Type in the words “gua sha” on TikTok, and videos of people’s transformative face lifts and glowing skin flood the screen. It’s hard to know what to believe. But one thing is for sure: face sculpting does do some holistic, healing good! So, below are some undebated details, history, and how-tos about this buzzy trend.
History
Gua sha is an ancient East Asian healing practice that is used to intentionally create friction on the skin by scraping the skin’s barrier, in order to stimulate blood flow and immunity in the body. In Chinese tradition, gua translates to “scrape” and sha is believed to mean “sand” – referring to the speckled redness that’s created from blood flow reaching the skin’s surface (known as petechiae). While the studies from a western medical perspective are more limited, gua sha and sculpting have been practiced for centuries in Asian holistic medicine to heal the body (in a similar way to cupping or acupuncture).
Types & Benefits
The three most popular forms of face sculpting are the gua sha, the face roller, and a facial tool. All three tools improve blood circulation, relieve jaw and facial tension, promote drainage of the lymph nodes, and, in so doing, help reduce inflammation and puffiness in the face.
The gua sha’s teardrop shape allows for optimal massaging — able to reach each corner and contour of the face to access its pressure points and release tension.
The roller is a slightly more gentle approach, massaging the skin and allowing any skin products to more fully and gently absorb.
The facial tool is smaller, giving it better access to harder-to-reach areas, like the eyes, nose, and under the lips. This tool also doubles as a scoop for products to use for more hygienic application.
Materials
These facial products can be made with several materials. The best researched (and our personal favorites) are black obsidian, jade, and rose quartz:
Black Obsidian is derived from volcanic lava and retains warmth, helping to relieve tension, boost circulation, and strengthen connective tissue in the skin.
According to traditional Eastern medicine, jade is known to carry a healing energy that can help relax the nervous system, and create a sense of harmony and balance.
Rose quartz has a pleasant cooling effect that can help soothe sensitive, easily reactive skin, or inflammatory skin conditions, like rosacea.
All three of these materials can be cooled or warmed for varying results. We recommend cooling them in the refrigerator for soothing and depuffing, or heating in a glass of warm water to help with circulation and decongestion (just be sure that the temperature isn’t TOO extreme!).
To use:
Facial Roller
Use with a facial oil on a clean face. Starting in the center of the face, roll out to the edges of the face. Begin at the nose and roll out towards the cheeks & ears. Move on to the eyebrows and roll up and out to the hairline. Move to the jaw and roll from the chin up the jawline and towards the ears. Pro tip: use the roller over a sheet mask to maximize the mask’s benefits.
Gua Sha
Use with a facial oil on a clean face to avoid damaging the skin. Starting in the center of the face, keep the tool edge flat on the skin and (gently) scan to the edges of the face. Begin at the jaw and roll from the chin up the jawline and towards the ears. Move up to the nose and, holding the skin taut with your free hand, smooth out towards the heels and ears. Move on to the eyebrows and smooth up and out to the hairline, and finish with the same inward-to-outward motion from the center forehead to the hairline. Use the smaller edges of the gua sha for those harder-to-reach angles of the face, like around the nose, eyes, and ears. Press gently on any particularly tense areas. You can also use this on the neck (massaging from the base to the head), shoulders, arms, legs, and back for further muscle relaxation.
Facial Tool
Scoop a desired amount of your favorite product (cleansing balm or moisturizer) and apply to skin. Wipe clean after each use. Using the flat side of the tool, massage along the jawline and cheeks, from the inside of the face out and away towards the hairline. Using the smaller side, gently massage the tool in harder-to-reach areas, like in between the eyebrows, around your eyes, and right under your lower lips..
And be sure to wash each tool after use!
In Summary
Skin care goes beyond a surface level clarity of skin. True skin care makes the skin glow from the inside out. While no one thing is going to give you immediate results, taking a holistic approach to your skin and body’s health is a great way to ensure long-lasting results and a genuine glow. And if that means getting a facial massage in the process? That’s a YES from us!
As always, be gentle on yourself, and let us know if you have any questions – email us at hello@ohlolly.com!
