ICE HYDRATION INFUSION RECIPES

Our last blog explored ice cube therapy aka cryotherapy. There are many benefits of ice cube morning wipes; wiping your face with an ice cube first thing in the morning helps energize and hydrate your skin. 

One way to enhance the benefits of your morning wipe is to fortify the ice water with nutrients from a herbal infusion.

Herbal infusions are surprisingly easy to make and provide multiple benefits for your skin.  They deliver minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. A correct infusion can help clear your skin, give it a healthy glow, and reduce inflammation. 

What is a herbal infusion? 

Herbal infusions are just like tea, just more concentrated and therefore more potent. Let the herbs soak for eight hours so that the water can pull out their healing properties. Screen out the particles of herbs and fill the ice cube tray. When you wipe your face with the ice cube, your skin absorbs all the goodness of the herbal infusion. 

How to make herbal infusion?

1. Gather your materials. You will need:
   • Teapot or mason jar
   • organic dried herbs
   • hot or cold water (depending on your herb of choice)
   • a small strainer.
2. Add the dried herbs to the mason jar or teapot.   I have provided examples of the formulations for your herbal fusion below. However, you are welcome to experiment and mix and match quantities and herbs as you wish.
3. The ratio of water to the total amount of dry herbs is 30 grams (1 oz) of total herbs for  1 Liter (32 oz) of water.
4. Pour the hot or cold water into the teapot ( or a mason jar), over the herbs.
   • Note:  Every herb is different — some require cold water (so as not to damage the healing properties); some require hot water (to really draw out the vitamins and minerals).
   • You can just Google the herb and its recommended infusion method.
5. Cold infusions need to sit for eight hours; Hot infusions you need to steep for four hours. No need for continuous heat unless you add roots or bark of the plant. In that case, you need a water bath (teapot inside the bigger pot filled with water) or a double boiler.
6. When your infusion is done, take the pot and the strainer.  Pour the infusion through the strainer directly into the ice tray, screening out the wet herbs.
7. Fill the ice tray and freeze.  Once frozen, take one cube in the morning and wipe your face, neck, and décolletage. Enjoy refreshing, hydrating, cryo-treatment!!!

HERBAL INFUSION RECIPIES 

Combine equal parts of the herbs listed in the recipes below. You may adjust it as per your needs.

Buy organic herbs only!

• • For dry flaky skin (Hot infusion): Rose petals, Oat straw, Marigold (calendula), Chamomile, St John Wort.
  • For oily skin (Hot infusion): Ginger, green tea,  add 2 oz of Apple cider vinegar when the infusion is cooled down  ( 32 oz of herbal infusion + 2oz apple cider vinegar) or 2 tablespoons of witch hazel extract
  • Anti-aging (Hot infusion): Oatstraw, Elderflower, Helichrysum (aka Immortelle), Rose petals. Optional: squeeze ½ lemon juice at the end of the infusion process if you would like to add whitening and rejuvenating properties
  • For inflamed, acne-prone skin (Cold infusion): Burdock, Root Moringa, Chamomile, Peppermint, Rosemary.
  • To reduce morning puffiness (Cold infusion): Nettle, Arnica, add 2 tablespoons of witch hazel extract ( optional)

Let your skin absorb the infusion. apply your skincare (serum or moisturizer)  while your skin is still slightly wet. You will notice that your skin retains moisture longer.

Please let us know which recipe you like the best and if you have your own recipe or modifications. We will share it with everyone.

IMAGE BY: Zoltan Tasi   Zugr