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ALL YOU NEED FOR AN AT-HOME ICE FACIAL, TO LIFT, TIGHTEN AND BRIGHTEN THE SKIN

Back in the summer we were all about cryotherapy or 'ice facial' tools to soothe sun-scorched skin, but now they're on our radar because cold therapy reportedly helps reduce stress and tension levels whilst boosting endorphins – essential if you feel you're heading for working from home burnout (according to Forbes, 69 per cent of employees are experiencing burnout symptoms whilst working from home, such as increased anxiety and changes in mood).

Cold therapy has long been a fixture in red carpet facials thanks to its ability to give instant visible results, lifting and tightening the skin, constricting pores as well as stimulating blood flow to give a visible glow. The cold dials down redness, calms inflammation and brightens a dull complexion. "Cold therapy can reduce swelling and inflammation by stimulating our lymph system and reducing fluid," confirms facialist Pamela Marshall. "Dark circles under the eye can also temporarily be reduced due to the constricting of blood vessels."

Cold therapy also mimicks the biological response of an intense workout, according to Emily Buckwell, product expert at CurrentBody.com "It stimulates the cold receptors which stimulate blood flow to the epidermis, resulting in microcirculation in the area."

On top of that, it helps to release muscle tension in the face and jaw (we defy you not to say aaaah when you try one of the tools below) which is good news for expression lines and teeth grinding.

An ice cube to the face is nothing new. Russian Empress Catherine the Great (currently played by Elle Fanning in TV show The Great), was said to have applied ice cubes to her face, neck, and décolletage every morning to give her skin a radiant appearance. Kate Moss has said she submerges her face in a bowl of ice-cold water to brighten her complexion, a ritual also practised by Hollywood actress Jane Crawford

Word of warning, cold therapy can cause broken capillaries which contribute to thread veins so avoid cryotherapy if you’re prone to this.

Here are the cryotherapy tools we’re reaching for right now (save your ice cubes for your Aperol).

FOR FACIAL MASSAGE

Facialist Joanna Czech, who has worked with Kim Kardashian and Sting, is a firm believer in facial massage and her signature, if rather comically-shaped massage tool, is especially powerful when kept in the freezer.

The aluminium and zinc balls glide along bones of your face to simulate the firm, depuffing fingertip action of an aesthetician. It increases circulation and lymphatic drainage, giving you an altogether glowier complexion; Joanna recommends using it after your serum to really work it in.

This month Joanna has teamed up with 111Skin, pioneers of cryotherapy (they're behind the 111Cryo chamber in London's Nichols, where you can freeze your butt off for three minutes at minus 90C for all manner of skin and health benefits) for a limited edition kit featuring the roller and four 111Skin masks. The 111SKIN x Joanna Czech: The Facial Edit costs £200 – quite the deal considering the tool is £179 alone.

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