Gua Sha: Your New Ritual Stone
Long before the rise of jade rollers, there was the Gua Sha, a scraping stone used for neck and facial massages. For thousands of years, the Gua Sha was used in Chinese medicine to smooth fine lines, increase skin tone and circulation, promote collagen production, decrease puffiness and enhance skin elasticity and glow.
The Gua Sha developed its signature heart shape because of the many ways it can be used on your face and neck. When paired with a serum or mask, you'll find these quick Gua Sha techniques will help with absorption and leave your skin and muscles feeling refreshed and looking great. Never use a Gua Sha dry; a serum, moisturizer or facial oil helps it glide across the skin.
The CLARISMA "Rose Quartz Gua Sha" is individually hand cut and hand polished from rose quartz gemstone, thought to bring nourishing, nurturing energy to your cells.
Word of caution: Be careful! Some suggest freezing your Gua Sha before use. While freezing your Gua Sha may add a refreshing chill to your massage if your skin is wet and you use a frozen Gua Sha, your skin may stick to the stone, resulting in tears and scrapes.
Where and How to use the Gua Sha:
NECK: If you have tightness in the back of your neck, cradle your neck muscle in the top of the heart and drag the Gua Sha from bottom to top, gently rocking at the top to release the pressure. Repeat on each side.
For neck treatment, use the straight side of the Gua Sha to apply pressure on the muscle, moving up from the collarbone to just below the jawbone, finishing with a strong shake to diffuse the buildup. Repeat until relieved then switch sides and repeat.
THROAT: To sculpt your throat area, use the top of the stone and apply light pressure moving upwards from the curve of the neck, just above the collarbone, up the neck to the underside of the jaw, stopping just before the chin. A firm shake at the top will release the blockage. Repeat.
JAWLINE: When you notice inflammation along your jaw, using the Gua Sha can make a huge difference. Cradle your jaw into the crux at the top of the heart, with the larger of the two bumps below the jaw. Starting at the chin, work backwards toward your ear lobe. After a few passes, switch sides.
CHEEKS: There are a variety of reasons our cheeks could appear puffy. Using the straight side of the Gua Sha, apply pressure just above the mouth and sweep outward along the contour of your cheekbones to your hairline. Supporting your skin with your other hand will prevent stretching and pulling on your lips.
EYES: It is not uncommon to experience some puffiness under the eyes. Placing the Gua Sha flat against your skin and starting below the eye at the edge of the nose, apply pressure with the top of the heart and sweep outward to the hairline. Repeat as needed and switch sides.
EYEBROWS: Tracing the eyebrows with the Gua Sha feels incredible. Keeping the stone at a slight angle with the larger of the hearts above the eyebrow, apply pressure as you move from the interior to the exterior, continuing past the edge of the brow to release where the hairline meets the temple. A few passes will help sculpt the eyebrow then switch sides.
FOREHEAD: To flatten wrinkles on the forehead, use the longest side of the Gua Sha to pull upwards from just above your eyebrow to release at your hairline, then switch sides.
The Gua Sha is a simple massage tool with a variety of uses that can greatly benefit anyone and amplify their skincare routine!