Gua sha stone has now become so famous nowadays, but do we know if that is something that happened just these days or ages back? And most importantly, as a newbie in skincare, your first approach might be how to do face massage with gua sha or how to use it. “Gua” means to scrape or scratch while “sha” means sand, sharkskin or red, raised, millet-sized rash. It is a traditional Chinese healing method in which a smooth-edged tool is used to stroke your skin while pressing the stone.
Gua sha was originally used for internal illnesses in China like colds, flu, and muscle aches and pains. But then an empress in China named Dowager Cixi popularized gua sha as a facial tool for aesthetics. Afterwards, face massage with gua sha stone became a thing all over the world. Now you might be wondering how to do a face massage with gua sha. So, keep reading till the end as you are going to learn step-by-step how to use gua sha stone.
Benefits of Face Massage with Gua Sha
- Improves circulation
- Promotes lymphatic drainage
- Reduces puffiness
- Helps to relax and get rid of tension and pain
- Helps skin care products to absorb better
- Smoothes wrinkles
- Tightens the oval of the face
How To Do Face Massage with Gua Sha Stone Step-by-Step
1. Apply a Face Balm or Oil
Face balm or oil serves as a gliding layer for gua sha stone, and helps to move gua sha more smoothly. But before applying anything you need to wash your face and then I would recommend applying some thick oil or good face balm so that they remain until you do a face massage with gua sha.
2. Warm Up the Stone, If Needed
If needed then you can also warm up the gua sha stone by putting it in hot water. The purpose behind warming up the gua sha stone is that if it is cold, it would constrict circulation.
3. Glide the Tool Across Your Skin At an Angle
The gua sha should be held at an angle of 30 to 45 degrees and then you have to gently scrape it in an upward direction on your face, neck or wherever. This will help you to follow the lymphatic flow. And then be ready for a gua sha face massage.
4. From Where to Start And Then Where to Move? (How to Use Gua Sha Stone?)
The directions in which you have to glide or sweep your gua sha stone are:
- Neck: Beside the spine, the base of the neck, up to the hairline.
- Shoulder: From top of shoulder to ear.
- Neck: Beside throat, base of collar bone up to jaw bone.
- Chin: Now move from the chin and take it to the ear lobe.
- Face: Move across jawline, jawline muscles, cheeks, under eye, eyebrows.
- Forehead: From eyebrows to hairline.
Conclusion
Gua sha is a beneficial tool which is now not only famous in China but all over the world. The main reason behind its popularity is that it not only helps with good skin but also with internal settlements in our body. It is not so hard to use gua sha stone. But as a beginner, you must remember a few things. You should not apply too much force on the stone as it can break the stone or may harm you. Also, you should know in which directions it is supposed to move and the uses of gua sha. Just be careful when you do face massage with gua sha and you’ll have a great soothing time.
FAQ’s
- How does gua sha help in lymphatic drainage?
Face massage with gua sha is considered one of the best solutions for lymphatic drainage as it improves circulation and activates the lymph.
- Can you get rashes from gua sha?
If not used with proper technique it might cause a rash or bruise.
- What happens if you use gua sha too much?
Too much pressure from gua sha causes severe redness and can break vessels.
