What Are Jade Rollers and Gua Sha Tools And Do You Actually Need One?
What are jade rollers and gua sha tools?
Maybe you have seen these items pop up on your media feed and you are wondering what are they and why do I need to use them as an extra task in my beauty routine.
Well never fear, you will find all the answers to your questions here.
New trend or ancient tradition?
Jade Rollers and Gua Sha Stones are ancient beauty tools that originated in China. They date back to at least the 7th century. In China, Jade is known as the “stone from heaven”. These rollers were used along with Gua Sha stones (also called Jade scrapers) to invigorate the skin as part of Chinese traditional medicine.
Not all rollers and Gua Sha stones are made with Jade, some are made with Rose Quartz or even Amethyst. They are also believed to have been used by the Mayans and Egyptians as massage tools for over 5000 years.
So, if they have been around that long, then they must be worth further investigation.
How do they work?
We’ve looked at the history of these tools but what is the science behind them?
Well, the lymphatic system within your body does many things including collecting toxins and moving them to your body’s waste systems. Sometimes the associated lymph nodes become overwhelmed and hold onto more toxins than they should.
Massaging your face with a Jade Roller or Gua Sha stone supposedly helps to reactivate the lymphatic system and helps to get things moving again. This will aid overall circulation, help to reduce puffiness and get rid of those toxins.
When you exercise you always feel better and Jade rolling is like a workout for your facial muscles! What’s not to love?
How to use a Jade Roller?
It may seem very straightforward but there are a few tips that will help you get the most out of your new beauty tool. You are using this on your face so use the roller gently.
Start with a clean, dry face and begin at the centre of your forehead with the larger roller. Roll out to one side about three or four times before swapping over and doing the other side.
Also use this larger roller to move from the centre of the chin out along the jawline before gliding the roller down to just above your collarbone.
The smaller roller is to be used around the eye and nose areas.
Remember to always roll from the centre of the face to the side in an outwards and downwards motion. As well as improving your circulation and helping to discharge toxins, these rollers can help you get more out of your beauty products.
Apply your beauty serum to the roller and gently massage it in following the same directions mentioned above. This will help the product absorb into your skin without any excessive pulling that can often happen when you put these creams on by hand.
How to use Gua Sha Stones?
When planning to use Gua Sha Stones first complete your skin care routine. Next pop a few drops of facial oil onto your face and neck.
Starting on your neck, use the larger side of stone and gently scrap upwards about five times.
The heart-shaped dip can be used along your jawline and on either side of your cheekbones.
Be careful not to press too hard but hard enough that you know you are working your face muscles. Always use upwards and horizontal movements with the stones, never downwards.
Top Tips
For best effect it is advised to pop your Jade Roller in the fridge or even the freezer for a few minutes before use. This improves the skin tightening benefits. Ideally you would build up to using these tools daily over a few weeks.
Kits which include both the roller and the stones can be bought online. Remember that Jade is expensive and chances are that the cheaper products may not be made with pure Jade. Therefore, it is best to read the reviews before your purchase if you’re wanting the real deal. But if you just want to give them a try, the cheaper ones are great to start with. Amazon sell ones for under £10. And facial rollers are also occasionally available from Aldi and Penneys.
Enjoy!