Gua Sha is the Tik Tok trend influencers and celebrities love, but what exactly is it? Every now and then, a new beauty trend ravages the algorithms on social media, and lately Gua Sha stones and face rollers have become very popular. Now we have finally brought in our own Gua Sha set to Norway!
What is Gua Sha?
Gua Sha is much more than just a Tik Tok trend. It is actually an ancient massage technique that has been used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. The technique involves massaging the face in outward movements with a Gua Sha tool made of stone that improves and stimulates our skin. Gua Sha massage increases blood flow and lymph circulation in the skin. This helps to smooth out wrinkles, improve the skin tone and texture of the face and gives glowing skin.
The technique has become very popular as a natural and "green" beauty ritual that almost functions as meditation for many. In today's society, we live in a busy everyday life filled with stress, fatigue and pollution. All of these factors can lead to early signs of aging, acne, dark circles under the eyes and facial puffiness.
Gua Sha is a relaxing beauty treatment that will make a difference to your skin by dissolving muscles, draining lymph fluid, increasing blood circulation and tightening the skin on the face. The technique can also relieve pain, reduce swelling, remove toxins from the skin and increase oxygen supply.
Facts! Gua means to scratch and sha means fever , which in Chinese means to scrape away the disease in the skin .
Face massage with rose quartz
When performing Gua Sha, the face is massaged with a tool made of stone that stimulates the skin so that its health improves. By increasing the blood circulation in the skin, the skin cells receive more nutrition, they stay healthy and it is easier for them to carry away waste substances and radicals.
Silkemyk's Gua Sha stones and face rollers are made of rose quartz, and due to the natural formations in the stones, each of our products is completely unique.
GUIDE: How to use Gua Sha stones and face rollers?
When you buy Silkemyk's Gua Sha set, you get not just one, but two products. One is a Gua Sha heart and the other is a Facial Roller - therefore this guide is split in two.
How do I use the Gua Sha Heart?
The very first thing you start with when doing Gua Sha is to cleanse the skin of all products. After you have cleansed your skin, apply your favorite oil or serum to your face. It is important that the heart glides easily over the skin, so remember never to do Gua Sha on dry skin.
Remember to keep the stone completely flat against the skin. Move the stone at a leisurely pace with light to medium pressure. Gua Sha should not hurt - then you are pressing too hard. The direction of movement must always be sideways, outwards or upwards.
1. Start at the bottom of the neck. Move the stone upwards towards the head 5-10 times, and wiggle the stone each time it hits the hairline. Repeat the same pattern and massage the sides of the neck and the front of the neck with the Gua Sha stone.
2. Now we move on to the face. Start at the bottom of the jaw, and work your way up towards the ear 5-10 times. Here the curved side of the heart is very good to use.
3. Now we move on to the cheeks and cheekbones. You can use the long, flat side of the stone here. Then go over the area under the eye, and then the eyebrow.
Make sure it doesn't hurt. Use a light pressure on sensitive areas such as the eyes. Move the stone towards the temple, and remember to end all movements by wiggling the stone.
4. Finally, you pass the stone lightly over the forehead. The movement goes from the middle between the eyebrows and up towards the hairline. Remember to wiggle.
How do I use the Gua Sha Facial Roller?
Even now, it is important to have cleansed skin, and start the ritual together with a product such as oil, serum or a sheet mask. This makes the roller slide more easily over the face.
Always roll with light to medium pressure at a leisurely pace when using a face roller. The direction of movement must be sideways or upwards. Always roll in one direction, and avoid rolling back and forth.
1. Start at the bottom of the neck. Move the roller upwards, and don't forget the sides of the neck. Roll over the same area for 5-10 times.
2. Now we move on to the face. Start at the bottom of the jaw, then take the cheeks and cheekbones. Roll over the skin 5-10 times up towards the ear. Here, the large roll is nice to use.
3. Roll the area under and above the eye. Move the roller towards the temple, and feel free to choose the small roller for better control.
