Gua sha history: What is a gua sha stone?

What tools do you have in your beauty toolkit? You likely have a variety of brushes, sponges, pencils, wands or wipes. But do you have any stones?

Stones sound like a harsh tool when it comes to beauty, but not when you’re talking about the smooth gua sha stone (pronounced “gwah-shah”). Once you learn more about this heart-shaped stone tool for facial massage, you’ll likely want to make it part of to your beauty routine.

The term “gua sha” is a technique dating back thousands of years to Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, and involves scraping the skin. The word gua in Chinese literally means to scrape. Many acupuncturists, massage therapists or other professionals use gua sha stones on various parts of the body. That is a different technique from the simple facial massage we’re talking about.

Gua sha stones are traditionally made of jade, quartzite or other natural materials, but are available in several varieties. Their heart shape design allows them to easily glide along the contours of your face.

Benefits of gua sha: Does gua sha work?

One of the gua sha benefits for skin care is that it is a relaxing way of massaging your facial muscles. Not only is it an amazing way to wind down after a long day or start off your morning, gua sha massage addresses visible puffiness and energizes the skin’s appearance by moving fluid under the skin and stimulating circulation.

You may be wondering how the gua sha technique differs from a jade roller, another popular tool for facial massage. They are similar in that they both aid in the reduction of a puffy look. Some prefer the gua sha stone, however, because of its unique shape that works better along the jawline or the brow line.

How to use a gua sha stone for facial massage

So, how do you actually use a gua sha stone? First, follow your usual skin care routine of cleansing, toning, treating and moisturizing. With the gua sha stone, you want to apply it in coordination with a serum or lotion.

When using the gua sha technique, hold the stone very flat against your skin and use only gentle pressure. You should start with your neck followed by the jawline, cheeks, brow bone and forehead. At the end of each stroke, move it in a circular motion to encourage movement of the fluid. Do three to five glides in each section and complete all steps on one side of your face first before moving to the other side.

OK, let’s dig into a gua sha tutorial! There are many variations of using the gua sha stone for facial massage, but here are the general instructions:

• Neck: Using the curved side, glide from the base of the neck up to the jawline. Once you arrive at the jawline, pause and give it a circular motion like a mini massage.
• Jawline: Again, using the heart-shaped top of the stone, start in the center of your chin and glide the stone all the way back to below your ear. Make a circular motion at the end of each glide. Sometimes it helps to put the fingers of your other hand on your chin for support while gliding.
• Cheeks: Use the long, flat edge of the stone. Start from the side of your nose and move up and away toward your temple. At the temple, make the circular motion. You can place your fingers on the edge of your mouth on the same side for support if you wish.
• Brow: Switch back to the heart-shaped edge of the stone and glide it from the inside of your brow toward the temple. Complete the same circular motion at the end.
• Forehead: Moving back to the long, flat edge, start at the bridge of your nose and glide up all the way to the hairline.

Gua sha stone technique: tips and tricks

Now that you have the basics, here are a few tips and tricks to make the most out of your gua sha massage.

Provide support

Sometimes it helps to use your other hand to provide support to steady your face while performing the gua sha massage. For the jawline, put your fingers on your chin. For cheeks, place them on the edge of your smile or your nose on the same side. For your brow and forehead, you can place them between your eyebrows.

Warm gua sha or cold gua sha?

The answer to whether to use a warm guasha stone or cold gua sha stone depends on the type of experience you want. While a cold stone can provide a cool and refreshing experience as it glides across your skin, for some the warm stone can be soothing and relaxing. If you prefer cool, keep your gua sha stone in the refrigerator. For warm, run it under warm water before you use it.

How do you care for the gua sha stone?

To keep your gua sha stone clean, you can use a spritz of alcohol and a tissue after each use. Store it in a clean container. If you prefer a cold gua sha stone massage, keep it in the refrigerator so it’s ready for next time.