Cold Cream: what is it? What are its benefits? why is it so fashionable?

In the world of cosmetics, reinvention is constant in search of new products with unmatched properties and benefits. But, how would you feel if we told you that one of the most famous cosmetics today has been used for centuries? If you want to know what it is and why generation after generation has not abandoned it, join us in the next post.

He term Cold Cream continues to accumulate articles, magazines and conversations. The shelves of many stores specialized in the world of cosmetics already have products of this type, but...

What really is Cold Cream?

Its name comes from English, with a literal translation of " cold cream ", and refers to the sensation that this product leaves on the skin when applied from the beginning. It is a cream with the ability to maintain the lipid barrier of the skin, thus protecting it from all types of external aggressions, and in particular from the cold. Thanks to this, its use is highly recommended during winter, when our skin can be affected by low temperatures and humidity. Cosmetics and skin care experts recommend its use in babies or children since, as they have extremely fragile skin, a Cold Cream could protect them and achieve notable results. Despite not being a term recognized and defined by the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language, it did find a place thanks to María Moliner, who includes it in her dictionary as “a toilet cream made with cetacean fat, sweet almonds and some substance. aromatic. Cosmetic."

A little history

The composition of this cream is based on a base of rose water, almond oil and beeswax. Ideal composition if you are looking to deeply hydrate the skin, especially if you have a tendency to dry skin or a sensitive dermis. We owe this water-in-oil emulsion to Galen, a Greek doctor who invented it in the 2nd century AD. C., in fact, in France it is still called “cerat de Galien” in his honor. He himself devised it as a healing ointment with reparative and protective properties that continued to be made in pharmacies or at home . Its formula and benefits made it perpetuate over time, with references to this product in writings from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a century in which, thanks to its great notoriety, it became an industrially manufactured cosmetic.

It is from this moment on that Cold Creams begin to undergo transformations in search of a softer, less thick and faster-absorbing result. Changes focused on achieving better acceptance by the female public for widespread use. Vegetable oils such as almond or olive oil, used but to a lesser extent, were replaced by others with a lower price such as mineral oils, Vaseline or even others currently prohibited such as whale oil.

Over the years, numerous leaders in the world of cosmetics have used this formula in the development of their products. Names like Elizabeth Arden or Helena Rubinstein marked the evolution of Cold Cream, but not only cosmetologists surrendered to the feet of this cream. In the 20th century, the first Cold Cream advertisements arrived and they emphasized the need to perform a good facial cleansing in order to eliminate any type of accumulated dirt such as dust or soot from most large cities. “Cold Cream, applied whenever convenient during the day, always after exposure to the open air and before removing it at night, brings dust and dirt particles to the surface that can be easily removed with a soft towel. Its gentle oils will sink deep into the pores, especially during sleep, and will cleanse the skin thoroughly,” stated the advertisement for Pond products in 1927. With this statement we can highlight another of its powers, We have already made reference to its moisturizing power, and now its great power as a cleansing treatment is evident.

A widespread trend was to use soap to clean the face but, with the rise of Cold Cream, many brands took advantage of advertising spaces to issue recommendations on how to care for the skin.

“Do not wash your face recklessly with soap and water, as it can dry and wrinkle your skin,” stated the Marie Earle Institut Anglais de Beauté.

Other entities echoed the properties of Cold Cream and it was established as a fundamental cleansing and hydrating element.

Although the use of cold creams has decreased, they still fill cosmetic bags with their improved formulas adapted to the 21st century. The initial water has been transformed into the rose water that we mentioned at the beginning of the post, and the most used oil today is sweet almond oil. In addition, some incorporate petroleum jelly, paraffin or other vegetable oils. Thanks to advances, they have been established as a highly moisturizing product especially indicated for dry, dehydrated, sensitive skin or even atopic and reactive skin. Likewise, they are also used in treatments for skin with psoriasis or dermatitis.

What are the benefits of using a Cold Cream?

• Moisturizes the skin in depth: Adding this type of cream to your care routine will help you boost skin hydration, especially if you have dry skin. To achieve the best results you can apply a layer of Cold Cream daily with a gentle massage on the face and leave it to act. If you do this practice consistently you will notice the difference as it helps minimize wrinkles, expression lines and dark circles. You will achieve smooth-looking skin with a unified tone.
• Soothes and refreshes the skin: to take advantage of and get the most out of this product rich in properties, we can mix it with other ingredients. A fairly common example is combining it with crushed cucumber and using it as a soothing mask. First apply the cream to your face and neck, and then add the other ingredient. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and remove with a tissue and a little warm water.
• Gently removes makeup: decades ago it was one of the most common and well-known uses of Cold Cream, as we mentioned in previous paragraphs. They applied the cold cream to their face, let it sit for a few seconds and then removed it as if it were a cleansing milk. Its texture will help you in this purpose without damaging or irritating your face.

They moisturize, repair, remove makeup, soothe... Cold Creams are a cocktail of benefits. With a history of almost two millennia, they have been and are essential for many women, and they provide various benefits without requiring any effort in your care routine. Have you still not decided to try it? Now that you know them more thoroughly, go ahead with this toiletry basic and discover the usual modernized cosmetics.