You might hear the word “cult” often bandied about when it comes to beauty products but sometimes, formulas don’t quite live up to the hype. But other times, trialling a much-praised product can lead to a new-found love. This is what happened to me when I tried Ole Henriksen’s Cold Plunge Pore Mask, £31, for the first time.

I was already a big fan of Ole Henriksen’s products when I started seeing its Cold Plunge Pore Mask all over my social media feeds, but I wasn’t sure whether it offered much beyond the chance for a fun Smurf-like selfie (the formula is bright blue). One day, my skin felt bumpy and looked quite dull so I thought I’d give it a try and dug it out of my Ikea drawers.

When I washed it off, my complexion not only looked refreshed and glowy, it also left a cooling, minty sensation behind on my skin, which felt really energising. Ever since that day in 2019, I’ve reached for this mask countless times and have gotten through my fair share of tubes.

So, when an email dropped in my inbox announcing Ole Henriksen was expanding its iconic Cold Plunge range, I was quite excited.

Ole Henriksen has now launched its Cold Plunge Pore Remedy Moisturizer, £36 – and I gave it a try immediately.

Much like its mask counterpart, the vegan formula is inspired by the “cold plunge” step of the Scandinavian sauna cycle, which involves sitting in a sauna before plunging yourself into extremely cold water. According to Scandinavians, the cold part of this process has numerous benefits, one of which is helping to flush out toxins. Ole Henriksen’s Cold Plunge products aims to deliver something similar.

This oil-free moisturiser is formulated with salicylic acid and lipohydroxy acid to loosen and shift dead skin that may be clogging up your pores. It also smoothens out uneven skin texture to leave skin looking brighter and balance excess oil production. Perfect for my combination skin.

While I only use the face mask at night, the moisturiser has been a welcome addition to my morning routine, thanks to its restoring properties. The first thing I noticed about the moisturiser is its texture. Unlike any moisturiser I’ve used before, it has a snow-slush-like texture that feels lightweight and sits comfortably on those with oily or combination skin types.

Then, there’s the refreshing scent. It contains eucalyptus, which makes me (and my skin) feel more awake, along with algae, green tea and Irish moss extracts. It’s also formulated with Alpine willowherb, which is rich in antioxidants and hydrates skin.

Honestly, every time I scoop out a handful and slather it onto my skin, its cooling effects make me feel revived and ready for the day. It’s like the skincare equivalent to a refreshing walk on a slightly chilly spring morning.

Plus, it sinks into skin quickly with zero pilling, meaning I don’t have to wait long before I can apply SPF on top.

I think I’ve found a new love.

Main image: Getty