by encouraging lymphatic drainage.” According to the Cleveland Clinic, lymphatic drainage relieves swelling” by “gently manipulating specific areas of your body.”
