Let's all try facial gua sha.
Facial massage is something that I’ve always utilized in treatments for clients and for myself to revive and detoxify the skin by creating circulation, oxygen flow & promoting lymph drainage. About a decade ago I only thought of facial massage as a method for relaxation; I soon began to learn through esthetics training and research that facial massage could detoxify, lift, contour, and bring new life into our skin. I’ve been obsessed with various kinds of facial massage for years but it wasn’t until about two years ago that I became aware of gua sha. The more I read about facial gua sha and looked at these amazing before and after photos of people that have received treatments I knew I had to learn more about it. Soon after, I experienced my first gua sha facial while I was on vacation in New York, this was definitely a highlight of that trip! The esthetician used various shapes of gua sha stones to drain lymph, release facial muscle tension, and lift my face and neck. I felt wonderful afterward and my face and neck looked contoured and more lifted.
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I purchased gua sha stones and started using them in the treatment room to boost the effects of facial lymph drainage for clients. Gua sha stones are so helpful and effective when it comes to manipulating and draining lymph and toxins from the skin. Clients were also enjoying the relaxation benefits that come along with these slower, rhythmic facial massages. While we were seeing and feeling great results from this gua sha stone work I knew there was so much more I could do for clients using these stones. Recently I took the time to dive deeper into gua sha and took the Green Beauty Academy online course. Now I’m excited to share with you all the info we need to know about facial gua sha!
scrub me secret: I went to get my NY gua sha facial at a space called Studio Britta. I had followed the page on Instagram for some time because I loved the gua sha knowledge the owner would share. Once I knew I was headed to NYC for a small vacation I booked my Britta Beauty facial weeks in advance. I was so in awe of the results from my facial I wanted to be able to provide the same type of experience and results for my clients at home. I learned the owner of Britta Beauty provided an in-depth gua sha training course that shared all her facial massage secrets. This is the online course I recently took!
What is facial gua sha massage?
Facial gua sha is when a flat stone or tool is used to “scrape” the skin, creating circulation and stimulating lymphatic flow. Gua sha stones used for this practice come in different shapes and sizes. The most popular and well-known type of gua sha stone for facial massage is the oval-shaped stone with a U shaped edge, this shape can easily glide along the face and fit areas like the jawline, cheekbones, and brow area. During a facial gua sha treatment your esthetician or massage therapist will use gua sha stone(s) and their hands to properly manipulate and drain lymph, leaving your face less puffy. Muscle tension in the head, jaw, and face can also be released during a gua sha facial. Your technician will also use gua sha stone techniques that firm skin and lift tissues, giving your face and neck a youthful, lifted look.
Gua sha massage movements can be worked into almost any type of facial and can easily be customized to what your personal needs are. A full gua sha facial massage can take anywhere from 40min-1hr+. These lengthier gua sha face massages first drain lymph so we can alleviate puffiness, then release muscle tension so facial muscles and tissues are easier to manipulate, and finally, lift and contour the released tissues in the face and neck.
scrub me secret: Have you seen the gua sha stone with the “teeth” looking edge? the edge with the teeth is so helpful when we are working to erase fine lines. There is a technique where we use the teeth’ edge to create light friction on the skin that acts as an erasing technique for fine lines. This is something that will create smoother skin over time.
Facial gua sha is different than traditional Chinese gua sha. Traditional gua sha treatments are usually performed on the body and focus on much deeper muscle release and manipulation. It is common for the body to have red markings or bruising after a traditional gua sha stone treatment that will need to heal. Traditional Chinese gua sha dates back hundreds of years and is said to have many benefits for the body. Facial gua sha still uses some of the movements and techniques of traditional gua sha massage but should never leave markings on your skin post-treatment.
Why we should all try facial gua sha:
Facial gua sha is just as relaxing, if not more so than the typical face massage you’d receive at a spa. Results from gua sha that you experience immediately after a facial treatment are less puffiness, lifted eye area, smoothed skin, and an overall glow. Consistent monthly gua sha facial massage can give you results like a more contoured and lifted face, fewer fine lines or wrinkles, less puffiness, and a more youthful appearance. Consistent gua sha treatments can replace feeling the need to get botox or fillers. We are lifting, firming, and anti-aging the natural way!
scrub me secret: your diet and water intake will have an effect on how much lymphatic drainage or depuffing benefits you receive from your gua sha facial. the more hydrated your body is the easier it can expel toxins from the system, thus making it easier for us to see results. read my blog “inner wellness, outer beauty.” to learn more about how diet affects your skin.
What are the results of facial Gua sha?
During our COVID-19 lockdown, I was lucky to have my fiance as a gua sha test subject, or actually, I should say he was very lucky to be my test subject! Over the course of 6 weeks, I gave him 8 full gua sha treatments that were tailored to his specific needs. We focused on alleviating puffiness, releasing jaw and head tension brought on by stress, lifting the nasal folds & cheek area, and opening the eye area. While the results were subtle I was very pleased to see the progress! His skin overall feels firmer to the touch and has more of a radiant glow. Below are his gua sha progress photos, in the first photo I highlighted some parts of the face I saw a change in after a few treatments.
scrub me secret: Pete has a high-stress sales job that has him sitting over a computer most of the day. He often feels jaw, forehead, back of the head, and neck tension at the end of a long workday. He said the facial gua sha massage relieved so much tension and brought on a lot of relaxation. He often dozed off during his treatments and got to wake up to a fresh, lifted face. Nothing better than that!
Pete’s overall complexation and skin elasticity improved from the gua sha treatments. While my main focuses were his cheek, eye, & brow areas we also got to see a good amount of inflammation go down around his nose, giving it a more contoured look. We will continue with his gua sha facials to keep skin in this healthy state and anti-age even more.
Pete received 8 gua sha treatments over the course of 6 weeks. Each picture was taken post -gua sha facial massage.
scrub me secret: if you look at the above pictures you can see that sometimes his eye area was more lifted and open after some of the gua sha treatments. I believe during these sessions we were able to achieve more lymphatic, thus de-puffing and opening up the eye area a bit more. When the body is well hydrated it is able to drain lymph fluid more easily during a gua sha treatment. My guess would be that times, where we saw better results around the eye area, were days where he was more hydrated.
Experience gua sha at home & in the treatment room:
For optimal results from facial gua sha massage, you’ll want to have monthly treatments with your esthetician or massage technician and also implement some facial gua sha into your at-home skincare routine. Adding gua sha to your at-home routine is easier than you think! All you need is a gua sha stone, I recommend the Wildling Beauty Empress Stone. Then your esthetician or gua sha expert can teach you 2-4 gua sha massage movements that are specific to your skincare goals, that you can perform yourself at home. If you don’t know where to start with learning different gua sha moves I would suggest checking out Wildling Beauty on Instagram @wildling_beauty or Britta Plug on Instagram @britta_beauty. I also have an IGTV video on my Instagram page @_scrubme, where I teach some gua sha lifting movements. For a gua sha facial, you can visit me at scrub me skin care studio in Chicago! If you’re in New York City I definitely recommend treating yourself to a gua sha facial at Studio Britta. I can’t wait for everyone to experience a gua sha facial soon!