So I really doubted that this towel could keep me cool. So how it works is you wet the twel with some water. It doesn't have to be cold water. Then you wring it out and place on your neck or head. So iniatially yeah it works. But on a really hot day you have to keep re-applying water. But I still give it 5 stars because you get four towels for $10 and they work so money well spent.