Gua Sha tools: Say hello to your skin’s new best friend
Thinking about using or investing in a Gua Sha tool but not sure how to narrow in on the best or use one? You’re in luck, we’ve been expecting you!
Now that you know how to use a face roller, let’s move onto the next big thing – Gua Sha.
While there’s no shortage of high-quality beauty instruments on the market finding the perfect Gua Sha stone for your skin can be like finding the perfectly ripe avocado. And we all know how hard that can be.
If you’re wanting to turn back the clock on aging, Gua Sha might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Whether you’re on the hunt for a super detoxifying and depuffing solution or want to lift, sculpt and tighten your skin, a Gua Sha tool is your answer.
Facial Gua Sha is also a great way to kick start any stagnant lymph drainage out of the face and down the neck.
Understanding the network of lymphatic tissue present in our faces and necks is an important starting point to why we use the Gua Sha tool.
What is Gua Sha?
Every pretty girl’s best-kept secret, Gua Sha comes from the Chinese word for scraping. Right off the bat, we’d like to set the record straight… Gua Sha is not a type of facial roller – rather it’s a massage technique for the face, neck, and décolletage. While this traditional Eastern Asian practice dates back centuries, it wasn’t until quite recently that the world caught on to the incredible powers Gua Sha has.
What does a Gua Sha tool look like?
Shopping for Gua Sha tools can feel a little like wandering through a candy store. Gua Sha tools come in so many different shapes, sizes, lengths, and forms, you’ll be lost for choice. And we all love choices (and candy). Exciting, isn’t it?
Trending right now are Gua Sha tools made from flat, smooth crystals – such as Jade or Rose Quartz stones – which are gently stroked across the skin to encourage circulation. The stone is usually shaped like a half-moon, but you can also find Gua Sha stones that look like hearts, squares, rectangles, and boomerangs.
Here are some Gua Sha tools
Deayoka Rose Quartz Gua Sha Tool
The Chinese have been practicing Gua Sha for centuries and this facial tool really relaxes the underlying muscles, moves lymphatic fluids, and improves blood circulation. After using the Gua Sha your cheeks will be rosier as it starts to work. Even Victoria Secret models back using this secret little tool and for the price – you really can’t go wrong in trying it out.
Rose is the heart stone and for love and gives vibrations of happiness and emotional health.
As always make sure that you wash your hands with water and soap before use.
Jade Gua Sha tool by SPA
Improves the microcirculation of the facial blood vessels. You can even use these scraping tools on the rest of the body. Why not get a couple and use them simultaneously down the back of the neck, either side of the trapezius muscles. This provides a great relief for any built-up tension that you may have in the base of the neck.
One of the most economical beauty products out on the market today, which gives results. These stones also make beautiful gifts.
How to use Gua Sha tools properly
Not sure how to use a Gua Sha tool? Celebrity aesthetician Karee Hays promises its child’s play. Usually, you hold a Gua Sha tool nearly horizontally flat.
Follow these steps:
1. As with a facial roller, begin with a clean, moisturized face. Applying a serum or oil is recommended.
2. Start from the neck upward, following a similar order as with facial rolling. Here’s the catch – instead of rolling the tool over your skin as you would a facial roller, scrape it across the neck and upwards, using a soft, sweeping motion.
3. After this comes the jawline. From the center of your chin work towards your ear. Using upwards and outwards motion.
4. Next scrape upwards and outwards towards the hairline, starting from the nose along the cheek muscles. You can use a finger from your freehand to keep the skin taut, remember you want to move the lymph fluid towards the lymph nodes.
5. Work between the brows. Again using upwards and outwards motion.
6. Target the forehead area. Working from the brow right up into the hairline.
7. Lastly, return to the neck and use sweeping movements downwards, towards the collarbone and the lymph nodes there.
See here for more in-depth Gua Sha massage facial movements.
The best way to get results and we all want those, is to be consistent with your routine. If you can, doing a bit of daily Gua Sha is best.
What products can you use with a Gua Sha tool?
Now, and this is important, while you can use your favorite moisturizer with Gua Sha, the treatment should also be combined with serums or facial oils to decrease friction.
Peanut oil used to be the go-to oil for Gua Sha but today the most common carrier oils used are sweet almond, jojoba, and grapeseed oil.
While synthetic and mineral oils can clog pores, leading to acne and blackheads, most natural plant oils like sweet almond don’t, making these great choices to use with Gua Sha tools.
Watch out for Gua Sha stone wannabes
As with so many things in life, be super careful that you don’t invest your hard-earned money in a Gua Sha stone rip-off.
The truth is that the market is flooded with counterfeit Gua Sha tools. Of course, we all love bargains, but if the price tag is too good to be true, well, that’s probably because it’s a knock-off.
There is nothing worse than buying a Gua Sha stone made of Jade or Rose Quart only to later discover what you thought was a precious stone is nothing more than a blob of plastic that’s been treated with polymers to look shiny, or worse, chemically dyed and processed.
Here are a few red flags:
Stones that are transparently smooth and without any streaks or have even color distribution are often not genuine crystals.
Both Rose Quartz and Jade have a lower surface temperature than glass or plastic. If you notice your Gua Sha stone constantly feeling warm or at room temperature, it may be a dud.
Real crystals feel heavier than they look, while plastic feels lighter than it looks.
Real crystals don’t scratch easily. An easy way to see if the stone is real is to gently scratch it with scissors. If it leaves a temporary white mark, it’s likely an imposter.
If you examine your Gua Sha stone up close and notice small air bubbles, it is most probable that your precious stone is made of glass, not authentic quartz.
If you notice the color of your Gua Sha stone fading or looking duller, it’s likely been processed with chemicals.
Top Tip: Keep your Gua Sha tool chilled in the back of the fridge (away from any little hands that might think it’s a new teething toy). While most crystal face rollers stay cold naturally, using an extra-chilled Gua Sha stone helps tighten pores and gives your face a fresh glow.
When to completely avoid Gua Sha?
Although safe for most of us, Gua Sha isn’t really recommended during pregnancy, nor is it suggested on elderly people who have thin or frail skin is.
The bottom line
There are many brilliant proven skin benefits of regular Gua Sha. Including a Gua Sha tool into your skincare regime improves elasticity, firms skin, supports lymphatic drainage, boosts blood circulation, reduces inflammation, promotes skin healing, reduces puffiness, and increases product absorption. Amazing, isn’t it?
The best part is that Gua Sha can be done in the comfort of your own home – you can have a mini facial without leaving your front door!
Once you know the basics, just a few minutes of Gua Sha action twice or three times a week can have a major impact on skin tone, tautness, and clarity. Lastly, beware of counterfeit Gua Sha stones lurking on the Internet.
What are some of your favorite Gua Shu tools and facial massage rollers?