AND so the year ends just as it began, with a beauty hack straight from the freezer. After the skin-icing craze, plus frozen lipstick and frozen cucumber, TikTokers are now using frozen beauty blender sponges to achieve glowing skin and professional results. And they can't get enough of this natural and low-cost technique.

You might think you've seen it all on TikTok, but that's without counting on the inventiveness of the Chinese social network's users, who are seemingly never short of ideas. Ice, and all things frozen, have been a theme all year long on the platform, where users have been regularly proposing tips -- sometimes as old as time -- drawing on the skin benefits of the cold. So what better way to end the year than with yet another ingenious trick for achieving a flawless complexion without having to resort to expensive procedures. All it takes it a makeup sponge and a freezer, and you'll be able to apply your foundation like a pro.

Embracing the cold

Many TikTokers have already tried this trick, which involves placing your beauty blender -- the egg-shaped sponge for applying foundation -- under running water for a few seconds, then putting it in the freezer for one to two hours (make sure you plan ahead!). Once you've done that, all you have to do is apply your foundation with the frozen sponge, preferably in a gentle patting motion.

According to user feedback on the Chinese social network, the results are 'incredible,' even if the feeling of cold on the skin isn't always that nice, especially first thing in the morning. As well as facilitating the application of foundation, the frozen sponge also supposedly helps reduce dark circles -- and other areas of swelling or puffiness -- as well as dilated pores, to ensure an even more radiant result. It also means you use less product.

The tip is a unanimous hit on TikTok -- so much so that many videos have already been seen several hundred thousand times, like the clip from Mireya Rios. Meanwhile, the #frozenbeautyblender hashtag currently has no less than 6.3 million views. Suffice to say that this is a key trend for the year-end. The only drawback is that some foundations contain oil... which doesn't necessarily mix well with water. So it's best to choose a suitable foundation to avoid any disappointment.

This makeup tip is directly inspired by skin-icing, a beauty technique that went viral at the end of 2020, and which involves passing an ice cube over your face to reap the many benefits of the cold: combating acne and imperfections, evening out skin texture, improving blood circulation, limiting the formation of wrinkles, and reducing bags under the eyes. It's a strong trend that has continued to grow throughout the year and in countless variations.