The information included in this article is not meant to be taken as medical advice and should not be used in lieu of professional treatment. As with starting any new supplement or wellness regimen, talk to your doctor first.
Unless you’ve been living underneath an actual rose quartz, you’ve likely seen at least one influencer scraping their face with a weirdly shaped rock on Instagram. The latest trend to take the wellness world by storm is gua sha, a common practice heralding from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Purported to smooth fine lines, reduce wrinkles, encourage lymphatic fluid drainage, and improve circulation, regular gua sha use has been compared to a non-surgical facelift. And before you get too skeptical: yes, it works.
“Using gua sha regularly may aid in sculpting and contouring the face naturally while providing a healthy glow,” says Bianca Lopez of SkinGym. Proper technique involves using a thin, flat rock (typically jade or rose quartz) to apply moderate pressure as you stroke the stone along the surface of your well-oiled face and neck, using upward and outward strokes, almost as if you’re ironing fine lines out of your skin.
“Gua” means to scrape or rub, and doing so can encourage petechiae or “sha,” a red rash that’s actually a bruising process caused by burst capillaries under the skin. In TCM, sha is a good thing, symbolizing that “qi” (energy/life force) is moving and circulating now where it was once stagnant. Gua sha therapy is typically performed by acupuncturists or other professionals trained in TCM and is most commonly used on the back and neck to heal chronic pain and migraines. On your face, however, you won’t be pressing nearly as hard—don’t worry, this isn’t about bruising your skin!
So why is it so great for your face? Consistent use over time may help encourage blood flow—and where there’s blood flow, there’s healing and cell turnover. In TCM terms, gua sha moves stuck qi (pronounced “chee”), which promotes circulation and the removal of metabolic waste products (ick).
One study found that gua sha increased microcirculation in the skin four times more than patients’ baseline levels and resulted in an immediate decrease in pain.
Here are six things to know before trying it yourself…
1. Repeat after us: Only use upward and outward strokes
You’re trying to counteract the effects of gravity, so stroke towards the sky! Start from your jawline and move up to the base of your ear, repeating each stroke just three to five times. Move outward from your nose up and across your cheeks, and move from the center of your brow upward and out to your forehead. SkinGym has a great video tutorial. But take note: Don’t gua sha over any pimples or large moles.
2. You can and should do it twice daily for best results
The entire process takes about three to five minutes at a time, says Lopez. One momfluencer mentioned in her Stories that she sometimes does gua sha while using the bathroom. Genius? We think yes.
3. It’s imperative that you pair it with a good facial oil
It’s all about the gliding of the stone over your face. The last thing you want to do is wreak havoc on your skin, so lube up first. I love this one.
4. It’s great for that tricky spot between your brows
You know those two little lines that appear when you’re tense (or, um, all the time)? Gua sha is IDEAL for this area.
5. Avoid your neck (or use the only *the most* gentle strokes)
According to acupuncturist Stacey Hachenberg, using gua sha on the front of your neck could inadvertently release plaque from the carotid artery, which may be dangerous. Avoid pressing on the front and sides of your neck, instead favoring super light strokes that just graze the skin, if you do it at all.
6. Try it out on your upper back muscles, too
Apply a bit of massage oil and run the tool in short, quick, firm strokes (use a down-and-out direction here) along your upper back to help remove any adhesions and tension in this spot, as well. Hello, mini massage!
Have you tried gua sha? Tell us your thoughts in the comments–and shop more self-care staples from our beauty and wellness selection!
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Great post! I had come across this latest beauty gadget but really hadn’t taken the time to see exactly what it was. I do like the jade roller so I guess this will give somewhat similar results. I imagine there is a bit of a technique to doing it properly – using the face oil of course. Thanks for posting.