Gua Sha: Worth the Hype?
To break down the literal meaning of gua sha, it is a body and face scraping technique. It is derived from traditional Chinese medicine that dates back to 220 Bc. Gua sha uses a facial tool to massage the skin to relieve tension in the muscles, move lymphatic fluid and increase blood circulation in the skin. It is believed to promote detoxification, relax tight muscles and encourage healing!
With trends continuously circulating throughout social media, we have noticed that gua sha is still being used and talked about on multiple platforms. However, it makes us question the legitimacy of the gua sha’s effects since you can’t believe everything you see on the internet.
We're here to provide you with some helpful tips to get you started on your beauty and wellness journey!
While you search to get your hands on a gua sha of your own, keep in mind the materials it is made of. It is recommended that you use a stainless steel gua sha since some stone gua sha tools can potentially trap and harbor bacteria due to their porosity. Stainless steel gua sha tools are non-porous and cooling as well as being antibacterial! This way, you don’t have to worry about cleaning your tool as often. Some other common stones that are used for gua sha tools are rose quartz, amethyst and jade!
Since we are taking a deeper dive into gua sha, we are primarily discussing the effects of facial gua sha. The theory behind the consistent application of facial gua sha is that it increases collagen in the skin, which helps to reduce wrinkles, and elastin, which helps to firm and tone the face.
If you are aiming to reduce puffiness under and around the eyes, we recommend firstly lubricating your eye area with either an oil, serum or even a moisturizer. Secondly, you simply sweep a gua sha tool over the under-eye area and out to the temple, all the way to the hairline. Lastly, repeat five times on each eye, then work the tool from the inside corner of the brow bone out to the temple area.
One tip we have is to only use the tool until skin becomes red. Don’t be frightened by the redness, the goal is to increase blood circulation! While keeping that in mind, you should be applying light to medium pressure onto the skin. Consistency matters as well. If you stay consistent with a routine that fits your schedule, the faster you will see results!
Instead of holding the tool perpendicular to your face, we recommend that you hold it flat while using a form of lubrication to gently glide it over the skin. In addition, use a supporting hand to hold the muscle in place instead of tugging at the skin.
One key takeaway to leave you with is that facial gua sha can also be used to promote lymphatic drainage, relieve tension in the head and contour and de-puff both your nose and chin!
To ask ourselves again, do we think gua sha is worth the hype? For short-term usage, yes! We support it all the way.
Here at The Edge, we will definitely be adding it onto our skincare routines, and we hope that you do too!