Facial Gua Sha Tool Selection Guide

Facial gua sha has become a darling of the global beauty and health care industry in recent years due to the rapid development of social media and people’s increasing emphasis on self-care. However, while experiencing the benefits of gua sha, people often encounter a problem – how to choose the right facial gua sha tools? Faced with a dazzling array of gua sha products, they often find themselves in a dilemma of choice.

Choosing the right gua sha tools is crucial. Incorrect gua sha tools can not only negatively impact the effectiveness of gua sha but may even cause harm to our bodies.

There is no fixed standard for choosing gua sha tools; it is more about making a judgment based on one’s actual needs and individual physical characteristics. Therefore, we need to understand some basic information about facial gua sha.

• What is Facial Gua Sha?
• Facial Gua Sha Tools – Material Description
  • 1. Natural Jade Material
  • 2. Quartz Facial Gua Sha Tool
  • 3. Bian Stone Material
  • 4. Stainless Steel Material
• Shape of Facial Gua Sha Tools: A Key Element of Their Function
  • 1. Heart-Shaped and Crescent-Shaped Facial Gua Sha Tools
  • 2. Serrated Gua Sha Tool
  • 3. Mushroom Facial Gua Sha Tools
• How to Choose Facial Gua Sha Tools According to Your Own Needs？
  • 1. Skin Sensitivity：
  • 2. Target Differentiation of Gua Sha
  • 3. Budget
• Facial Gua Sha Tools Choose Faqs
  • 1. Can Facial Gua Sha Permanently Improve Facial Shape?
  • 2. Is facial Gua Sha Absolutely Safe?
  • 3. Are More Expensive Facial Gua Sha Tools Always Better?
  • 4. Where Can I Buy Suitable Gua Sha Tools？

What is Facial Gua Sha?

Facial gua sha is not part of traditional gua sha, but rather a relatively new branch that has emerged in recent years due to the growing demand for natural facial care. Compared to traditional gua sha, facial gua sha simplifies the process, reducing many of the complex techniques. This simplification significantly lowers the difficulty of the procedure, allowing more people to try facial gua sha at home, which is one reason for its greater popularity compared to traditional gua sha.

Simply put, facial gua sha involves using gua sha tools to “scrape” the face, thereby stimulating blood circulation, improving lymphatic function, and physically tightening the skin. The main benefits include the following:：

1. 1. Promotes facial blood circulation: By increasing blood flow to the face, it makes the face look more rosy and radiant.
2. 2. Promotes lymphatic drainage: Unblocking the lymphatic system in the face and neck can, to some extent, improve skin edema caused by lymphatic obstruction.
3. Lifts and firms the face: Relieves facial skin tension and improves facial sagging through physical lifting. However, this effect is often short-term and cannot be maintained long-term.。

After understanding the basic information about facial gua sha, we should next learn about the materials used in gua sha. We will explain this from two aspects – the material and shape of the gua sha tool.

Facial Gua Sha Tools – Material Description

The material of the gua sha tool may have a negligible impact on the effect of gua sha, but substandard materials can potentially harm the body. Currently, there are at least 30 different gua sha materials available on the market. For your reference, we have selected some of the most recommended materials.

1. Natural Jade Material

We previously wrote an article describing the limitations of genuine jade gua sha – its high price. However, we also mentioned some alternatives to genuine jade gua sha, such as serpentine and aventurine. Although they are not strictly defined as jade, many people still consider them a type of jade. Today, the jade gua sha discussed in this article refers to serpentine and aventurine, as well as other genuine jade alternatives, not jade in the strict sense.

• Features: Smooth and warm texture with a natural cooling sensation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes it balances energy and promotes repair. Furthermore, green symbolizes nature and growth.
• Suitable Skin Types: Suitable for all skin types. Recommended for those with sensitive skin.
• Disadvantages: Made of natural stone, it is hard but lacks toughness and is easily broken. Storage conditions are relatively strict; avoid dropping it from heights. Due to its numerous tiny pores invisible to the naked eye, thorough cleaning is necessary.

2. Quartz Facial Gua Sha Tool

Made from natural quartz. Currently, the best-selling quartz gua sha tools on the market are mainly made of rose quartz, amethyst, and clear quartz. Among them, rose quartz has consistently held the top spot in gua sha sales.

• Advantages: Beautiful appearance, natural cooling sensation, and moderate price. Due to the high production volume of crystal, the market price is stable with minimal fluctuations.
• Suitable Skin Type: Suitable for all skin types.
• Disadvantages: Similar to jade, the inherent properties of quartz facial gua sha tools make them fragile. Therefore, care should be taken to avoid dropping them from heights and collisions with hard objects during storage.。

3. Bian Stone Material

A very traditional material for gua sha. Bian stone, also known as basalt, is a type of stone formed after volcanic eruptions. Bian stone contains various trace elements and has a certain degree of thermal radiation. In traditional Chinese medicine, Bian stone is believed to possess natural healing energy (this has not been scientifically proven).

• Advantages: Rich in trace elements, it generates natural infrared rays during friction, creating a warming effect. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is believed to promote repair functions.
• Suitable Skin Types: Suitable for people with poor blood circulation or facial edema. However, considering the trace elements and the friction of its surface, it may not be suitable for people with sensitive skin.
• Disadvantages: The appearance is not very aesthetically pleasing, with an overall dull look. Due to its material properties, it is extremely difficult to polish, resulting in a less than smooth surface after gua sha.

4. Stainless Steel Material

This is a newly emerging material for facial gua sha tools. Common materials used in gua sha tool manufacturing include 304 and 316 stainless steel. It is widely welcomed due to its excellent properties.

