Gua Sha has taken over the skincare industry and is the biggest skincare trend on Tiktok right now. Now everybody has this unassuming beauty tool in their beauty regime.
I decided to hop on this trend and got my very own Gua Sha to try out. The results surprised me. I am going to share my thoughts and 30 days of experience from this ‘natural Botox’ treatment.
The Gua Sha practice involves massages (scraping) with a flat, crescent-shaped stone (usually cut from jade or rose-quartz). Massaging your face with Gua Sha stone enhances blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, which detoxes the skin. It can be considered as a workout for your face. Most users claim their faces looked smoother and glowier after one session, and that the process is relaxing and painless.
In the past, my biggest skin concern was my dark eye circles and dull skin. Ever since I bought my Gua Sha Kit from Guashaco, my skin has never been much radiant and lifted. I successfully reduce my dark eye circles concern, while following the Guide on 'How to reduce eye bags, puffy eyes, and dark eye circles'.
I used the Jade Gua Sha from the Imperial Jade Deluxe Kit, which also came with other Jade Gua Sha tools such as an Eye Massage Mushroom, Acupressure Facial Sculpting Spoon, Scalp Comb, Jade Roller and 3 interchangeable roller heads.
Initially, I was skeptical of this crystal having any effects on my skin. When I started massaging my face with the Jade Gua Sha, I could feel the areas where my face held stress the most, becoming more relaxed. After the first session, I didn’t see a miraculous glow, but my face looked more radiant and had a healthy flushed look.
After one month of trying this beauty trend, I would say that everybody needs a Gua Sha in their beauty routine. Using the Gua Sha for a few minutes daily made a difference not only in my physical appearance, but it also gave me a chance to slow down for a few minutes everyday to simply focus on scraping my face.
Each morning, after my daily Gua Sha facial massage, my face looked less puffy and I felt more energized and ready to take on the day.
My skin looks healthier and less bloated. Your skin might appear slightly flushed or pinkish, but that is normal. The idea is to get your lymphatic system moving and flush out the toxins from your skin.
Did you know that Gua Sha is used for facelift too?
It can be considered as a natural facelift, as it doesn’t require any surgeries unlike Botox. Gua Sha can reduce wrinkles by relaxing the facial muscles.
Yes, it does.
Nobody loves gaining fat on their jawline. Other than using the Gua Sha on my face, I used it on my jawline and neck too. After applying your preferred oil or moisturiser, work the Gua Sha gently along the jawline in an upwards motion, at a 45-degree angle.
It made my jaw feel less tight, and it seemed to have reduced puffiness in my cheeks, giving the appearance of a more chiseled jawline.
Other than having beauty benefits, Gua Sha has numerous health benefits, and can be used to reduce symptoms of health problems. Gua Sha can be used for massaging your back, your jawline, getting rid of cellulite, and more. In fact, I attempted to use the Gua Sha on my back to relieve back pain. However, for the back massage, I had to get somebody to do it for me.
After trying the Gua Sha on my back for 3-4 sessions, my back felt less tense, and I had noticeably less back pain. Do take note that these Gua Sha back massages were done over a span of a few months. Gua Sha on the body is different from facial Gua Sha.
It is not recommended to do Gua Sha on the body daily as the skin needs time to heal after each session.
Just like facial Gua Sha, the back is stroked with the Gua Sha board. The skin might turn pink/red because of the pressure, but it is normal. There will also be bruises, known as petechiae, which are also normal and will fade after a few days. These bruises are a sign that your blood circulation has improved and there is enhanced lymphatic drainage ongoing.
Cellulite is a condition where the skin looks dimpled. Cellulite is caused by a buildup of fat on the skin. It is perfectly normal to have cellulite, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. However, if you wish to reduce the appearance of cellulite, Gua Sha might be a good solution for you.
By now, we know that the major feature of Gua Sha is improving blood flow. Enhanced blood flow helps your body to push out toxins better. Over time, there will be an appearance of firmer and smoother skin.
Gua Sha results are fantastic if you follow the right massage technique and get the right tools. Check out our tutorial on how to Gua Sha the right way.
