This is my first ever tutorial, so be nice. :)
From this:
To: 
We start off with our base, nicely cropped and resized to 100x100 (My pic is off Without a Trace). Try to get the main image to the side of the icon, otherwise it won't work.
Duplicate the layer thrice.
First layer to screen, second layer to screen, third layer to softlight.
Put in as many screen layers as you need to make your image light enough.
Sharpen twice if the image can handle it.
So we get this:
Looks nice doesn't it?
Create a new layer and fill with dark blue, I used... 0e2960
Set it to exclusion at 70% So we get:
Create another new layer and fill it with light green, I used.... e6f9c0
Set it to soft light at 20%
Create another new layer and fill it with pale brown, I used..... f9e7c0
Set it to color burn at 100%, So we get:
Ok. We have a gorgeous icon here at the moment, but we will indeed make it even better. Add this texture:
Sorry, no idea who made it, I think I stole it off another tutorial.... Anyway, just rotate it if it doesn't fit your image. Set it to overlay at 50%, so we get: 
Now add this light texture, by...????? I'm sorry I don't know.
I had to rotate it to fit my image, make sure you get the lighter part over the faded part. Set it to soft light at 20%.
Now flatten the image. I usually create a new layer, then press shift+control+alt+e. Duplicate the layer and set to screen.
You can't see much of Eric's face now, so I selected his face and sharpened it twice.
If you want to you can duplicate the last layer and set it to soft light at 40%, I haven't done it in this particular icon however.
Add this border and set to multiply:
Add this tiny text and set to exclusion, you can rotate it if it fits your icon:
I erased the part over my main image so now I have:
Now if you want add text to your icon, mine is in georgia, with a space between each letter.
This is my finished product:
:) My first ever tutorial. What do you think?
From this:
To: We start off with our base, nicely cropped and resized to 100x100 (My pic is off Without a Trace). Try to get the main image to the side of the icon, otherwise it won't work.
Duplicate the layer thrice.
First layer to screen, second layer to screen, third layer to softlight.
Put in as many screen layers as you need to make your image light enough.
Sharpen twice if the image can handle it.
So we get this:
Looks nice doesn't it?
Create a new layer and fill with dark blue, I used... 0e2960
Set it to exclusion at 70% So we get:
Create another new layer and fill it with light green, I used.... e6f9c0
Set it to soft light at 20%
Create another new layer and fill it with pale brown, I used..... f9e7c0
Set it to color burn at 100%, So we get:
Ok. We have a gorgeous icon here at the moment, but we will indeed make it even better. Add this texture:
Sorry, no idea who made it, I think I stole it off another tutorial.... Anyway, just rotate it if it doesn't fit your image. Set it to overlay at 50%, so we get: Now add this light texture, by...????? I'm sorry I don't know.
I had to rotate it to fit my image, make sure you get the lighter part over the faded part. Set it to soft light at 20%. Now flatten the image. I usually create a new layer, then press shift+control+alt+e. Duplicate the layer and set to screen.
You can't see much of Eric's face now, so I selected his face and sharpened it twice.
If you want to you can duplicate the last layer and set it to soft light at 40%, I haven't done it in this particular icon however.
Add this border and set to multiply:
Add this tiny text and set to exclusion, you can rotate it if it fits your icon:
I erased the part over my main image so now I have:
Now if you want add text to your icon, mine is in georgia, with a space between each letter.
This is my finished product:
:) My first ever tutorial. What do you think?