The 12 Best Cooling Beauty Products That Feel Like AC for Your Skin

Beauty

May 20, 2024

With summer heat around the corner, skin care and beauty products are introducing the latest in cooling technology. From gel cleansers with a cooling, wake-up effect to de-puffing face masks, these formulas deliver an instant refreshing feel exactly when you need it.

Cold therapy—including more intensive treatments like cryotherapy—can help reduce inflammation and puffiness by causing temporary vasoconstriction, which tightens blood vessels and limits swelling. As skin returns to its normal temperature, circulation increases, helping deliver oxygen to the skin. Cold application may also temporarily minimize the appearance of pores.

A prime example: If you’ve considered a skin-care fridge, you’re already familiar with the appeal of cold skin care. Depending on the formula, chilling certain products can enhance the experience and deliver a calming, refreshing sensation on contact. But not every product needs to be stored cold to be effective.

Thanks to innovative formulations and time-tested botanicals, today’s products can create a cooling sensation without any drop in temperature. Ahead, we’re diving deeper into how cooling skin care works, the benefits of cold for your skin and the ingredients that create that refreshing effect, followed by a curation of the best cooling beauty products designed to beat the heat.

Featured Experts

Annie Gonzalez, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in Miami
Corey Hartman, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in Birmingham, AL
Kendra Kolb Butler is the founder of Alpyn Beauty
Philip B. is the founder of Philip B Hair Care

Cooling Skin Care: How It Works and What to Know

Alpyn Beauty founder Kendra Kolb Butler explains that skin care with a cooling effect was on her list of dream products from the start. “I watched my mom use cold cream growing up (specifically Noxzema) and marveled at how well it took her makeup off and how soft and smooth her skin looked when she was done,” Butler explains. “I really wanted to recreate that product, but my way.”

Botanicals are a common way to achieve this effect safely. Plant-derived menthol, for example, can come from peppermint, which triggers our nerves the same way cold does. Rosemary leaf is also known for its cooling effect, while other formulas rely on marine-derived ingredients to create that sensation.

The Skin Benefits of Cold Therapy

Aside from just feeling refreshing, more intense cooling, like ice, can be beneficial for the skin. Ice rolling, for example, is popular for its ability to help de-puff. It’s also gained traction among TikTok skin-care influencers and their followers in recent years. Here’s why: “Ice rollers stimulate the lymphatic system and massage the face to get rid of puffiness and toxins, stimulate blood flow and reduce muscle tension,” explains Miami dermatologist Annie Gonzalez, MD.

But outside of straight-up ice, cold skin care also offers benefits. That’s why so many people recommend a skin care fridge. “Think about how ice packs are applied to the areas that are treated with injectables and lasers post-procedure. It’s the same concept,” says Birmingham, AL dermatologist Corey Hartman, MD. “The cooling effect helps to reduce inflammation and puffiness.”

The Best Cooling Beauty Products to Try for Summer 2026

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You may have seen this device if you have Shark’s viral FacialPro Glow system, but if not, meet Depuffi. Now available on its own, this high-tech tool was developed with dermatologists and switches from cold to hot in just 30 seconds across six temperature levels. The ergonomic, Gua Sha–inspired design fits in the palm of your hand, and the built-in InstaChill technology helps reduce puffiness. It also comes in three colors: pink, teal and black.

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These first-of-their-kind reusable, water-activated under-eye patches deliver a refreshing burst of cool. Machine washable, Cooling Clouds last up to three times longer than reusable silicone patches and are ideal to use after your serums to help lock in moisture.

Their MISSION HydroActive technology delivers a no-fridge-necessary cooling effect that stays up to 30 degrees below body temperature. Best used right after eye cream, these Cooling Clouds are an easy addition to your nightly skin care routine. The cooling sensation is activated when wet and wrung out, requiring just a quick rinse to use. It even comes with a compact carrying case.

