Beauty

Gua Sha

THE ANCIENT HEALING TECHNIQUE FOR YOUR SKIN

Gua Sha. The new skincare trend sweeping the beauty world isn’t really new at all. This ancient traditional Chinese medicine practice, most commonly known as Gua Sha, also known as jade scraping. Using a semi precious stone to gently scrape the skin in a gentle gliding motion. This can be done as an at home treatment or at a spa with a licensed provider.

Written by Jennifer Miller

The benefits are many and the side effects few if any at all. It is the perfect tool to add to your beauty arsenal.

The biggest benefit of the Gua Sha is the lymphatic drainage. Lack of sleep, eating foods with high amounts of sodium and not enough water can lead to bloating due to the fluid being trapped underneath your skin. Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system has no drain pump. Gua Sha moves those fluids, cleans them and moves them back into your bloodstream. In turn, that puffiness from too much sushi last night is greatly diminished. Not only does it reduce puffiness, Gua Sha can help stimulate circulation, produce more collagen, softens fine lines and wrinkles, reduces inflammation, and can diminish dark circles over time. The immediate results are the cherry on top. After Gua Sha, you will see a tightening of your jaw line, enhanced cheekbones, depuffing, more brightness and sculpting of facial muscles. Gua Sha is also a great tension reliever if you use it solely on your neck, shoulders and jaw muscles.

Gua Sha stones come in all shapes and sizes. One size does not necessarily fit all. Do your research and choose a high quality stone. Jade and rose quartz are among the most popular for their calming and purifying qualities. These stones tend to be very fragile so handle them with care. As with any new skin regime addition, start small. One day a week, moving up to every day for at least five minutes for the best results.

Once you have your stone, take a quarter size amount of your favorite face oil or serum and rub gently into clean skin. Start on your neck, along the sides underneath your ears, to start lymphatic drainage. Move to your jaw line gliding the small curvature of your stone to help define the bone. It is recommended to gently glide the stone across 10 times, repeat on the other side and then repeat the process again on both sides. Moving up to your cheekbones, under eye, eyebrows, and forehead.

Gua Sha is safe for all skin types, is non-invasive and has little to no down side. It can cause some temporary redness, and if you tend to bruise easily, use very light pressure. Gua Sha is not safe to use after any facial injections (up to 4 weeks after), or on sunburns or rashes. Pro tip: toss it in your fridge beforehand for a cooling treatment. w

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