Skimming through social media, you will find an abundance of influencers glorifying lots of different beauty tools. Gua Sha and Facial Rollers are two that have made quite the impact. As we know, there is only so much information that can be communicated in an Instagram post. And not nearly enough for us to get a thorough understanding of what each of them do, and which one is right for you.
So here we are, dissecting the nitty gritty on these trending tools to see what the fuss is about!
Having received significant attention recently, Gua Sha in particular is actually making a comeback. That’s right, Gua Sha has actually been used for centuries in Chinese medicine.
So what is Gua Sha?
It is a method used to move stagnant old blood or invigorate blood circulation. While this ancient method has recently been popularised as beauty therapy for the face, it is also a tool that is used for it’s many different health benefits. Massaging with Gua Sha stimulates our lymphatic system, breaking up any stagnation and toxins trapped within the body.
However, when used as a beauty tool, massaging and applying pressure on the face with your gua sha, may help to:
- smooth out wrinkles
- relieve stress and tension
- relieve sinus pressure
- stimulate lymphatic drainage (which can cause puffiness)
- increase energy
- promote a brighter complexion
By using a facial map, gentle pressure is applied to massage your face, neck and decolletage. Starting from the centre of your face and moving outwards and upwards, the technique follows the lymph and muscles under the skin as you glide.
Facial rollers are everywhere right now. They have become a popular tool for people use as part of their skin care routine and also to aid in the absorption of facial oil and creams. Much like Gua Sha stones that are typically made of crystal, using cool stones on your skin can be traced back thousands of years to ancient China.
What is a Facial Roller?
Similar to Gua Sha, a Facial Roller is a soothing massage tool to relax, reduce puffiness and improve skin texture. Also aiding in blood circulation, flushing out toxins, toning facial muscles and lymphatic drainage.
The benefits are similar to those of the gua sha, however, some might find the roller a bit more approachable as there isn’t so much of a technique involved.
By gently massaging the roller across your face, neck and decolletage ( moving from the ear and rolling down towards the collarbone to aid lymph drainage). The smaller end can be used under the eye area, and the larger end for working from the centre of the face up and outwards.
Facial roller may help to:
- promote lymphatic drainage
- reduce puffiness
- improve skin texture
- reduce stress and promote relaxation
- increase blood flow to the face
Apply a light pressure as you roll, feeling around for points of tension on your face. Roll up and down along your forehead and jaw. Use very light pressure as you roll the area around your eyes. For harder to reach areas on your face, use the smaller end of the roller.
So do Gua Sha and facial rollers just do the same thing?
Well, yes and no. They both provide lots of similar benefits, but gua sha is meant more as a deep facial massage, allowing you to take your time and investigate each part of your face and neck with care. With facial rollers, you can still make it a self-care activity, but think of gua sha as more for your self care Sunday routine, whereas facial rollers provide you with a quick daily pick-me-up.
So you really can’t go wrong with either one! Their uses and benefits are similar enough that regardless of which one you go with, you will feel great regardless!