Another day, another ingenious TikTok beauty hack or game-changing tool goes viral. Stealing the spotlight at the moment is our fave skin-smoothing, contour-refining tool: the Gua Sha. To us, though, Gua Sha is far more than a buzzy social media trend.
Where does Gua Sha come from?
Our founder, Jo, is very proud to combine her Chinese heritage with our products. She loves including traditional Asian botanicals into our formulas, but adding the Aceology Rose Quartz Gua Sha Facial Massager to our product range was extra special for Jo.
Chinese and South Asian health practitioners have been using Gua Sha tools for thousands of years to heal a range of ailments. It’s part of traditional Chinese medicine and relates to balancing ‘qi’ (your energy).
In traditional Chinese medicine, when people become sick or fell unconscious, Gua Sha can be used to increase circulation and encourage lymphatic drainage. The idea is that the rounded tool creates a ‘scraping’ motion that boosts blood flow to renew and rejuvenate the body and mind.
Why is it popular now?
Gua Sha is one of the most popular tools in the beauty community because of its myriad of skin benefits. Want a brighter, bouncier complexion? Sorted! How about smoothed, firmed toned facial contours? You’ve got it.
This tool is designed to glide ergonomically along every contour of your face. When your Gua Sha is smoothed across your skin, it stimulates circulation, releases tension and promotes lymphatic drainage.
You can make this treatment even better by using your Gua Sha with a light oil, serum or lotion. It makes the smoothing action easier and enhances product absorption at the same time. Win-win!
How do I use my Gua Sha tool?
Keep your Gua Sha turned flat to your skin, and on a slight angle so that it can easily glide across your skin without pulling. Massage your face and neck (and shoulders if they’re a little tight), using upwards and outwards strokes to encourage blood flow, release tension and boost lymphatic drainage.
You can find more on our relaxing Gua Sha massage routine here: GUA SHA TUTORIAL. We recommend repeating each stroke 5 to 10 times, on each side of your face. Be careful not to press too hard: very light strokes are best around your eyes, and light to medium pressure is just right everywhere else.
For optimal results, use your Gua Sha two to three times per week. We especially love indulging in this facial massage after using an Aceology mask, of course!
More than an Instagrammable beauty tool, Gua Sha has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine and offers skincare benefits you can’t help but boast about.
