5 REASONS I STARTED DOING GUA SHA AND WHY YOU SHOULD TOO

A few years ago, I started incorporating a facial technique into my evening skincare routine that had a huge impact on not only my skin, but my face as a whole. Gua sha is a practice that dates back centuries which, through the use of carefully targeted movements with a jade or quartz stone, helps to release fluids into your lymph system, not only making you feel better but look better too. These are the 5 reasons I started, and continue to do gua sha as a part of my skincare regimen:

1. It stimulates circulation: Targeted gua sha strokes create an immediate response of blood circulation to the area, which is so important for skin health. Proper circulation is key for maintaining a good flow of blood and oxygen, encouraging healing, and giving your skin a healthy flushed glow.
2. It relieves tension from muscles: Many of us hold a lot of tension in our faces, especially if you’re a part of the 10% of the population that grinds their teeth in their sleep. The gentle massage gua sha offers can untangle knotted areas and release built-up muscular tension.
3. It decreases inflammation: Inflammation can wreak havoc on the body with the potential to contribute to acne, pain, and potentially more severe ailments. By assisting the absorption of excess fluid into the body, any inflammation-related ailments you may suffer from can see significant improvement.
4. It sculpts facial muscles: When used on the jawline and cheekbone area, gua sha can help release tight facial muscles and puffiness, giving the temporary appearance of a more sculpted face. Google ‘gua sha before and afters’ and you’ll see just how dramatic these results can be!
5. It boosts collagen production: By manually moving excess fluid into the lymph system with gua sha, puffiness and fine lines decrease allowing for the subsequent boost in collagen to not only occur but also become more noticeable.

I can personally say I have seen improvements in all 5 areas, which keeps me on track with my gua sha ritual to this day.

Are you a gua sha newbie and not sure where to start? This video is a great introduction to gua sha and the basic techniques you can start incorporating into your routine today:

And if you don’t already have one, you can buy a jade or quartz gua sha tool (don’t cheap out and buy a plastic one) just about anywhere these days (I got mine from Amazon). For best results, incorporate gua sha into your evening (or morning) routine every single day and I promise you, you won’t regret it.