Starting a regular Gua Sha practice not only gives your skin a healthy glow and your face a more sculpted look—it also helps you destress, decongest and melt away the tension we all carry. (Jaw clenchers, we see you!) Grab your Stainless Steel or White Jade Gua Sha and getstarted with these tips from Holistic Facialist Jen Stoeckert!
Give Gratitude
Before you begin your ritual, breathe in and feel gratitude for this healing, centuries-old practice and those who created it. It’s a small step and it only takes a moment, but it will help center your mind before you get started.
Prep with Jojoba Oil
Lightweight Jojoba Oil is actually the closet to our skin’s natural sebum. It hydrates without clogging pores and provides the perfect amount of slip for your Gua Sha tool.
Try Stainless Steel if You’re a Beginner
A durable Stainless Steel Gua Sha tool is perfect if you’re just starting your Gua Sha ritual or if you travel frequently. It’s naturally antibacterial, you won’t have to worry about dropping or cracking it, and the all-purpose edges let you easily work any area.
Make Sure to Use Both Hands
For the best results from your treatment, use one hand to move your Gua Sha and the other hand to gently hold the area where you’re working taut. You’re not stretching theskin, you just want it slightly taut so the tool can glide properly.
Wake Up Your Lymphatic System Before You Start
Gently move your Gua Sha tool from the base of your neck up to your jaw. The key here is to work lightly, don’t use too much pressure—your goal is just to start getting fluid moving again.
Hold Your Tool Correctly
It’s best to hold your tool so it’s almost flat against your face. A lot of people make the common mistake of holding their Gua Sha tool at 90 degrees, but this can be abrasive on skin.
Work Your Nose
Yep, your nose. We don’t often think about using a Gua Sha tool on this area, but when you work all the way from your nose to your ear, it helps to decongest and ease sinus pressure—which depuffs your eyes and gives your nasolabial folds (a.k.a. smile lines) a more lifted look.
Go Light Under Your Eyes
The skin under your eyes is extremely delicate, so make sure to use extra light pressure on this area. And remember, if you’re trying to depuff your eyes, don’t go right for the eye area. You need to work on the source of the puffiness (congestion and stagnant fluid), so work from your nose to your ear as described above!
Use the White Jade “Comb” Edge to Help Smooth Skin
The White Jade Gua Sha has an edge with teeth (like a comb) and their purpose is to create gently friction that brings blood to skin’s surface. This is ideal if you have areas where lines and wrinkles are a concern (hello, tech neck or brow furrows). When you’re using this edge, wave the tool gently over the area—you want to use light pressure to get the blood flowing. Less is more!
Treat Your Gua Sha Ritual Like Your Workout
It’s best to use your tool regularly, but just like your workouts, your skin needs rest days too. Aim for 5 days a week, and remember your sessions only need to be a few minutes long.
If you love these tips, head on over to Instagram and watch the Live (of course we recorded it!) for more details, demos and all things Gua Sha!
