What the heck is Gua Sha…pronounced Gua Sa? An oddly shaped piece of rose quartz looks simple–and it is–but what it does is simply amazing. Part of an ancient Chinese tradition – some call it the “Eastern Botox”, Gua Sha is anything but new and nothing short of face-changing.
It’s easy, soothing and the results are nothing short of remarkable.
Gua Sha, technically means “scraping”, but don’t be afraid of the term. This is a gentle, kind and epically healthy practice to use on your face and neck to improve circulation, firm, reduce inflammation and help drain the lymphatic system reducing puffiness while pushing toxins out. It even improves dark circles, under eye bags and skin discolorations including acne and rosacea.
Long, ancient story short…your skin will look better, brighter, firmer and clearer. Gua-ranteed. It’s easy and once you get the hang of it - only takes a few minutes…
Here are the steps:
1. Apply your favorite face oil and begin by gently dragging the flat end of the tool in an outward and upward motion using a combination of 3-5 long and short strokes.
2. Third eye. Stroke from the middle of your eyebrows and up to your hairline to activate healing.
3. Lower forehead. Sweep from the center of the forehead above your eyebrows going out to your temples.
4. Under eyebrow. Use the curved part of your Gua Sha stone to scrape the area underneath your eyebrow and above your eye.
5. Under eyes. Lightly stroke the area where eye bags form starting from the side of your nose up toward your temple moving the stagnant lymph from the middle of your face to your hairline.
6. Cheek. Do the same sweeping motion from the side of nose, across cheek and up again to the middle of ear.
7. Mouth. Sweep from mouth upward to your ear.
8. Under chin. Scrape from the soft area under your chin (we all have one) to the bottom of jawline.
9. Neck. Scrape from your jaw and earlobe down to the middle of collarbone.
10. Finish by sweeping from the center of your forehead right under your hairline down to your temple, down to your ear until you reach your neck. Do this several times for a final clean sweep of the lymphatic system.
Make Gua Sha a health habit – a glowingly good, highly addictive habit and watch the bad drain away and the rosy, bright goodness take over. (We think Gua Sha stones make an amazing holiday gift for anyone in need of a little Eastern Botox.)
Happy Gua Sha-ing!
