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By Jillian Tracy, CNN Underscored
Published 10:00 AM EDT, Wed June 18, 2025
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Looking for more ways to cool off? Check out CNN Underscored’s Guide to Beating the Heat for the products that help us cope with high summer temperatures.
As the crisp days of spring settle into sticky days of summer, our editors are looking for ways to keep cool in every aspect of their routines. When the temperatures hit sweltering levels, our beauty routines become equal parts self-care and self-preservation. From body gels to face masks, mists and depuffing tools, our editors are sharing their favorite cooling beauty products for beating the heat and finding instant relief.
I just got back from Miami and had some pretty scary-looking burns on my feet. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my Vacation After Sun Gel with me since it’s not TSA-friendly, but it was the first thing I reached for as soon as I got home. I love that it isn’t sticky like regular aloe and comes with added skin benefits including hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. Plus, it smells like a vacation so you can extend your time off (even if you have to head home). — Tamara Kraus, senior lifestyle editor
I have a long list of facial mists that I love — some for calming, some for hydrating, some for cleansing — and this is by far my favorite for cooling. It’s infused with menthoxypropanediol (a synthetic form of menthol) and peppermint, so you immediately feel a refreshing, chilly sensation on your skin. And as it cools you down, it also reduces redness, thanks to antioxidant-rich tea extracts and hydrates with hyaluronic acid. I’m keeping this spray close to me all summer long. — Sophie Shaw, beauty and fashion editor
This cooling stick always brings new life to my under-eyes after long nights. Dosed with depuffing caffeine and hydrating seawater, the soothing balm glides on skin smoothly and calms my eye bags in just a few swipes. Plus, its twist cap and stick packaging makes it easy to toss in a bag and apply whenever you need a pick-me-up. — Jacqueline Saguin, deals editor
This is a great facial treatment if you’re after brighter, smoother skin, and its cooling effect is really just a bonus. Made with alpha hydroxy acids to exfoliate, bentonite clay to purify and peptides to firm and condition, the mask leaves my skin glowing. The formula also includes menthoxypropanediol, so it gives that invigorating minty feeling, even well after you remove the mask. I love the built-in applicator (just remember to rinse it after use or it gets clogged) and the shiny, pearlescent look of the mask. — Sophie Shaw, beauty and fashion editor
This water cream from Osea is perfect for when you need a little bit of a hydration boost. It's lightweight yet still gets the job done. I love how it doesn't feel greasy on my oily skin and gives me the perfect glow. — Gabriella Triolo, social coordinator
An ice roller is one of the quickest ways to cool down your face and body in the summer. This cheap one has been a CNN Underscored favorite for years. A few of us editors have it and love it. It’s a bit larger than other cryo tools I’ve tried, but that added surface area makes it so easy to glide not only on your face but on sore muscles and other areas of the body too. — Sophie Shaw, beauty and fashion editor
These eye masks from Three Ships are my current fave. I usually put my eye masks in the fridge for that cooling effect, but these have been sitting on my bathroom counter since I got them, and every time I put a pair on, they deliver an instantaneous cooling feeling that immediately gives my tired eyes relief. Of course, they also depuff, brighten and hydrate. — Michelle Rae Uy, testing and updates writer
Seasonal changes can really wreak havoc on my skin, and while my complexion remains dry year-round, I always have some sort of summer flare-up — be it sunburn, rash or reaction — that leaves my skin feeling hot and tight. I’m a massive fan of all of Laneige’s sleeping masks, but this water version is the most cooling on my skin. The gel is easy to layer on top of my other nightly skin care products, and I’ll even wear this around my house during the day if my skin needs a little extra soothing. While I love my tried-and-true Aquaphor ointment for really locking in hydration, this Laneige mask has a more elegant formula that allows my skin to breathe better. — Jillian Tracy, associate editor
After I got a resurfacing laser facial last year, I immediately went home and took one of these little ice pops out of my freezer. My skin was red and hot from the treatment, and these toner pods helped ease the side effects tremendously. Even better, they’re made with calming ingredients like green tea and ashwagandha, plus niacinamide and glycerin to hydrate. I like to hold the frozen pod against my skin with a reusable face pad, so the pad absorbs the melting toner and doesn’t make a mess. — Sophie Shaw, beauty and fashion editor
Beauty guru or not, we’ve all held an ice cube to our face in an effort to cool it down after a stint in the summer sun. But after the cooling sensation goes away, all you’re left with is a dripping mess. I’ve kept a gua sha in my beauty kit for years, and when I need some relief from the heat or a depuffing massage, I’ll pop the stainless steel tool in my freezer for a few minutes to get it cold first. It doesn’t leave behind a wet mess, and you can even leave the tool in your freezer overnight for a nice refreshing facial first thing in the morning. — Jillian Tracy, associate editor
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CNN Underscored has a team of writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this article, associate editor Jillian Tracy asked our team to share their favorite cooling beauty products.
Jillian Tracy Associate Editor
Jillian Tracy is an associate editor at CNN Underscored who covers topics that span the lifestyle vertical such as fashion, health, sustainability, beauty and outdoors. You can find her trying to catch up on her Goodreads goal, planning her next travel adventure or rewatching "RuPaul’s Drag Race."
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