Frozen skin sticks are sweeping across TikTok—but are the pros on board with the beauty trend?

TikTok has a brand-new beauty obsession: frozen skin sticks. When makeup enthusiasts strip off layers of color and want to rejuvenate their natural skin, they resort to this tool for a fresh, healthy glow that's free of puffiness and irritation. 

But should we really be futzing around with these viral TikTok items, or is this trend one to ditch?   

Here's the tea (which coincidentally can be used in the frozen skin stick): the beauty world's version of a chic ice cube allows people to fill up their gadgets with water, fruit and other extracts. After placing a frozen skin stick in the freezer, we're then supposed to use it in our daily skin routines the way we would a jade roller: in circular motions all over the face for a few minutes. Consider the sticks cryotherapy's newest trend. 

Several days ago, TikTok users went gaga over the frozen cucumber hack, so it comes as no surprise that people are curious about other ways to get rid of unwanted facial features. Although we've long been told to use cucumbers to reduce eye puffiness, freezing them is an entirely new approach. We're certainly not surprised the practice gained speed on social media feeds.

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So, do frozen skin sticks work?

According to medical experts via Healthline, anecdotal evidence has proven that using ice has in fact been helpful when it comes to skin treatments. Ice is believed to:

• Reduce inflammation
• Reduce puffiness 
• Reduce oiliness 
• Ease sunburns   
• Boost a natural glow

If you do decide to purchase a frozen skin stick, you'll likely want to make use of it daily. Apply the tool in a circular motion to these key areas, per Healthline:

• Jawline
• Chin
• Lips
• Nose
• Cheeks
• Forehead

$17.96 at thedreamskin.com

The Dream Skin, Frozen Stick ($17.96, £17.96)

An oval-shaped silicone mold that allows ice and other liquids to freeze in order to "lift the skin, eliminate under-eye puffiness and overall brighten skin complexion."

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Some experts, however, believe the fad is not necessarily one that needs exploration. 

"I would not consider them particularly effective skin tools," says New York City-based dermatologist Doris Day. "If they are super cold, they could cause a freeze-burn of the skin. If they are cool they could cause temporary vasoconstriction (tightening of blood vessels).  I don't see the value of them other than to possibly help gently apply a serum rather than aggressively rubbing it into the skin."

But if you're set on giving this trend a try, you don't have to stick to plain 'ol H20. If you have your heart set on aloe or would like to give green tea ice tea a try, that's totally doable. Your Frozen Skin Sticks are able to take on many forms. (After all, caffeine has the ability to penetrate the skin and increase circulation, according to a 2013 study.) 

Since this new fad is inexpensive, natural and accessible, it's one of the social-media trends that professionals do not mind backing up. (We can't say the same for the likes of the dry scooping challenge and its counterparts.) You don't necessarily even need a frozen skin stick—an ice cube in cloth would suffice.

If you're looking for ways to spice up your #SpaNight routine or are anxious to give natural remedies a go, look no further—you've found your solution. Now, can you pass the Brita and cucumbers, please?

(Pro tip: do not leave the ice on any area for too long, as you run the risk of suffering from ice burn.)