CAROLINE BARNES REVEALS WHY THE COLD SPOON TECHNIQUE IS SO RIGHT FOR NOW

We've been singing the praises of cold therapy on the skin for months now for making the skin tighter, brighter and less puffy, and while there are a plethora of specialist cryotherapy tools to help you, the answer might actually be in your kitchen drawer. Makeup artist Caroline Barnes reveals an age-old backstage trick, which she has used many a time to revive the puffy faces of sleep-deprived actresses - tablespoons.

Caroline, who has worked with the likes of Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan (who plays redheaded Penelope Featherington) Kylie Minogue, Anna Friel and Rochelle Humes, explains why the cold spoon treatment is also very right for now. Puffy eyes are a sign of our times.

"You might find that in these times your eyes might be a little bit puffier or a little bit sleepier than usual due to the central heating being put on again," she explains on Instagram, as she glides the backs of two large tablespoons over and around her eyes in a way that's so mesmerising, it's ASMR-worthy.

"Maybe you've had a bit too much alcohol, maybe, you've had a few tears, maybe you have just put an eye cream on that's just too heavy... an old-school makeup trick is to put two spoons in the fridge. You'll find them in all Winnebagos, makeup studios, trucks, when actresses are working really long hours and their eyes, are very sleepy when they have a makeup call at 6am."

How do you get rid of puffy eyes with a cold spoon? Caroline recommends keeping the spoons in the fridge, applying a hydrating face mask and wedging the belly of the spoon into the eye socket and pushing the eyes up. Repeat ten times and smooth across the cheekbones to depuff, boost circulation and brighten the skin, invigorating you if you're feeling flat.

"There are no rules just enjoy the cooling sensation," Caroline says. "Your eyes and complexion will feel refreshed and awake."

But that hasn’t stopped scientists from continuing to search for potential new natural molecules, which could protect the skin even more effectively against the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. A recent study [1] has brought to light an unexpected ingredient that could do just that, and in so doing contribute to the fight against skin cancers, which have been on the rise over the last few years, as well as against photoaging: turmeric.

Turmeric is already known for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and healing properties, which help in the fight against eczema and psoriasis. It is, more particularly, one of its molecules, curcumin, which proves to be an interesting aid for several skin problems. And it is precisely this active ingredient that American researchers have paid attention when seeking out the sun filter of the future.

Conducted on rodents, their study confirms the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin on the skin, and highlights "its potential as a photoprotective adjuvant when delivered through nanoparticles." A process intended to overcome some limitations of curcumin observed by researchers in previous studies, including its low aqueous solubility and rapid degradation in vivo. The substance is still far from being incorporated into everyday products. However, in view of these encouraging primary results, the scientists now wish to go further to determine whether the active molecule could be used as a sun filter.

In an interview with Dermatology Times, Adam J. Friedman, a professor at George Washington University, who participated in this American study, is enthusiastic about these results and already sees the potential of curcumin, although the research is not yet at an advanced stage. "Ideally this would be incorporated into a sunscreen or a moisturizer that would be used in conjunction with a sunscreen," explains the scientist, who believes that another formulation would be possible as a "do-over" — meaning when you have forgotten to put on sunscreen.

Curcumin also seems to have a bright future in many applications, if this researcher is to be believed. “Today there is growing scientific evidence suggesting curcumin’s utility in the treatment of?chronic pain, osteoarthritis, and inflammatory dermatoses such as psoriasis; acceleration of wound closure; and bacterial, fungal, and viral skin infections, as well as cosmetic ailments such as dyspigmentation," he outlines.