If you’ve been paying attention to social media recently, then you’ve definitely seen gua sha. This practice has been adopted by beauty gurus, celebrities, and even a few normal ones of us. However, this is probably one of the most misunderstood face massage techniques out there. Lucky for you, I am here to set the record straight.
I am going to teach you how to use gua sha on your face so that you get the most benefits. Now, what are gua sha benefits? This is where most people are misinformed. A gua sha massage does have some good benefits, however, despite all of the deception. Let’s start off with what a gua sha tool is.
What is a Gua Sha Tool?
At first glance, this is a stone that has a bit of an odd shape. The reason for this odd shape is that it’s meant to squeeze your face where the two divets meet. Let me explain. The tool is shaped somewhat like a rounded triangle, but one side has two large half circles that meet to make a V. This is the part of the tool that you massage with. The other side is used to hold.
This method of face massaging originated from Asian cultures such as China and Japan, hence the term gua sha which stands for redness that results in the skin healing itself. Its motives have evolved over time with trial and error and more education on the true benefits.
Gua Sha Benefits
So what are the true ua sha benefits? There are quite a few actually that closely intertwine:
1. Lymphatic Drainage:
The largest and overall effect of gua sha is the lymphatic drainage. Whether you realize it or not, your lymph nodes build up a lot of fluid that has nowhere to go. This is why your face can appear puffy, fatter, or bloated in a sense. Gua Sha pushes the drainage down away from your face so that your true bone structure can shine through.
2. Depuffing:
Following the last point, gua sha gids rid of the puffiness that we often have on an early morning. This is why it’s a great idea to incorporate this massage into your morning routine. Puffiness will return the next morning, so you will need to continue to gua sha your face daily for consistent results.
3. Face Contour:
This benefit can often get misunderstood. There are hundreds of claims that gua sha can shape your face permanently. While it can train your muscles over time, it’s not a permanent effect. it’s removing the drainage in your face, but there will be more. While it does contour your face and helps slow, subtitles results over time, it’s not going to transform your face like a beauty procedure.
4. Collagen Production:
Collagen is what makes our skin lively and vibrant. it’s crucial to keeping our bouncy and tight skin. While there are loads of ways to help with collagen production, supplements being one of them, gua sha can help produce collagen as well.
5. Circulation:
Blood circulation and collagen production work hand in hand. Proper blood flow is crucial to help collagen production. It also helps add brightness to your complexion and allows you to feel more alert no matter what time it’s.
6. Strengthens Facial Muscles:
Lastly, there are facial muscles that can be exercised. Like any muscle, this is all about technique and consistency. Using gua sha over time, you can train your muscles to shape like you want with proper gua sha massaging. This is where the claims of a more defined jawline and contoured cheeks come into play.
How to Gua Sha
So we know the gua sha benefits and the basic information about what a gua sha is, but let’s talk about how to use a gua sha on the face. Here’s a quick step by step:
1. Grab an oil or lubricator
There are many options for this: moisturizer, oil, aloe vera, and more. You can utilize part of your skincare routine to help spread the product well. Be sure whatever you choose it keeps your face lubricated to prevent stretching or damaging your skin.
2. Always Massage Up:
We want to keep our face looking youthful and bright. Massing down can accentuate aging or pull our skin down. With each motion massage outward and upward.
3. Chin, Cheeks, and Brows
There is a bit of debate on other areas of massage, but the three major areas are your jawline, directly below the apple of your cheeks, and your brow bone. These will give the most relief and drainage.
