This is your sign to use a gua sha every day.
The gua sha is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It's well-known for relieving muscle pain and tension. It can be used anywhere on the body, from face to neck and chest, to arms and legs, even the back and breasts.
Most popular, the gua sha hails as an anti-aging tool. It helps reduce puffiness and assists in lymphatic drainage in the face and neck area. With the increase in blood circulation to the surface of the skin, you can achieve a natural glow and plump skin.
As this beauty tool massages the skin beneath, it can prevent the appearance of wrinkles, enhance the natural contour of the face and even relieve muscle tension as mentioned earlier. Over time, and with the correct movements, the face will look lifted and feel firm.
If you are new to using gua sha in your beauty routine, remember these important DO's and DON'Ts to reap the maximum benefits of this amazing beauty tool.
☁️ GUA SHA Do's ☁️
1) Make sure you are working with a clean face, clean hands, and a clean gua sha
The last thing you want is to have your skin get in contact with a dirty facial tool and hands. Prior to each use, make sure you wash your gua sha with soap and water. Cleanse your face with a gentle non-drying facial cleanser.
2) Apply a generous amount of facial oil to your face and neck
A dime-size amount of facial oil should suffice. Spread the oil all over the face, which should leave a thin layer of grease so the gua sha would be able to glide over the face effortlessly. Since doing gua sha work, I opt for lightweight plant oils. My current favourite is Leven Rose Beauty carrot seed oil. Another favourite is organic hemp seed oil by Aura Cacia. A moisturizer is another option, but I find that it absorbs a little too quickly while using my gua sha. Tip: add a drop or two of your favourite facial oil, mix it well into your moisturizer.
3) Start by opening up (massaging) lymph nodes at the neck
The lymphatic system works closely with the circulatory system and circulates a colourless fluid called lymph. Through lymph nodes (instead of blood vessels), it filters blood, removes waste, cellular debris, viruses and bacteria. Unfortunately, the lymph system does not have pumps, unlike our circulatory via veins. It has to rely on movement and physical manipulation. If there is existing "congestion" or swelling, it will affect lymph flow. The face is concentrated with lymphatic fluid and lymph nodes. The neck and collarbone are crucial areas to ensure proper and maximum drainage. Open up the lower nodes so you can properly drain the lymph above.
4) Glide the gua sha as flat as possible on the skin
The general rule is to angle the gua sha to the skin is between 15 to 45 degrees (aka, as flat as possible). This maximizes the facial massage by increasing contact with the skin while providing a more efficient way to move lymph fluid and increase blood circulation.
5) Always glide gua sha in an upwards direction
The idea is to lift and contour the face. Keep things going in one, smooth, gentle, continuous direction. Be mindful of the places prone to wrinkles: laugh lines, outer ends of eyes, neck, and forehead. Here's an idea of the basic gua sha direction from one of my Instagram Reels.
6) Apply very slight pressure with every glide
Gentler movements happen when you pull the gua sha outward rather than push it. Pushing usually requires more force, ununiform pressure and unnecessary tension. This can lead to bruising, broken capillaries, even pain. Using a gua sha should never hurt. You want to make every movement slow and steady. Be intentional, mindful and patient. Always pull, don't push. Especially in the delicate eye area.
7) BONUS: Opt for a stainless steel gua sha over rose quartz or jade
As elegant and aesthetically please pink and jade gua shas may seem, they are very porous materials. This means that can absorb and trap bacteria including past skincare into them. Stainless steel gua shas are indeed non-porous, granting them to exhibit anti-bacterial properties and are easy to clean. Stainless steel gua shas are also naturally cold to the touch and can easily be chilled by running it under cold water. I must mention the durability of stainless steel gua shas. They will not shatter or break when dropped compared to rose and jade gua shas. Let's face it, gua sha's can be quite pricey. You don't want to keep replacing them. I adore Sacheu Beauty's gua sha. Another alternative (slightly different in shape) is this one right here.
⚡️ GUA SHA Don'ts ⚡️
1) Not sanitizing your gua sha, hands and face before each use
If you decide to do some gua sha massage first thing in the morning, I would say it is alright to splash your face with cool water to rinse the dust off your face and wake yourself up. A simple micellar (like Bioderma) can be used as a water-less quick alternative.
2) Not applying enough facial oil
By not using enough facial oil, you risk facial tugging. I would also recommend not using water-based moisturizers.
3) Not opening the lymph nodes at the neck and collarbone area
The lymph accumulation from the face needs to be drained and flowed out. By not starting at the neck and collarbone, lymph will be left stagnant in that area or barely flushed out from the face.
4) Not using the gua sha as flat as possible
Anything beyond an angle of 45 degrees is a definite no-no. As flat as possible is most beneficial to the skin. Less is more.
5) Not gliding the gua sha in an upward motion
This does not just mean downwards, but also back and forth. We want to go in the opposite direction of gravity here. Lymph fluid actually flows in one direction, unlike blood which circulates in a cyclical system.
6) Apply very slight pressure with every glide
Just to reiterate: Pushing usually requires more force, ununiform pressure and unnecessary tension. This can lead to bruising, broken capillaries, even pain. Using a gua sha should never hurt.
7) JUST MY OPINION: opting for a rose or jade gua sha
As someone who invests frugally on skin and beauty tools, stainless steel is just the way to go. I cannot risk dropping a rose or jade gua sha, just have to end up buying a new one. For those with acne-prone or reactive skin, you'll feel more reassured knowing that each time you wash your stainless steel gua sha, it will be completely free of bacteria and skincare residue.
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Darlene's Disclosure:
I only recommend products I would use and have used on myself. All opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you, but I may earn a small commission. Feel free to use the links mentioned, but you do not need to use them if you do not want to. I appreciate every support and read on this blog 💚
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Products Mentioned:
⭐️ Amazon link to Leven Rose Carrot Seed Oil (linked here)
⭐️ Bought the Organic Hemp Seed Oil from Ambrosia when it was on sale. You can also find it on Amazon but looks like it is slightly pricier. (linked here)
⭐️ Amazon link to Sacheu Beauty Stainless Steel Gua Sha (linked here) or you can shop on the official site (linked here)
⭐️ Alternative Stainless Steel Gua Sha with a slightly different shape (linked here)
⭐️ I love the Bioderma Micellar Water line. I am currently using Sensibio, which is suitable for sensitive skin (linked here)
References
Day, G. (2018, November 9). How to do lymphatic drainage: Face & neck (with video tutorials). Bright Body. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://mybrightbody.com/blogs/blog/how-to-do-lymphatic-drainage-face-neck
Fenneld. (2021, June 14). Why Gua Sha is good for you. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-gua-sha-might-be-good-for-you/
Province Apothecary. (2022, January 12). Facelift Massage Ritual. Province Apothecary. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://provinceapothecary.com/blogs/videos/facelift-massage-ritual
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