The Art of Gua Sha: A Meridian Massage for Body & Soul
Gua Sha facials bring beauty and mindfulness together for radiant, smooth, and lifted skin and deeper relaxation. Originating from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gua Sha is an ancient skin rejuvenation technique in which lubricated skin is stroked with a smooth, hard tool. In Chinese, gua means “to rub” and sha is the slight reddening of the skin that occurs after the treatment. This is a meridian massage that can tame tension, release tightness, and open meridian channels throughout the body, transcending hygiene and bathing practices. While Gua Sha implements can be made of any number of hard materials, we prefer the smooth, cool beauty of crystal quartz and jade as they both naturally amplify energy.
A Gua Sha Ritual: A Step-by-Step Guide
This ritual can be performed daily or a few times a week. The most important elements are to be mindful, slow, and to use the correct pressure and technique.
1. Prepare Your Skin
Begin with a freshly washed face and neck. Spritz with Rose Glow Complexion Mist or Frankincense Face Tonic to hydrate, and then smooth on a generous squeeze of a lubricating serum such as Rose Glow, Soothsayer, Open Sky, or any Best Skin Ever for the best stone slip.
2. Master the Grip & Anchor
Hold the tool angled flat against the skin instead of using the edge, and use light to medium pressure to stroke slowly and mindfully, as relaxing is an essential part of the technique. For the best results, anchor the skin with one hand and use the Gua Sha stone with the other hand.
3. The Neck, Jaw, & Cheeks
● Begin by anchoring the skin at the base of the neck and glide the long, slightly curved edge upward in long, slow strokes until the whole neck is stroked.
● For the jaw, anchor the skin at the center of the face in the area to be stroked using one or two fingers, and move the stone outward from the chin along the jawline.
● Next, move to the cheeks, anchoring the skin at the side of the nose and moving the stone outward toward the hairline.
4. The Eyes, Brow, & Forehead
● Use the notched curves of the Gua Sha stone to gently glide under the eye, anchoring the skin at the inner corner and moving the stone outward.
● Continue with the brows and forehead, anchoring the skin at the center of the brow bone and gliding the long, curved edge of the stone outward toward the hairline.
5. The Finishing Touch
At the end of each stroke, give the tool a wiggle for a little pressure point massage. Repeat each stroke at least five times.
Gua Sha for the Body: Beyond the Face
Our Classic Quartz Gua Sha stone is also an excellent implement to smooth and tend to tightness in the rest of the body. To bless your body with a Gua Sha massage, stroke oiled skin with the quartz stone upward, moving slowly and mindfully, using significantly more pressure than one uses on the face until there is a feeling of tissue release. This can be especially beneficial for carefully massaging areas with cellulite, crepey skin, and tight fascia.
Additional Resources: We also recommend checking out this lovely video by Noy Skincare on how to Gua Sha for additional tips. You may also enjoy viewing Julie Civiello Polier's Instagram page for further reference as well.
