The facial care method, which involves massaging the face with a special gua-sha stone, came to us from China and is gaining a growing number of supporters. It not only keeps the skin looking young, but also calms and relaxes. Learn the secrets of gua-sha stone massage!
The name gua-sha is a combination of two words: gua, meaning rubbing, and sha – redness. The translation perfectly reflects the whole massage process: the face becomes warm and red afterwards, thanks to the expansion of blood vessels.
In the past, gua-sha stone massage was performed for medicinal purposes. Massaging the skin of the face and neck with a special irregularly shaped stone stimulates blood and lymph flow, making the skin more oxygenated. Today, the technique is also used to increase the intensity of facial products.
According to Chinese philosophy, gua-sha massage also has a spiritual dimension. Massaging the skin unclogs the outlets of vital energy and facilitates the flow between bad and good energy, so we can achieve spiritual balance.
Gua-sha stone massage can bring many benefits, both for our body and spirit. It can be used by anyone who wants to maintain a young and healthy-looking complexion – regardless of age and gender. The gua-sha stone massage is especially recommended for people who struggle with such problems as swollen face and neck, enlarged pores, dark circles under the eyes, visible tear valley, lymphatic stasis, wrinkles and pale, lifeless skin.
However, there are contraindications that prevent gua-sha massage. These include inflammation of the complexion, hematomas, wounds, scratches, ulcers, broken capillaries, acne and cancer.
We can successfully use gua-sha stone massage when we need a moment of relaxation and respite. It is relaxing and completely painless.
Already after the first massage with the gua-sha stone we will notice clear effects. The skin will become more revitalized, it will acquire a healthy color. Fatigue will disappear, muscles will relax. Performing facial massage regularly, we will observe changes such as reducing the appearance of wrinkles, firming the complexion, improving the oval of the face, detoxifying and cleansing the complexion and, above all, relaxing and soothing.
There are several types of gua-sha stones available on the market. They differ slightly from each other, and the choice is simply a matter of preference.
The gua-sha stone made of jade quickly relieves pain and deeply regenerates the complexion. According to Chinese medicine, it is responsible for getting rid of negative energy. Jadeite is considered a healing stone that helps with liver and kidney diseases.
The gua-sha stone of rose quartz has a much more elasticizing and detoxifying effect than jade. It stays cool longer, so it stimulates cell function more intensively and closes pores.
The gua-sha stone is an irregularly shaped plate. Each face is designed to massage a different part of the face. The hollow one is for massaging the jaw, chin and nose; the longest one is for the forehead, cheeks and neck, and the rounded part is for the area between the eyebrows and under the eyes.
The massage is performed on cleaned and oiled skin. Move the stone over the selected zone of the face about 10 times at a time, making movements from the center of the face to the outside. The massage can be performed 2-3 times a week.
main photo: unsplash.com/Cherrydeck
