The Ultimate Guide to Gua Sha: Everything You Need to Know About this Ancient Beauty Technique

Among the many Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques, gua sha has predominantly been considered a beauty tool these days but what most people overlook is that this TCM works wonders in improving one’s health and managing stress.

Gua sha, which has been practised for more than thousands of years, has become super popular for being convenient to practice while offering so many benefits when done in the proper way. In this article, we have covered everything you should know before buying or using your first gua sha.

Also Read: Why the world is waking up to the goodness of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

gua sha

What is Gua Sha?

Gua sha which also means scrapping is a technique in which a small and flat stone with smooth edges is used to scrape the skin as it helps to improve the energy flow called Qi in our body which in turn helps the body to release tension, reduce inflammation and stimulate the immune system.

That is why, back in the past, Gua sha was used to treat different health-related issues such as body pain, indigestion, breathing issues and certain skin conditions.

But what made this age-old practice be adapted to the beauty industry is its ability to give you glowing skin as the stone improves blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. It also has anti-ageing properties and reduces puffiness.

Also Read: Are Jade Rollers a cosmetic con or a skincare secret?

gua sha

How to pick the right Gua Sha?

The main thing to consider when picking a gua sha is the material. There are so many options, with the most common ones being jade, rose quartz, green aventurine, bian stone and amethyst. Though all these materials help the skin in many ways, each gemstone also has its own unique properties that make them better than the others for certain functions as mentioned below briefly.

Jade: Most suitable for improving skin tone
Rose Quartz: Ideal for sensitive skin
Green Aventurine: Best for reducing wrinkles
Bian Stone: Excellent for stress relief
Amethyst: Perfect to reduce inflammation

gua sha

How to use Gua Sha?

Before starting with the gua sha facial, you need to apply oil or moisturiser on your skin so that the tool can be used smoothly, or the frictional force can surely hurt the skin and do more damage than good. Then using the edges of the stone, make long strokes along different parts of the face and/or the body while applying some pressure.

Each stroke should be repeated a couple of times and experts will advise you to pay special attention to certain acupressure points. Moreover, you can always refer to videos by professionals to do gua sha at home.

What are the other crucial things to consider before practising Gua Sha?

If you have the time, you can always include gua sha in your daily skincare routine or even thrice a week is enough to eventually see results.

However, it is important to avoid or seek a healthcare personnel’s advice before doing gua sha if you have any medical concerns. These include but are not limited to, having an injury; suffering from certain skin conditions; and having recently undergone surgery.

Also, as with any skincare practice, hygiene is very important so it is vital to thoroughly wash your hands and the gua sha tool before using it.

Jade Rollers – Cosmetic con or skincare secret?

Jade rollers are having a huge moment right now. They’re popping up in conversation, on social feeds, at department stores, beauty shops – almost every celebrity and influencer is using them because who isn’t obsessed with anything that naturally makes the skin taut?

The tiny beauty tools have skyrocketed in popularity, the million dollar question though –  does rubbing them on your face in the name of beauty really work and is it backed by science? 

Keep scrolling, we got all the answers:

What’s the fuss all about and how best to use them?

Face rollers can come in a variety of crystals – jade, rose quartz, tourmaline and amethyst are the most commonly available ones.

Crystals have a natural coolness – no wonder, they find prominence in several aspects of wellness – from cleansing our water to meditation, purifying the vibes or (like Miranda Kerr) putting them in your bra! When it comes to skincare, they might be rage right now but their use is deeply rooted in history. They’ve been used for centuries in the Chinese medicine where the belief was to draw out the negative energy or ‘chi’ and have references in ancient Indian scriptures as well. 

If you haven’t really tried it, then get hold of a crystal roller, freeze it for soothing effect, apply your favourite serum or oil on the face and roll the tool in upward strokes for micro-circulation. The idea is to aid the lymphatic drainage system and help the skin and facial muscles drain toxic fluid buildup, increase the flow of oxygen which reduces puffiness and minimises fine lines. The cooling nature of crystals even after coming in contact with the skin helps to brighten complexion and penetrate the product deeper in your skin. 

The design of the face roller with a larger oval stone and a smaller circular stone helps in getting complete rolling coverage on the face. Below we tell you how to use both the sides for the most effective results.

