Gua Sha Facial – What Are The Benefits

Gua sha is another beauty trend that is taking over our feeds, however, it is not a new concept. Using a gua sha tool is typical in Eastern Asian and Chinese medicine, and is considered one of the best ways to keep the skin looking younger, and rejuvenated whilst reducing fine lines and puffiness.

The Gua Sha is similar to the highly popular jade roller, as this is a tool for the perfect facial, too. All you need to do is use the gua sha to massage the face, and help change the skin’s tone, tautness, elasticity and feel. 

What is Gua Sha facial?

The gua sha facial is an authentic, traditional Asian and Chinese massage technique used to stimulate the skin, increase circulation and melt away toxins that have built up in the body and face. The tool itself is meant to be used gently and softly on the skin, when used on the face, but can be used with some pressure on the body for the best results. 

The word Gua itself means to scrape, and sha means sand, and so this tool is meant to be pressed against the skin, and pushed along the face to help disperse toxins and reduce puffiness for a fresher, younger look.

In traditional practice, the gua sha would have been made from animal bone and horn, or even a spoon could be substituted when used in the correct way. However, in the modern day, gua sha tools are typically made out of rose quartz gemstones or jade gemstones. 

What is the purpose of Gua sha?

The gua sha is an ancient practice that has been used for centuries. The gua sha massage actually predates the use of acupuncture in Chinese medicine, and is used to awaken the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

The gua sha is intended to sculpt and tone the face, allowing inflammation and toxins to drain out and the muscles to relax. Then, with the tool, you massage to encourage collagen production, which can help heal skin, improve its elasticity and make the face look younger. 

When the gua sha is used, the blood circulation in your face increases, sending nutrients to the skin, and clearing away blockages. In addition, the flushing of blood will give the face a natural, healthy glow, banishing tired eyes and wrinkles.  

Some studies claim that the stroke pattern used in the gua sha facial is connected to the meridian lines in the body, which can activate the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Therefore, when the meridian lines are activated, organs such as the liver, heart, kidneys and stomach can benefit from the gua sha facial. 

By working this tool over certain parts of the face, it can connect to other parts of the body such as the kidneys, and help encourage them to function properly, therefore releasing toxins, and allowing the body to become more nourished. But that is not all the gua sha is used for. There are so many health benefits that you can enjoy after using a gua sha! 

What are the benefits of Gua Sha facials?

There are so many different benefits to gua sha facials, which is why they are becoming more and more popular by the day. Some of the main skincare benefits of using a gua sha are that it works to drain the lymphatic system, and remove lymph fluid from the face. This fluid is made up of toxins and waste, which, when drained, allows the cells to be cleansed.

In addition to this, the motion of using the gua sha on the face allows for better blood circulation. Therefore, the oxygenated and nutrient rich blood can be carried and flushed into the face, rejuvenating the skin and skin tissues.

One of the more well known benefits of the gua sha is that it can eliminate or refine wrinkles and fine lines. By gently pressing the skin, you can help aid the regeneration of skin cells, brighten the complexion, and help speed up the healing time of breakouts, pimples and other skin problems. 

The gua sha has also been proven to help treat dark spots, hyperpigmentation and puffy skin, as the process of massaging the face helps remove fluid, and flush the skin with blood for a healthy, natural glow. 

Additionally, a gua sha facial can be used to treat and prevent sagging skin, effectively giving the appearance of a face lift, as the skin is tightened, lifted and left looking younget. 

How do I find the right tools for Gua Sha?

In recent years, Gua sha tools have flooded the market. Initially made from animal bones and horns, gua shas have been fashioned out of many different materials. Some people have even used homemade tools or soup spoons to perform a gua sha facial in a hurry. 

However, for the most part, you are able to purchase gua sha tools in either jade gemstones or rose quartz. Jade is often used as a gua sha or roller tool as the stone itself promotes purity, serenity, balance and healing. Rose quartz on the other hand is capable of restoring serenity and harmony into the heart, and bringing a sense of calmness.

Either way, whichever gua sha tool stone you choose, it will work wonders for your wellbeing and for your skin. You can even buy gua sha tools in packs with jade rollers for an even better facial.

