Unless you stay far far away from all kinds of social media, you’ve probably come across people using a Gua Sha stone to massage their faces. It looks super fancy, they always seem to enjoy themselves, and their skin looks amazing. (Who knows if it’s a filter or the Gua Sha, am I right?)
But because social media is more about short clips, it can be hard to figure out how exactly to use the Gua Sha on your face, what the benefits are and all the other questions you might have.
This is your guide to answer all of those!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Is Gua sha legit?
So first, let’s talk about the basics: What is this Gua Sha (pronounciation: “Gwaah Shaah”) and is it a real thing?
Yep, it is!
In fact, it is a really old practice. Also called kerokan, Gua Sha has been part of traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years.
The easiest way to describe it is that it is a “scraping massage” with a special Gua Sha stone. While nowadays we mostly hear about it as a skin care technique, traditionally, it’s a whole body massage.
What are the benefits of Gua Sha
So why would anyone scrape their face with a stone? What does Gua Sha do for your face? Does it work at all?
Lymphatic drainage
The most talked-about benefit of a Gua Sha facial is probably the lymphatic drainage. In other words: the depuffing of your face.
Any massage following outward motions will help move the lymphatic fluid along. And, as a Gua Sha stone can apply quite some pressure, it will do that very thoroughly!
Related: How to detox a clogged lymphatic system: 11 easy tricks
Increased blood flow
Gua Sha will increase blood flow in your skin. (Also, again, like any other massage.) This means immediate benefits like that “glow” we’re all chasing. And also quite a few longer term benefits, like increased healing abilities of your skin, more elasticity and possibly even the reduction of fine lines.
Releases muscle tension
Another big benefit of Gua Sha is the release of muscle tension. If you’re familiar with foam rolling, you know how pressure on tight muscles can lead to amazing relaxation afterwards.
Basically, you’ll feel the effectiveness of Gua Sha immediately!
And as so many of us hold lots of stress and tension in our jaws and necks, a regular Gua Sha massage will definitely add some relaxation to your day.
Combine that with some yoga for your neck and shoulders and you’ll feel free as a bird!
What’s the best Gua Sha?
So now that you learned the benefits of a Gua Sha face tool, you need to get yourself one, am I right?
Let’s quickly talk about what you want to look at when getting your own Gua Sha.
What material is best for gua sha?
First of all, we have to talk about materials. When Gua Sha become better known in the Western Hemisphere, you basically only had the choice between jade or rose quartz.
And even now, most of the Gua Sha kits you’ll see contain those materials. And yet, more recently, lots of users have switched to stainless steel Gua Sha tools.
Those don’t break as easily and are easier to clean. However, in my opinion, they don’t look as cute and feel less luxurious.
Both work well for the intended use, so it comes down to your personal preference.
Related: The special benefits of a stainless steel Gua Sha tool
Which shape should your Gua Sha stone have?
Secondly, you’ll have to look at the shape of the Gua Sha. Most people want to use it for their face. So almost all the tools offered look very similar.
If, however, you want to use your Gua Sha for face and body, you might consider getting a whole set of stones.
If you feel a little overwhelmed by the choice, you can find an overview over the best Gua Sha on Amazon here!
How to use your Gua Sha stone
So now that you’ve picked your Gua Sha stone, it’s time to get to the nitty gritty: How exactly do you use it? What are the proper movements for this face massage?
Gua sha technique
So first of all, you want to use a face oil your skin likes. As a Gua Sha stone is quite hard, you want to have a slippery surface to use it on.
This means, applying a face serum or oil first.
Makes sense, right? A “dry” massage is rarely nice, especially on your delicate face!
(If you need help with the selection: Here you’ll find the best facial serum for Gua Sha by skin type and here the best facial oil for Gua Sha massage!)
Additionally, you want to keep the pressure light. Again, the Gua Sha tool is hard enough, you don’t need to make it damaging!
Then simply use outward movements to loosen up facial muscles and drain the lymphatic fluid.
Before trying it for the first time, it’s a good idea to watch a short tutorial on Youtube, like this one from SACHEU Beauty.
She shows you the typical Gua Sha technique for your jawline, cheeks, eyebrows, forehead, and neck.
So in summary, the steps to follow for your Gua Sha massage:
- put a “slipping agent” on your face before starting the massage
- use outward movements to drain the lymphatic fluid
- stick to light pressure, you don’t want to damage your skin
Related: Which is the best facial oil for Gua Sha massage?
How long to use
Your massage will probably only a few minutes. Do it long enough to feel your muscles relaxing, but don’t overwork your skin.
How often should you Gua sha?
If you had a look at the instructions in the video above, you’ve already heard SACHEU beauty’s recommendation: limit your Gua Sha usage to max. 3 times a week.
The reason for this is that Gua Sha is quite intense and you simply don’t want to overwork your skin and facial muscles.
As with most things, gentle regularity wins over intensity!
Related: Which is better jade roller or gua sha?
Time to get started with Gua Sha!
So now you know everything you need to know to get started with Gua Sha on your face!
If this was helpful to you, I’d really appreciate you sharing it with others. Thank you!
*These links are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
