How-To: Gua Sha
And the Positive Effects It Has on the Skin
Whether you’ve heard of the phrase “Gua Sha '' before or your first time hearing about it, I am here to demystify this incredible ancient Chinese beauty and skincare technique so you can start incorporating it into your business and beauty routine right away.
As I mentioned, Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese healing method used by professionals and as a home practice to relieve muscle tension, boost blood circulation, and encourage lymphatic drainage to eliminate bloat. Sounds pretty magical. Well, there is a reason Gua Sha has been around for so long and continues to gain popularity among the beauty and wellness community. It truly works!
To get started with Gua Sha, you need a little training, an all-natural face oil (I highly recommend this pumpkin seed serum), our Best Skin Ever, and a unique Gua Sha tool you can find here.
Once you have your Gua Sha tool of choice and the appropriate face oil, you must learn the correct techniques to ensure you get the most out of your Gua Sha treatment without discomfort or damage. Be wary of online beauty gurus teaching Gua Sha techniques on TikTok and Instagram because they are only sometimes performed correctly. When in doubt, leave it to the professionals!
How-To: Gua Sha Techniques for better skin:
It is vital to have oil for your face so your gua sha tool performs gently, gliding against your skin rather than pulling. First, ensure you’ve cleansed your face and washed your hands, then add a few oil pumps.
I always like to start with a few neck stretches and massaging the neck to get things moving and flowing.
To start with your Gua Sha, hold the tool almost flat against your skin at the top of your neck and pull it downwards towards your collarbone. This should be a light pressure to get your lymph nodes in your neck engaged and woken up. You can work from the back of your neck with 3-5 strokes in each area and move closer to the front of the neck (always avoid using any pressure right over the very front of your throat.
Start in on your face by holding two fingers on your chin to minimize the pulling of your skin. Take the gua sha tool with your other hand and lay it flat against your jawline. Gently glide the gua sha tool from your chin upwards to your ear. With slight pressure, wiggle the device under your ear and then slide it down your neck to your collarbone. Repeat this 5-10 times for optimal results.
Continue using this technique, focusing on half of your face at a time. Start at a midpoint of the face, work your way outwards, and then down the side of your face and down your neck. Use your gua sha tool to massage with moderate pressure. Do this 5-10 times as well for best results.
More of a visual learner? You can watch this video for a basic tutorial.
These are some of the positive effects gua sha can have on your skin - to name a few:
Lymphatic drainage - Gua Sha stone and facial cupping massages are a great way to promote lymphatic drainage and keep your nodes healthy!
Tighter skin - you will likely notice (within weeks of beginning use!) that you have tighter, younger-looking skin. This is because Gua Sha promotes rapid cell turnover and helps blood flow to every skin cell.
Tension relief - When stressed, we can hold tension anywhere, including in our necks and faces.
Anxiety relief - The grounding nature of using a Gua Sha combined with the natural calming effects of a routine makes Gua Sha a good practice for anyone with anxiety, especially around bedtime.
Reduces acne scarring - The great thing about Gua Sha stones is that they promote cell turnover and rejuvenation, helping get rid of acne scars.
But that’s not all! You can learn about other incredible benefits of Gua Sha here.
If you are a professional or Healer interested in strengthening your Gua Sha practice, sign up for my intensive Gua Sha training course here so you can add this powerful healing technique to your business.
Curious about other facial massage routines and wellness practices? Please drop a comment below or send me a DM on Instagram @taraeverlync so we can connect and explore more opportunities!
I am looking forward to connecting with you!