Sarah Forrai, 31, grew up watching her mum massage her face with “chunky blocks of ice from the freezer” to maintain her youthful complexion and naturally glowing skin.
After reading about all the physical and mental benefits associated with this practice, commonly known as cryotherapy, she decided to give it a try during Covid lockdowns.
“My skin felt refreshed, revitalised and tighter,” Ms Forrai told news.com.au. “Ice facials became part of my everyday skincare routine and I loved how they made my skin look and feel.”
But while she loved the effects of it, she couldn’t say the same about holding the “uncomfortably cold, slippery ice cubes that melted and dripped” everywhere.
“I suffer from Raynaud’s disease, which makes me extremely sensitive to the cold and holding ice cubes would trigger my fingers and toes to feel numb,” the Sydneysider said.
Much to her surprise, Ms Forrai found no solutions to this dilemma after going down a rabbit hole trying to find ice facial tools online.
“Facial icing has been around for centuries and has been the secret weapon of celebrity facialists, estheticians and make-up artists as a natural makeup prime to depuff, brighten and tighten the skin naturally while giving you an instant wake me up,” Ms Forrai explained.
So, during Covid lockdowns in 2020, she decided to take this matter into her own hands and design the world’s first ice facial contouring tool, the Contour Cube.
FROM IDEA TO REALITY
With the help of her partner Lewis Battersby, 33, the two put their backgrounds in graphic design to good use and embarked on a thorough research process. Fortunately, Mr Battersby owned a 3D printer, which they were able to use during the prototyping and development stages, ultimately fast-tracking the operation from idea to reality.
“It was a process of trial and error where we reviewed numerous hand-built prototypes and samples and it took a long time before we were truly satisfied with the final result,” he said.
With the first prototype receiving the tick of approval from Ms Forrai’s mum, she was ready to launch Contour Cube on TikTok in February 2021 and operate her business straight out of her one-bedroom apartment.
But what happened next was completely unexpected.
The first video Ms Forrai shared on the video sharing platform went viral overnight.
“I woke up to discover that our initial batch of products had completely sold out, with the video reaching 500k views and eventually soaring to over one million views,” she said.
Then, her second video on TikTok received a whopping seven million views.
“The demand for our product on the platform has been overwhelming, leading to rapid sellouts within a single day,” Ms Forrai said.
“The level of interest was so high that we had over 20,000 individuals signing up to receive updates on when we would be back in stock.”
Since launch, Contour Cube has sold out five times, seen a growth in sales by 400 per cent year-over-year and has generated over $1.3 million in revenue just in the last 12 months.
But it was the “unicorn moment” when celebrity Kendall Jenner organically shared her love for Contour Cube across her social channels that saw a huge boost in sales.
“She even captioned her post with ‘love this tool for my morning ice facials’ while holding our Original Pink Contour Cube,” Ms Forrai recalled. “It was beyond exciting to see such a high-profile, organic development.”
Contour Cube sold $25,000 worth of product in the two weeks after Jenner’s post.
Other A-list stars including Sydney Sweeney and Shay Mitchell, have also revealed they’re fans of the ice facial tool.
“(To date), we have successfully sold over 70,000 units of our product,” Ms Forrai exclaimed. “From day one, we have shipped the Contour Cube to customers worldwide, and it’s been an incredible experience to see the product resonate not only with Australians but also with people from all corners of the globe, which is a testament to its universal appeal.”
THE VIRAL PRODUCT
Retailing at $34.95, the Original Contour Cube is an affordable way to “harness the power of cryotherapy” to give a natural facelift, de-puff eye bags and add radiance to skin.
To use, simply clip the two ends of the cube together, fill with water from the hole at the bottom and place it in the freezer to set. Once frozen, glide it on clean skin or use with serums to accelerate absorption.
