Do you still gua sha facial? Using this nifty little facial tool – a close cousin of the jade roller – is one of our favorite forms of self-care these days.
Once you know the basics, just a few minutes of massage a day can make a big difference to the tone, firmness and clarity of your skin. It’s nothing short of a miracle. Try the exercise on only one side of your face, and look in the mirror before continuing – you’ll see a noticeable lift and glow on the side you’ve practiced on!
What is Gua Sha?
Gua Sha is a traditional East Asian and Chinese technique used to promote health, circulation and remove toxins that build up in the body. It is used lightly on facial skin and very aggressive on body skin. “gua sha” means scraping, sand means sand, and this practice has been used for thousands of years. Tools used in practice range from Chinese spoons to animal bones and horns to rose quartz gemstones. According to TCM, the entire meridian organ system is unified in the face. So, I can infer the imbalance happening in the body simply by looking at my client’s face.
What does Gua Sha Do?
For context, Gua Sha predates acupuncture. The Stroke Mode used awakens the meridians (vital paths) to activate the body’s natural healing abilities. For the skin, it promotes collagen production (cellular strength). It shapes and tones the face, allows inflammation to subside, and frees muscles from tension – allowing them to do their support work properly. With increased blood circulation, it also helps the skin return to its most radiant state, delivering nutrients to areas that may be starving from blockages.
The effects of gua sha are not just superficial. Because the meridians are active, it is also very beneficial to the stomach, liver, spleen, heart, kidney and other organs. For example, using these tools on the area of the face that connects to the kidneys sends a message to the kidneys’ meridian lines, inviting them to release toxins, relax, and gain nourishment. This allows them to operate at optimal capacity.
what is the Gua Sha Facial Benefit?
- Delivers nutrient-rich oxygenated blood (food for cells) to skin and tissues
- Drains lymph fluid (often full of toxins and waste) from cells for cleansing
- Eliminate or greatly reduce wrinkles
- Treats and prevents sagging skin (lifts and tightens skin)
- Helps eliminate dark circles around the eyes
- Helps break down and release dark spots and hyperpigmented skin
- Brightens skin tone
- Dramatically speed up the healing time of acne and pimples, helping to solve these skin problems comprehensively
- Has the ability to heal and relieve rosacea
- Help product penetration
- Treats TMJ disorders and migraines
How to Choose the Right Gua Sha Facial Tool?
Gua sha tools come in countless different shapes, sizes and forms. Some tools are made from animal bones and horns, some are made of precious stones such as jade or rose quartz, and some practitioners use Chinese spoons. I’ve even seen a glass jar lid (one with rounded and soft edges) used in a pinch.
Now popular are rose quartz and jade. Emerald is known for bringing tranquility and purity, as well as promoting fertility, balance and deep healing. Rose Quartz is known for restoring inner harmony. It is a universal love stone that encourages unconditional love and compassion.
Choosing your gemstone is similar to choosing a crystal or gemstone. If you can pick it yourself, do so. Pick it up, feel it, observe how it feels in your hands. Pay attention to which one catches your eye – if one shines more to you than the other, go for it!
How do I Perform Gua Sha Facial?
- Clean face and hands. After drying your face with a clean towel, spray liberally. (Tip: My washcloth is only used once before it goes in the basket. If you have breakouts, it’s best not to reuse the washcloth before washing your face. Bacteria can transfer back to the skin.)
- Apply facial oil (4-10 drops) to cover face and neck. Apply the oil from the forehead and work your way down to drain the lymph. This activates the movement of the skin and tissue, which is a good preparation before gua sha.
- Rub the gua sha tool with both hands to warm it up slightly. This will also lubricate the tool a bit so it doesn’t tug at your skin in areas that don’t receive as much oil.
- Sweep your neck from the sides. Swipe lightly across your Adam’s apple – it’s more of a vigorous swipe to activate your REN line. (The Ren Jing of Traditional Chinese Medicine gathers the yin qi of the human body to treat the problems of the abdomen, chest, neck, head and face.)
- Sweep under the chin from the middle of the face to the earlobe, keeping the tool flat. If you prefer, press the skin under the chin with the other thumb while sliding the tool back toward the earlobe in the opposite direction.
- Sweep across the jawline from the middle of the chin, then toward the earlobe. You can gently shake your ear to encourage fluid to flow from your neck to the lymph nodes at the base, just above your collarbone.
- Swipe under your cheekbones and really collect a lot of fluid that’s easy to store here and direct it towards your hairline. You can gently shake your tool on your hairline.
- Sweep across your cheekbones and finish at the hairline.
- Sweep your eyes lightly. I like to sweep from the corner of the eye to the midline. The muscles contract in this direction, and the lymph flows from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner of the eye. But if swiping from the inner corner of the eye to the hairline feels better, then do so—this is the more traditional direction of gua sha.
- Sweep across the brows, towards the hairline, from the brow bone up (forehead up), finishing at the hairline. When swiping up, work in small sections, moving three to five sections along the brow.
- Sweep across the third eye from between the eyebrows to the hairline. Notice if your clairvoyance feels more active after this stroke!
- Sweep from the middle of the forehead to the hairline. (Hint: One of my favorite moves comes from Britta Plugg at Britta Beauty in New York. She sweeps it down the middle of her forehead—without stopping at the hairline—and continues into her hair, behind her ears, and on her neck. It feels divine.)
- Now caress the other side of your face, start over with your neck, and complete these steps.
- Slide down the side. When you’re done with the other side of the face, finish the treatment by sweeping down the neck to help with long-lasting drainage. Keep your tool very flat and hugged under your jawbone. Gently sweep from the neck down to the collarbone.
Take stock of your work. Does one side look or feel different than the other?
Key tips for getting the most out of your practice:
- I recommend scanning each area at least three times. For longer exercises, sweep up to 10 times.
- Make your tool almost flush with your skin (about 15 degrees) instead of having the edge of the tool at a 90-degree angle to your skin.
- When your tools start to tug or pull on your skin, add more oil to glide better.
- Feel free to experiment with which side and shape of the tool best suit your face shape. Remember that what you feel good about may not be the same as what is in the video.
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