• Advantages: Extremely easy to clean and possesses some antibacterial properties. The material itself is very sturdy; compared to materials like jade/crystal, stainless steel will never break from a drop, making it extremely durable.
• Suitable Skin Types: Suitable for all skin types. However, considering its natural antibacterial properties, it is recommended for oily skin or those prone to acne.
• Disadvantages: Although stainless steel is extremely durable, its relatively low hardness and the fact that most stainless steel currently uses a mirror-polished finish make its surface easily scratched. Therefore, its aesthetic appeal will be significantly diminished after prolonged use.

The above four are currently the most mainstream gua sha materials on the market, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. How to choose? Considering the characteristics of gua sha therapy, you can choose one entirely based on your preference, as the effectiveness of gua sha therapy depends not on the material, but on its appearance.

Shape of Facial Gua Sha Tools: A Key Element of Their Function

The material of a facial gua sha tool determines the feel of use, while its shape determines its effectiveness. Therefore, different tool shapes represent different functions and are suitable for different facial areas. Currently, the most common gua sha shapes on the market include:

1. Heart-Shaped and Crescent-Shaped Facial Gua Sha Tools

One of the most common shapes for gua sha on the market, and also one of the earliest facial gua sha tools developed. After years of development, the image of the heart-shaped facial gua sha tool has become deeply ingrained in people’s minds. Many people often choose the heart-shaped gua sha tool as their first choice when purchasing one. Of course, this is not only due to the accumulation of users over time, but also because it genuinely has many advantages.

• Advantages: Features multiple curved lines of varying degrees, suitable for close contact with different areas of the face. It has a long, rounded edge, ideal for large-area gua sha. Furthermore, after multiple generations of improvement, its grip is excellent.
• Suitable Areas: All areas of the face, including the jawline. A versatile gua sha tool for beginners.

2. Serrated Gua Sha Tool

It features numerous textured teeth. Its design is not intended for facial gua sha, but rather for head massage. However, it’s not entirely prohibited; it can also be used for specific areas of the face. The gentle massage of the face with the comb’s teeth can relax muscles and skin.

• Advantages: Smaller pressure points result in greater pressure, allowing for deeper penetration into the skin and muscles. It also penetrates hair when used for head massage.
• Suitable areas: Head and neck massage, and can also be used for gentle facial massage.

3. Mushroom Facial Gua Sha Tools

Shaped like a mushroom, it’s used by pinching the concave area in the middle with your fingers and then massaging the face with the larger end. Unlike other gua sha tools, it uses the entire curved surface instead of the edge for massage.

• Advantages: Suitable for gentle gua sha. Its design is also more suitable for sunken areas such as the temples and glabella.
• Suitable areas: Gua sha of the temples, glabella, and eye sockets.

How to Choose Facial Gua Sha Tools According to Your Own Needs？

There is no fixed answer when choosing facial gua sha tools; everyone may choose different tools for different reasons. The factors influencing your choice should come from three different dimensions：

1. Skin Sensitivity：

First, determine your skin type. We categorize them as follows:

• Oily skin: The face is prone to oil production, and the accumulation of oil can easily lead to dullness and blackheads.
• Acne-prone skin: Oily skin is often prone to acne, but acne-prone skin is not always caused by oiliness.
• Dry skin: The face produces little oil, and the skin is dry, prone to peeling and itching, especially after cleansing.
• Healthy normal skin: Neither dry nor excessively oily. The healthiest type of skin.
• Scarring skin: More prone to scarring than others after injury, even from small wounds.。

Of the four different materials mentioned above, jade, quartz, and stainless steel gua sha tools are suitable for all skin types. However, considering their properties, Bian stone gua sha is not suitable for oily or acne-prone skin.

2. Target Differentiation of Gua Sha

Which facial gua sha tool is right for you? Actually, your desired outcome is the most crucial deciding factor. Below are three of the most common gua sha purposes：

• Eliminating Swelling/Detoxification: For eliminating swelling and detoxification, hot and cold therapy is a good option. Therefore, focus on two materials with minimal temperature difference compared to other gua sha materials: stainless steel (cool sensation, strong drainage) or Bian stone (warm sensation, promotes circulation and metabolism).
• Lifting/Sculpting Facial Contouring: The key to lifting and sculpting the face is the fit to the skin. Therefore, the tool’s design must better conform to the shape of the face. Classic heart/wing or S-shaped tools ensure the edges closely fit the jawline and cheekbones.
• Relieving Tension/Headache: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain relief is often achieved through massage of specific acupoints or meridians. Therefore, tools that can target small areas are needed. Choose tools with comb-like edges (for the scalp and back of the neck) and mushroom shapes (for acupoint pressure).

3. Budget

In daily life, the expected price of a product is the most subjective and direct determining factor. Everyone compares prices of similar products multiple times before choosing the one they deem the most cost-effective. The four different materials used for gua sha mentioned above are generally priced within the same range, so you can choose any facial gua sha tool you like, given the same shape.

Of course, some gua sha materials are extremely expensive, such as genuine jade. Its price can be more than three times higher than materials like rose quartz, but its performance is not significantly different from other materials. Therefore, for the average person, choosing one of the four materials mentioned above is sufficient; there’s no need to pursue genuine jade.

Besides the material, the shape of the gua sha tool is also a crucial factor in determining its price. Different shapes result in different wear and tear, processing difficulty, and processing time, leading to price fluctuations. Distinguishing the price differences between different facial gua sha tool shapes only requires considering two factors: size and complexity. The larger the gua sha tool, the higher the cost of its raw materials, and thus the higher the price. More complex shapes also increase the cost and selling price due to the greater difficulty and time required for processing.

Choose within your budget, as the core of gua sha lies in the act of “gua sha.” Material and shape are merely supplementary. If you have sufficient gua sha skills, even a ceramic spoon from your home can be used as a facial gua sha tool.

Facial Gua Sha Tools Choose Faqs