How to Use Cold Cream to Reduce Acne

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. How.com.vn English: Step 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]
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 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.
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 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]
  4. How.com.vn English: Step 4 Let your face air dry or gently blot with a clean towel.
  5. How.com.vn English: Step 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. How.com.vn English: Step 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. How.com.vn English: 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. How.com.vn English: Step 8 Rubbing a small amount of cold cream onto any new blemishes can help them come to a head and heal quickly.
  9. How.com.vn English: Step 9 If you pick...
    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]
  10. How.com.vn English: Step 10 Optional:
    Apply a talc-free, non-comedogenic makeup as usual.
  11. How.com.vn English: Step 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. How.com.vn English: Step 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.
    Advertisement


Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What kind of serum can I use if I have acne?
    How.com.vn English: Kaveri Karhade, MD
    Kaveri Karhade, MD
    Board Certified Dermatologist
    Dr. Kaveri Karhade is a board certified Laser, Medical, and Cosmetic Dermatologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her areas of expertise are acne and hair loss. She has advanced training in injectables, lasers, surgery, and other cosmetic treatments, and has published extensive research in medical journals. She holds a BS from Michigan State University and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Michigan Medical School. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and her Residency in Dermatology at Brown University School of Medicine. Dr. Karhade is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
    How.com.vn English: Kaveri Karhade, MD
    Board Certified Dermatologist
    Expert Answer
    When dealing with acne, it's important to choose a face serum tailored to address specific concerns. Before selecting a serum, assess your acne concerns, such as blackheads, whiteheads, or inflammatory acne, and choose a product formulated with ingredients proven to target those issues effectively. Incorporating the right serum into your skincare routine can help reduce acne breakouts and promote clearer, healthier-looking skin. Additionally, a dermatologist can offer professional guidance on the most effective ingredients and products for your acne treatment regimen. This ensures that you're using the most suitable serum for your skin and maximizing its benefits while minimizing potential side effects. 
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit

      Advertisement

      Tips

      • Do not apply cold cream to a wet face! Cold cream is oil-based, which is why it dissolves the oil in your pores so well. Oil dissolves oil but repels water. If your face is wet, the cold cream will slide right off.[4]
      • In the US, Ponds cold cream has a green lid! The Ponds jar with the blue lid is ordinary lotion.
      • If you use cold cream as a moisturizer, you can add your face powder on top off it. If you want a matte face you can leave it there or you can massage the powder into the cold cream to have a natural glow.
      Advertisement

      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]
      • 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]
      Advertisement

      Things You'll Need

      • Cold cream
      • Soft tissues, cotton balls, or washcloths to remove the cold cream
      • Optional: witch hazel or other toner, moisturizer, and clay mask
      • Suggested: old, clean pillowcase


      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about skincare, check out our in-depth interview with Kaveri Karhade, MD.

      About this article

      How.com.vn English: Kaveri Karhade, MD
      Co-authored by:
      Board Certified Dermatologist
      This article was co-authored by Kaveri Karhade, MD. Dr. Kaveri Karhade is a board certified Laser, Medical, and Cosmetic Dermatologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her areas of expertise are acne and hair loss. She has advanced training in injectables, lasers, surgery, and other cosmetic treatments, and has published extensive research in medical journals. She holds a BS from Michigan State University and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Michigan Medical School. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and her Residency in Dermatology at Brown University School of Medicine. Dr. Karhade is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. This article has been viewed 284,441 times.
      How helpful is this?
      Co-authors: 11
      Updated: March 26, 2024
      Views: 284,441
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 284,441 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • How.com.vn English: Clarissa Tate

        Clarissa Tate

        Nov 29, 2018

        "My grandma and aunts have beautiful wrinkle-free skin. I always saw them rubbing some cream on in the morning and..." more

      Did this article help you?

      ⚠️ Disclaimer:

      Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
      Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.

      Notices:
      • - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
      • - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
      • - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
      • - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.

      Advertisement