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Perimenopause and menopause can bring changes in body odor. This invisible mist is formulated to address them while delivering an instant cooling effect and lightweight hydration. It offers soothing relief from face to feet and is infused with aloe and lavender for a calming botanical scent.

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This jelly tint delivers a hydrating wash of color to lips and cheeks. Powered by aloe and seawater, the viral formula imparts a refreshing, instantly cooling effect on application. The watercolor-like finish offers a semi-sheer flush of pigment in four shades, and the glide-on formula applies smoothly with zero mess. Soothing ingredients help refresh the skin while maintaining an effortlessly blended look.

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This gently clarifying shampoo cleanses and adds volume while delivering an invigorating, cooling sensation. “I use pure peppermint oil in my formulas to create a cool, invigorating effect that awakens the scalp and senses,” explains Philip B, founder of his eponymous brand. “The tingly-fresh feeling is like AC for your scalp—it’s the perfect way to start your morning or wind down at the end of the day.”

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Developed with mature skin and its evolving needs, this sweat-resistant setting spray helps keep makeup in place for up to 18 hours, even during sudden flushing and shifts in skin balance. We love that the mist is ultrafine and has a soft-matte finish.

In a consumer study of women over 40, 98 percent said their makeup looked fresh throughout the day, and 93 percent agreed it effectively locked their makeup in place for long-lasting wear.

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Though not exactly a beauty product, this lightweight, portable fan (the first from Dyson) is a wellness essential, especially if you live in a hot, humid climate. Small but mighty—the airflow can reach up to 55 mph—there are five different speeds to choose from, and the HushJet technology keeps it from being too noisy.

It’s rechargeable via USB-C and comes in three colors (Stone/Blush, Ink/Cobalt, and Carnelian/Sky), with limited-edition color drops throughout the year.

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Inspired by vintage formulas, this wild-harvested cold cream works to smooth and soften the skin. “Cold cream is an emulsion of oil in water,” Butler explains. “When you apply it to the skin, that water evaporates, and the skin gets a very cooling, sensorial effect. It’s really, really good at smoothing and softening skin; it is just the best at removing makeup. We use eucalyptus in this particular formula to enhance that effect.”

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From the brand that has brought us the latest innovations in rubber masks comes this next-generation powder-to-sorbet treatment, inspired by Korean cryo facials. Infused with CoolGlyco technology, it provides an ultra-cooling sensation that instantly refreshes tired, puffy skin.

The two-step, 10-minute treatment combines a concentrated serum ampoule packed with energizing vitamin B12 and a temperature-dropping rubber mask that cools skin while helping tighten pores and deliver a glass-skin glow.

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Featuring patented SonicCool technology and a copper cooling surface, this cryo device uses high-level sonic vibration in two speeds to boost microcirculation and support lymphatic drainage as it de-puffs. It cools in seconds (no freezing required), and the ergonomic design perfectly hugs facial contours.

“Our new magic wand is a game changer for anyone who struggles with under-eye bags,” says founder Dara Levy. “It’s an instant ‘wake-up call’ with clinically proven benefits to improve your skin’s health and longevity.”

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This alphahydroxy acid (AHA)–powered body cleanser smooths skin, helps minimize oil and delivers a subtle cooling effect on contact. Naturium uses a nature-identical menthyl lactate—an ester of menthol and lactic acid—that provides that refreshing sensation with less risk of irritation than pure menthol. Meanwhile, mandelic acid helps increase cell turnover and remove dead skin for a smoother-looking finish. The lightweight formula leaves skin feeling clean and refreshed.

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Refresh parched skin with this cooling, antioxidant-rich enzyme mask that uses watermelon extract and lactic acid to exfoliate, hydrate and leave skin smooth and glowy gently. The formula also contains niacinamide to help strengthen the skin barrier and improve skin tone, and we love the natural watermelon scent (no synthetic fragrance here). Apply a thin layer and leave it on for five to 15 minutes, then remove with warm water. And for extra cooling, store it in the fridge.