Gua Sha has great benefits for your skin. Image supplied.
If you are a fan of beauty and wellness and you haven’t been living under a rock then you would have heard of the term Gua Sha. Gua Sha is an ancient Chinese practice translating into the word “scraping.” This practice was originally used as an ancient healing technique for heatstroke and viruses such as the flu and could be used with any tool that was on hand, such as a wooden spoon, coin or even the knuckles. The idea was to scrape and pull the skin, bringing out bruising and welts and subsequently, releasing bad energy or toxins. The practise of using a tool to apply pressure and scrape across the face as a form of lymphatic drainage was only rediscovered in more recent times and that is now known as the growing trend of Gua Sha we know today.
If you scroll through your Instagram feed and search the term #Guasha, you will be met with pages and pages of smooth, pore-less faces smiling up at you with beautifully shaped tools, usually made from Jade, Rose Quartz or another polished stone or crystal. The practice we know as Gua Sha today is designed to sculpt and de-puff the face, release tension, while also enabling product to be better absorbed into the skin – but is it all a marketing ploy? Or is the hype for Gua Sha justified?
The benefits of using a Gua Sha tool have been touted by celebs, skin care specialists and beauty fans alike all over the world, but why is this tool so amazing and how exactly does it work?
To use a Gua Sha tool, the idea is to use gentle pressure by moving the tool across your face in even strokes. This process manually stimulates the lymphatic flow and allows the lymphatic system in your face to flush out any built up toxins, this in turn is said to reduce puffiness, sculpt the facial features such as the cheekbones and brighten the skin’s complexion. Essentially the Gua Sha tool works to move all of the excess fluid back into your lymphatic system allowing it to get cleaned and then mixed back into your bloodstream.
Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system needs to be manually stimulated to get the toxic fluids pumping. A buildup of toxins in the body can cause bloating and puffiness, which is why people notice a sculpting effect in their face after the use of a Gua Sha tool. Using a Gua Sha tool with a facial oil or moisturiser can also help the skin to absorb the product better into the skin.
Gua Sha should be performed once a week for beginner users, then once you get the hang of the process and your skin becomes used to it, you can increase to a couple times a week, finally incorporating it every day into your beauty and wellness routine if you would like to. Certain Gua Sha tools have antimicrobial qualities, making them great for facial techniques to help eliminate bacteria on the skin and others have cooling effects, which can be good for de-puffing tired or hungover eyes.
A trick to know if your Gua Sha tool is well made from quality materials is the weight of the tool. Well made, crystal based tools will generally be heavier than their man-made, lower quality counterparts. Another pro-tip is to keep your Gua Sha tool in the fridge for an ultra-cooling effect when you use it.
Our top pick is the Angela Caglia Rose Quartz Gua Sha lifting tool from MECCA. This tool is crafted from top quality Rose Quartz from Brazil and hand crystal-cut and polished.