While the skincare industry continues to synthesise weird and wonderful ingredients for its face creams, some are turning to traditional practices to tend to their visage. Gua sha stones and jade rollers have both seen an uptick in interest recently. Both tools have roots in ancient Eastern medicine - gua sha translates from Chinese to ‘scraping’... Granted, ‘scraping’ doesn’t sound like a particularly pleasant process, but crystal facial rolling and gua sha massages make for wonderfully soothing skincare practices with wide-ranging benefits!
Health and beauty benefits
While crystal facial rollers and gua sha stones are separate items, they are both said to improve lymphatic drainage and circulation. The lymphatic system plays a key role in supporting the immune system, and also works to dispose of waste materials and toxins from the body. Poor lymphatic drainage can lead to facial puffiness, particularly around the eyes. If you wake up with pronounced eye bags and a slightly swollen look, sluggish lymphatic drainage is likely part of the issue. Improved facial circulation helps with skin healing and regeneration, and good facial circulation is thought to be important in preventing skin-aging and wrinkle development.
If these beauty benefits aren’t enough, jade rollers and gua sha stones also feel great on the skin - especially if they’re cooled first. An ice-cold jade roller massage makes for a delightfully refreshing routine that can be performed at home free of charge. Jade rollers and gua sha stones are also both great for relieving any tension held in the face - if you suffer from tight jaw muscles from night-time clenching or tooth grinding then a morning massage with either tool will offer a lot of relief.
What’s more - both crystal facial rollers and gua sha tools are available in a range of different stones, each bringing different benefits. For instance, jade quartz is thought to be beneficial to both the immune system and internal organs such as the kidneys and liver. Rose quartz is thought to aid with circulation and can help the user foster feelings of self-love - so it’s a perfect pick for a self-care routine!
How do I use my crystal facial roller or gua sha stone?
While you might see the best results if you attend a beauty therapist, jade rolling and gua sha facial massages can also be performed at home, free of charge. Since facial puffiness and tight jaw muscles are usually experienced in the morning, you might want to incorporate these practices into your morning routine.
Like any tool applied directly to your face, jade/rose rollers and Gua Sha stones should be sterilized with boiling water or alcohol gel before use. It’s also important to start your routine by cleansing your face and neck. With both tools, upward and outward motions are optimal, and you’ll get the best results if you apply moisturising serum or oil before the massage (bonus: both tools will also help with serum absorption!). Three to five strokes per area of the face is optimal and applies a soft pressure when completing the strokes. Pressing too hard can be painful and even cause bruising - so go easy!
Jade / Rose / Clear quartz crystal rolling routine
A typical facial massage routine might involve the following steps:
Start by massaging the neck with sweeping upward motions from the collarbones to the jawline (starting on the neck is particularly important for stimulating the lymphatic system).
Then move onto the jawline - start with the tool at your chin and complete gliding motions from the chin to each ear. Gradually move up the face until you reach the cheekbone.
Next to the forehead. Start your motions at the bridge of the nose, first working across the brow towards the temple, and then gliding straight up the forehead to the hairline.
To finish the routine, use the small section of the roller to sweep across the delicate skin under your eyes, from the bridge of your nose to the ear.
Gua sha routine
A similar routine can be carried out using a gua sha tool. It’s important to understand the different zones of the gua sha tool and what specific parts of the face they’re intended for. The longer convex edge of the tool is used for the forehead, neck, and body. The shorter concave edge is used for the jawline and cheeks. The shortest dimpled edge is intended for the delicate skin around your eyes and brow line.
Use the Crystal facial roller or Gua Sha three times a week for at least 5 minutes to get the real benefit out of these crystal facial tools.
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Have a beautiful day and keep shining.