In most cases, a gua sha will be shaped like a pebble, or in a heart shape. This is so the curved edges can be used in the more delicate parts of the face, and the edge of the gua sha can be drawn across the jaw line, and used to drain the lymphatic system. 

How to prep your skin for Gua sha

For the best results, you will need to prepare your skin for a gua sha facial. The gua sha tool can also help press the oils and skincare products that you use into the face, and deeply penetrate the skin for softer, smoother and more hydrated skin. 

We recommend using a hydrosol first to moisturize the skin, such as the Heritage Store Rosewater and Glycerin Hydrating Facial Mist as this will make you feel refreshed and rejuvenated before the facial even begins. Once this has seeped into the skin, you will benefit from using a facial oil such as a Rose Facial oil like or a Vitamin C facial oil. Cover your face and neck with the oil, and with the remnants of it on your fingers, coat the gua sha tool for a smooth facial experience. Before you begin, take long, deep breaths to calm your soul and soothe the senses. 

How to do a Gua sha facial 

First, you should always start with a clean face and clean hands. Then, mist your face with a hydrosol, and apply an oil to the face generously. Cover the face and neck with the oil, and use the excess to coat the gua sha tool. You should be moving down the face from the forehead to the chin to start the draining of the lymph fluid, in preparation for the gua sha facial. 

Then, warm up the gua sha tool by rubbing it in your hands. Next, start sweeping upwards and very gently on the neck. Work your way up to under the chin, and sweep under from the middle out to the earlobe, keeping the tool flat at all times. Glide the tool upwards and outwards from the chin to the earlobe, but never backwards. 

Once you have done the chin area, sweep upwards from the chin over the jawline and again to the ears. Drain the fluid down the neck by pushing down past the earlobes. Then, move upwards to start sweeping under the cheekbone, and move stored fluid out and upwards towards the hairline. Keep sweeping until you go over the cheekbones, and push outwards towards the hairline. 

Then, you can move onto the eyes. This is a very delicate skin area, so be extremely careful when touching the eyes. Move from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner, and towards the hairline. 

Once this part is done, you can swap over the eyebrow, towards the hairline, and up past the brow bone. Do this in smaller sweeping motions, and repeat with many strokes. Sweep over the eyebrows and up to the hairline. 

Finally, sweep from the center of your forehead, and outwards and upwards to your hairline. Once you have reached this step, it is time to do the other side of the face. Once you have finished both sides, use the gua sha tool to sweep down the neck, and get rid of any more toxins and fluid that needs to be drained. Push down past the neck and to the collarbone to get rid of the fluid.

Once you are done, take a look at your face, and see if you feel more refreshed, look healthier, or have a glowing complexion. If so, then the gua sha facial has worked its magic! 

How often should you use your Gua Sha?

For the best results, you should be using the gua sha tool every single day. It is best to do it every morning to help brighten the face, reduce the appearance of lines and remove any inflammation or puffiness in the face after sleeping. However, it can be time consuming, so if you do not have time every day, then just take a break and try another day. 

When to avoid Gua Sha

You should not be performing a gua sha facial if you have recently had facial injections such as Botox, as this can move the filler into places where it should not be. In addition, you should avoid the gua sha if you have acne, pimples or lesions on the skin as it can irritate skin issues, and cause some damage or pain. 

Keep in mind that whilst the gua sha is for pressing and gently smoothing the skin, you should not go over the same area of skin many many times. Whilst you should be repeating the motion in order to drain fluids, it is not advisable to stroke the same area more than 10 times, as this can remove too much waste in your facial fluids and make you feel lethargic or dizzy. 

Top tips for healthy skin

For the best results using your gua sha, you should be sweeping over the same area about 3-4 times. However, you can sweep the same area for a maximum of 10 times, but this will take much longer to perform the facial. 

You will also want to add some oil to the gua sha tool so that it does not drag on the skin. Keeping the tool lubricated will ensure that you are not hurting your skin, and the gua sha can just slip and slide on the face. 

The best tip we can give you is to keep the tool nearly flat to the skin, rather than at a 90 degree angle, this is so you can push and press the fluids and toxins away from the face effectively.