Why gua sha should be a staple in your skincare routine and how to best use the tool for visible results

Imagine having a beauty tool in your skincare vanity that not only helps sculpt your face but also banishes puffiness, leaving you with a radiant, youthful glow you desire on your big day. Enter gua sha! It may sound like a fancy term, but it's the most natural way to enhance your inner radiance, while also working with your body’s natural processes to promote better blood circulation, lymphatic flow, and collagen production, all without requiring the use of any expensive serums or complicated rituals. 

This practice of gua sha can be traced back over 2,000 years to ancient China, making it one of the oldest healing techniques in the world. It was initially used as a holistic healthcare method, primarily in rural and traditional Chinese communities. Later, it became an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which stresses on balancing your body’s energy or “qi”, and promoting your overall health and wellness. Today, these tools are typically made from materials like jade, rose quartz, or other smooth stones. 

Benefits of using gua sha

Improves blood circulation: Gua sha involves gentle scraping of the skin’s surface with a smooth tool, which stimulates blood flow to the treated areas. This increased circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells, promoting a healthy and radiant complexion with each practice. 

Reduces facial tension: Gua sha involves massaging the facial muscles, which can help release tension and reduce the tightness often associated with stress or muscle strain. It’s particularly effective in relieving tension in the jaw, forehead, and neck areas. 

Enables contouring and sculpting: When applied strategically, they can also be used to sculpt and contour the face. By targeting specific areas like cheekbones, brow bone or jawline, you can enhance your natural features and achieve a more defined facial structure. 

Enhances product absorption: When you use gua sha with your skincare products, it helps in enhancing product absorption and penetration deeper into the skin, making them more effective in addressing specific skin concerns. 

Reduces fine lines and wrinkles and enhances skin elasticity: Regular practice of gua sha on your skin stimulates the production of collagen, an important protein responsible for maintaining skin elasticity and diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, particularly around the eyes, mouth, and forehead. This can lead to firmer and more supple skin, reducing sagging or dropping. 

How to use gua sha 

To use a gua sha tool effectively, begin by selecting one made of jade, rose, quartz, or a smooth stone that feels comfortable in your hand. After cleansing your face, apply a few drops of facial oil or serum to let the tool glide on your skin smoothly. Start at your neck and jawline, gently scraping the tool upward from the base of your neck towards your chin and jaw, repeating this several times on both sides. Then, slowly move to your cheek area, following the contour of your cheekbones from nose to ear. Continue this by sweeping the tool across your forehead. Finish by going back to your neck and jawline. We recommend maintaining gentle pressure throughout, avoiding excessive force.

After each use, clean your gua sha tool and follow it up with your regular skincare routine to seal in the benefits. You can use gua sha daily or a few times a week for a relaxing and effective skincare ritual.