4. Finally, roll the pan. Here you go from the middle between the eyebrows and up to the hairline.
Tip! If you want an extra good and cooling effect when massaging your face, you can put both the Facial Roller and the Gua Sha heart in the fridge for 10 minutes before starting the ritual.
We at Silkemyk understand that some people find it easier to learn visually. We have therefore made a video guide where Mie Cappelen shows how to perform Gua Sha correctly.
Does Gua Sha Work?
Yes. according to Vogue, you will increase microcirculation by up to 400% by massaging your face daily for one to two minutes. Microcirculation is the part of the circuit where nutrients are absorbed and waste substances are excreted.
Gua Sha will also increase blood circulation in your skin. When it is increased, your skin cells receive more blood and oxygen. By massaging the face in outward movements, you start lymphatic drainage. This will reduce swelling on the face and cleanse the skin of waste products.
The Gua Sha set will therefore help you to reduce wrinkles, get more glow, remove impurities and reduce bags and dark circles under the eyes. Gua Sha is also used for tension headaches and tense jaw muscles.
How often should I use my Gua Sha kit?
There is no definitive answer as to how often or how much you should use your Gua Sha set. Use it as much as you want. We recommend 3-5 minutes about 3 times a week.
Which oil should I use?
Remember that Gua Sha should always be used in conjunction with a facial oil. Exactly which oil you want to use is up to you - so here you can choose your favourite. If you don't usually use oil or already have a favorite, we will try to help you find an oil that suits your skin.
There are many different oils that can be used for Gua Sha. Both almond oil, aragan oil, coconut oil, shea butter and jojoba work well together with your Gua Sha set from Silkemyk.
Which oil suits your skin depends on your skin type and the season. Dry skin and colder temperatures call for oilier facial oils. This could be, for example, coconut oil, shea butter or almond oil. Oily skin and warmer temperatures need lighter oils. This can be oil from apricot kernels, sesame seeds or jojoba oil.
What type of stone is best for Gua Sha?
For facial massage, it is very practical to have a set of both Gua Sha heart and a facial roller to get to everywhere. If you are going to use Gua Sha for the body, you may need a slightly larger stone, although the heart will probably work well.
Our set is made in rose quartz. Rose quartz is a crystal called the love stone. A chemical compound called "Silcate mineral" appears in the stone, which helps to increase blood circulation and reduce swelling. Gua Sha tools are often made of crystal such as spring, jade or horn.
Why facial massage?
There are many benefits to regularly massaging your face. Among other things, it can help to improve the skin's texture and give the skin more glow. The skin will also have increased blood circulation, better lymphatic drainage and will remove more toxins which will in turn keep your skin healthy and clean.
3 reasons to invest in our Gua Sha kit.
1. Increases microcirculation
According to a survey done by Vogue, you will increase your microcirculation by up to 400% by using your Gua Sha for one to two minutes every day. Microcirculation is the part of the circuit in our body where nutrients, salts and water are absorbed - and waste substances are excreted. The microcirculation is the basis for cells and organs in the body to survive.
2. Relaxation
Gua Sha is a relaxing beauty treatment that works like meditation for many. Breathe with your belly, find your favorite oil and massage your face with your Gua Sha set. It dissolves tense muscles and can help well with tension headaches. Whatever it does for you, this is self-care at a high level: and it is always good for both body and soul.
3. Increases blood circulation and lymphatic drainage
By using Gua Sha, blood circulation in the skin increases, and thus your skin cells get more supply of blood and oxygen - i.e. more nutrition. The skin cells stay healthy and fresh, and they easily carry away waste substances and radicals. Lymphatic drainage initiates several cleansing processes in the body. The lymphatic system in the body takes care of many important functions and is an essential part of the immune system.
There is a reason why Gua Sha has become so popular. It's a relaxing, relaxing and environmentally friendly beauty ritual loved by influencers and celebrities worldwide. For just USD 45, you can try our gorgeous Gua Sha stone and Facial Roller. We are absolutely sure that you will love this form of facial massage. At least we do!