Users can also replace plain water with a concoction of skin-loving recipes to suit their individual needs, all of which are detailed on the Contour Cube website. Some of these include green tea to fight inflammation, coconut milk for hydration, aloe vera for acne-prone skin, lemon water for brightening, coffee for dark circles and turmeric to reduce redness.
The results speak for themselves, with thousands of online reviewers labelling the tool a “must-have” and “lifesaving” purchase.
“In a very short time after adding this into my routine daily I have noticed a huge difference in less puffy spots, less redness and my skincare products go on so much smoother,” one five-stare reviewer wrote.
Another customer suffering from acne, wrote: “This product has completely exceeded my expectations!! … As someone who has struggled with acne for three plus years while battling sensitive skin, I’ve tried and tested everything out there and I’m not even kidding … this tops even the most expensive treatments! Cheap, reusable and so refreshing in the morning I can’t put into words how amazing this product is!”
But the benefits of this revolutionary product go far beyond the skin, according to Ms Forrai.
“Others have found relief from post-gym redness or soothing sore muscles and women experiencing hot flushes during menopause or pregnancy have found solace in using the Contour Cube to regulate their temperature, without the hassle of a wet towel,” she said.
Based on customer feedback, the Original Contour Cube colour range has expanded and now includes six colourways – Pink, Jet Black, Violet, Mint,Peach and a Marble edition.
OTHER BESTSELLERS IN THE CONTOUR CUBE RANGE
For those wanting a more compact tool, the Contour Cube Mini ($29.95) makes for the ideal travel size and is perfect for freezing serums and lip filler after-care.
Other products in the range include the Contour Cloths ($14.95), which are crafted from a gentle bamboo-cotton blend, perfect for those with sensitive skin. This set of three cloths serve as a protective barrier between the skin and the frozen Contour Cube or can also be used to gently exfoliate impurities in the skin.
The Microfibre Head Towel ($24.95) is another new product in the line-up, designed to comfortably hold your hair in place while icing your skin.
Additionally, customers can save on a range of bundle packs, which also make for the perfect gift for family and friends. For example, over 6000 units of the best-selling Contour Crew bundle have been sold, which includes the Original Cube in Pink, Violet and Mint. This value pack retails for $94.40, bringing the total of each Cube down to $31.47. Customers can also shop this bundle in a Mini size for $89.90.
The Pink Contour Cube Starter Pack ($64.95) includes all the essentials – an Original Pink Contour Cube, three Contour Cloths and a Microfibre Head Towel – and also comes in a Mint and Violet variety.
The Ultimate Contour Cube + Mini Bundle ($215) will save you 26 per cent and comes with four Contour Cubes, four mini Contour Cubes and six Contour Cloths.
THE FUTURE OF CONTOUR CUBE
With over 322,000 followers and more than 105 million views on the #contourcube hashtag on TikTok, 175,000 YouTube subscribers and 32,800 followers on Instagram, it’s no doubt the ice facial tool has gained a reputation as one of the most viral skincare products of the century. Now stocked at major retailers including Priceline, THE ICONIC and Woolworths, Ms Forrai and her partner made the executive decision to resign from their full-time jobs to focus solely on the business.
“Running the business has been an emotional rollercoaster with highs and lows that required us to moderate our feelings,” Ms Forrai said.
“Seeing our product stocked in major retailers and witnessing the impact of viral videos and social proof has been exhilarating.”
But among the turbulence of success, Ms Forrai noted that the most rewarding aspect has been receiving heartwarming feedback from people around the world.
“It’s truly remarkable to witness the positive impact our product has on individuals across the globe,” she said.
And there’s no stopping her — the business owner said she plans to expand the range to make ice facials easier, accessible and more enjoyable for everyone.
“There is a growing need for affordable at-home spa treatments that can deliver comparable results without straining the budget,” Ms Forrai said.
“This presents an exciting opportunity for Contour Cube to address the market gap and cater to individuals seeking rejuvenating experiences at a reasonable price point.”
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Originally published as Contour Cube: Behind the ‘life-changing’ ice face roller
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