How to Use Cold Cream to Reduce Acne

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References Approved

Have you ever seen a jar of cold cream and wondered what it does? The answer is pretty amazing: Cold cream makes your skin younger-looking, clearer, and hydrated! The product is a moisturizer, deep-cleanser, acne-treatment, make-up remover, and face-mask all in one! Cold creams predate all of the acne products and complicated regimens we have today. In fact, women have been using it since the year 200 to take care of their skin! Here are several beauty-related applications that really work.

Steps

1
Choose a cold cream from the drugstore or make your own. Recipes are available online. Ponds cold cream (the jar with the green lid) is the brand most commonly sold in the US, but some women prefer the off-brands that still contain sodium borate, an ingredient in an earlier formulation of Ponds. Jergens all purpose face cream is another cold cream commonly available at drugstores.^{[1]
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2
In the morning, use your cold cream to cleanse your face. Wash your hands. Use your finger to scoop out a dime-sized dollop of cold cream from the jar. Massage it onto your face in an upward motion starting at the chin. Leave the cream on for a minute or two to give it time to dissolve any sebum clogging your pores.

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3
Remove the cream. There are two ways to remove the cream: If your skin is very dry, take a soft tissue and gently wipe. The residual cream will give your skin an extra layer of moisturizing protection. If you skin is oily to normal, use a warm washcloth to wipe the cold cream off. Splash warm water on your face to remove any remaining cream.^{[2]
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4
Let your face air dry or gently blot with a clean towel.
5
Once your face is dry, you may choose to apply a toner. Women in the first half of the twentieth century often used witch hazel, an inexpensive, gentle, and effective toner available in the first aid section of your local drugstore.
6
After the toner has air-dried, some women choose to apply a moisturizer. However, others find that the cold cream sufficiently moisturizes their skin and skip this step!
7
Rub a small amount of cold cream into any dry, red, or flaky patches. The cold cream will moisturize these areas and allow makeup to glide on smoothly.
8
Rubbing a small amount of cold cream onto any new blemishes can help them come to a head and heal quickly.
9
If you pick at your skin, applying a small amount of cold cream after you have disinfected and appropriately medicated the area can help small open blemishes heal faster, often without forming an unsightly scab. The cold cream will also provide these areas with a layer of protection from irritating makeup.^{[3]
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10
Optional: Apply a talc-free, non-comedogenic makeup as usual.
11
In the evening, repeat this process. If you wear makeup, first use a dab of cold cream to remove your makeup. Use a soft tissue to wipe the cream off. Then, cleanse your face as before.
12
Optional: If your skin has a lot of blackheads and clogged pores or is very dry, apply a quarter-sized dollop of cold cream to your face at night. Leave on until morning and then wipe off as usual. Be sure to use an old (but clean) pillowcase. The mask can leave an oily residue on bed linens.

Warnings

Cold cream brings the sebum and dirt clogging pores to the surface of the skin. At first, you may see an increase in white secretions from your pores immediately after washing your face. These are the plugged pores purging. If this happens, use a clay mask to help draw out the gunk.^{[5]
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Most cold creams contain mineral oil. Although mineral oil (baby oil without the scent) is non-comedogenic (does not clog pores), a minority of people are sensitive to it. If you know you are sensitive to mineral oil, do not use cold cream.^{[6]
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