Also Read: Eye Yoga – Latest wellness trend. We examine if it’s gimmick or godsend

DIY beauty tool – Here’s what to remember

Besides that zen-like feeling, regular and correct usage of face rollers has legitimate skin benefits – dermatologists say it makes your features pop, skin looks more awake and taut, improves elasticity, tightens pores, helps eliminate toxins and naturally boosts collagen. There’s a host of benefits but if not used correctly, it can do more harm than good. Keep these tips in mind: 

1. Begin with a cleansed face and a cleansed, refrigerated roller. Apply your favourite serum/cream of choice but remember to use a ‘slippery’ product. Some people apply face mask sheets and roll over it for maximum benefits. 

2. Use medium pressure and at least twice a day for visible benefits. 

3. Like with any beauty routine, a face roller is not for all skin types. Some people break out or develop rashes – immediately discontinue its use if it’s not suiting your skin. 

Neck: The oval side of the jade roller is perfect for the long neck – roll it up and down the neck in vertical lines and with uniform pressure. 

Jawline: We love them taut and defined, don’t we? Stay with the oval side of the roller and begin massaging from the centre of your chin towards the earlobe. Repeat for 6 to 7 times on each side and begin to work up the rest of the face. 

Eyes: The smaller stone works well for the eye. Remember to be extra gentle on the eye, roll from the inner point of the eye to the outer area, cover the under eye which sees maximum puffiness and the crow’s feet as well. Roll back and forth for about 8 to 10 times twice a day. 

Also Read: Not just skin deep, five wellness benefits of gua sha beyond skincare

Beyond Beauty: Five wellness benefits of Gua Sha

It seems that Gua Sha (Guasa) is basking in long overdue spotlight as of late. It is a technique that involves tools blunt tools — commonly mineral stones, though spoons and round objects are also typical — to massage and relieve tension, ultimately boosting the blood circulation throughout the body, and often boasting the benefits of resulting in more youthful skin.

But did you know that the benefits of Gua Sha goes beyond skincare? A form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is used to relieve pain and stress in the body — offering a pill-free alternative for those who prefer a more natural to pain relief. If you’re looking to remedy certain phyiscal discomforts, here are five wellness benefits to Gua Sha…

1. Detoxify the body and gives a natural face lift
Unlike the typical massage, Gua Sha uses a tool — typically smooth edged — to stroke the skin repeatedly. This technique helps to stimulate the lymphatic system and promote blood circulation (as well as energy flow) throughout the body, clearing any blockages within. This technique can be used anywhere on the face, neck or body to draw out toxins and increasing skin radiance and reduce puffiness.

2. Relieve migraine, headaches and sore muscles
Stress tend to create heat inside the body that then travels into vital organs. As heat gets trapped, tension is created resulting in stress symptoms such as migraines, headaches and sore muscles. Gua Sha helps to release the heat in these tension areas, stimulating the circulation of blood throughout various areas of the body — relieving inflammation, swelling and pain.

3. Soothe Prementural syndrome
Symptoms of Premenstural syndrom (PMS) commonly come in the form of fatigue, soreness and abdominal cramps caused by an excess of serotonin and prostaglandins hormones that trigger mood fluctuations and uterine contractions — resulting in pain, soreness, fatigue and swelling. Gua Sha helps to drain out toxins (from an excess of stress hormones), reduce swelling and soothe the pain of menstrual flow.

4. Complements therapy treatments to reduce tourette syndrome
Tourette’s Syndrome is a condition that affects the nervous system, causing sudden and involuntary twitches, referred to as ‘tics’. In a single-patient study published in the US National Library of Medicine, it was found that the use of Gua Sha once a week for 35 weeks to complement the therapy treatments of tourette’s resulted in the significant reduction (75%) of facial tics, throat clearing, and verbal outbursts, though more studies are needed to prove its effectiveness.

5. Reduce chronic inflammation
Interestingly, Gua Sha therapists or TCM doctors can tell which energy pathways are blocked by the colour of the skin. They typically begin with a deep tissue massage or palpations on the body to find specific areas in which skin remains pale after applying deep pressure on the area — indicating that blood flows slowly in that area. There have been some studies in which Gua Sha was used as a therapeutic treatment for liver inflammation caused by hepatitis B. The treatment is said to ‘scrape out’ and drain the toxins built up in organs and reduce enzymes in the liver, but to prove its medical benefit for curing chronic inflammation, more research is required.