The newest beauty trend; a crystal that gives you a natural facelift and glowing skin. Gua Sha has taken over Tiktok, and everybody is massaging their faces with this stone. What is this tool all about?
What is Gua Sha? And what are Gua Sha tools?
The scraping tool has its roots from ancient Chinese medicine. People used Gua Sha to cure various ailments, joint pain, and much more. Originally, soup spoons, coins were used for Gua Sha. Jade is associated with 'yin,' and its coolness helps in soothing. The ‘yin’ balances the ‘yang’ energy present in you.
Gua Sha exercises the facial muscles to enhance lymphatic drainage and flush toxins. After Gua Sha, the face will appear flushed, signifying that your blood circulation has improved.
How to Gua Sha face?
Many beauty influencers have their ‘Gua Sha how to’ videos. How to Gua Sha?
Here is a rundown of the right Gua Sha technique –
Apply face oil to your face. Gua Sha should not be used on dry skin.
The curved side is to be glided on your face. Use gentle strokes up and out. The strokes should be in one direction and not back and forth.
Start with your neck and jawline and move upwards.
For the eye area, just place the cool stone over your eyes. Don’t tug on the skin especially around the eyes as it is delicate.
When you move outwards from your cheek to ear, massage the area near your hairline (besides the ear). You may end off each stroke with a small wiggle for lymphatic drainage.
Use upward strokes from your forehead to your hairline.
Always use downward strokes for the neck to flush out toxins.
After each use, we would recommend you to wash your Gua Sha tool and dry it completely before storing it in the fridge.
Gua Sha at Home
The best thing about Gua Sha is that anybody can do it. It is not a complicated procedure, and you can do facial Gua Sha by yourself at home. All you need is a Gua Sha tool, some oil, and the right Gua Sha tutorial. In the mornings, you can use it to de-puff your face. And at night, you can use it to relax the facial muscles. Other than having numerous health and beauty benefits, Gua Sha is a relaxing process that allows you to unwind after a long day.
Gua Sha bruising: Is it normal?
Gua Sha is not supposed to be painful. If you apply too much pressure, there may be bruises. However, it is perfectly normal to have bruises, and they will fade after a few days. These bruises are a sign that there is enhanced lymphatic drainage in your body.
Some Gua Sha tips
Wash your tools frequently and keep them dry in the fridge in a cooler bag to reduce bacteria and to prevent future breakouts.
Go for genuine Gua Sha tools that are made from jade or rose quartz. Using fake Gua Sha tools will only cause more harm and irritation to your skin.
Never Gua Sha on dry skin. Moisturise your face before using a Gua Sha, and you may always reapply the oil during the process if the Gua Sha starts to tug on your skin.
You can use the same Gua Sha tool for the back and joints.
Avoid using Gua Sha on breakouts or inflamed skin as it will further irritate your skin. If you have broken skin or visible capillaries, Gua Sha might not be suitable for you.
