Here’s much to be said about Gua Sha. You may have seen the Skin Gym rose quartz or jade stones all over your Instagram feed – in heart, square, or diamond designs as beautiful as the faces of the celebrities who use them. But do you know exactly where they originated? Or that they’re the secret to smooth, sculpted skin minus the injectables? Once you try your first Gua Sha, you’ll never go back. These skincare tools are the perfect addition to your self-care routine to give you chiseled, radiant skin, and a major boost of confidence. Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know about Gua Sha! What is Gua Sha? Also known as skin scraping, the Gua Sha technique originated hundreds of years ago as a form of Chinese medicine. Practitioners would use a flat stone to apply pressure and scrape the skin, treating muscle pain and tightness. While it was a very intense massage that often resulted in bruising and redness (the “sha” in the name refers to skin redness), it was highly regarded as an effective treatment – and is still used today in the form of self-care. Don’t worry, today’s facial version of the Gua Sha treatment is much less intense. These tools are small and typically made from a stone like rose quartz or amethyst which is used to scrape the skin in an upward, outward direction to release tension. While you can ask your esthetician to do it for you, these tools are sold everywhere (including Skin Gym!) and can easily be used daily at home to achieve a glowing complexion and sculpted appearance – no needles or charging station required. What are the Benefits of Gua Sha? Gua Sha is the ultimate self-care treatment for the face. The facial muscles are often stressed from constant changes in expression, such as frowning, raising eyebrows, or clenching jaws – and that’s where Gua Sha comes in. The scraping technique is used to release tension and promote lymphatic drainage. Gua Sha is believed to sculpt and enhance your features in a remarkable way. Every scrape leads to lymphatic drainage, removing bloat and breaking down the fluids that build up under the skin to sharpen every contour of your face. We know what you may be thinking, “Wait, what? Gliding this stone over my face can make my cheekbones more chiseled?” And the answer is yes. One of the greatest benefits is a sharper jawline, more chiseled cheekbones ­– without any needles or contour powder. Don’t forget the spiritual benefits! When choosing a Gua Sha tool, it’s important to choose a stone that best suits you and your self-care routine. Metaphysically, Rose quartz is known as the ultimate symbol of love and beauty, and you’ll feel loving and soothing vibrations the moment our Rose Quartz Gua Sha touches your skin. For a feeling of peacefulness and nourishment, choose our Jade Gua Sha Workout Set for a jade Gua Sha and facial roller that you’ll never want to put down. How Do I Use my Gua Sha Skincare Tool? While the Skin Gym Gua Sha is a fairly simple tool, there are a few things you should know. Prep Your Skin Firstly, never begin scraping without a facial oil or serum. Ever. This is what allows the tool to glide gracefully along the contours of your face and neck, getting the best results. The good news? We’ve created a special oil for specific use with our beauty tools, called the Signature Face Oil. It features a nutrient-rich blend of ingredients to smooth, moisturize, and nourish your skin with every slide of your Gua Sha – producing the perfect mix of skincare and self-care. You should also know that a bit of light bruising or red marks after treatment are normal, though you should try not to apply too much pressure during treatment to avoid excessive markings. Gently Massage After you’ve prepped skin, begin gently massaging your face and neck in upward and outward motions, starting from the neck and moving along your chin, cheeks, and very gently around the eye area. Use the smaller end of the Gua Sha tool to reach the delicate sections of your face, such as the eye area, and do each side of the face separately. Repeat the Movements Do each motion three times on each part of your face and use the tool for 5-10 minutes daily to achieve your most flawless, radiant skin. Every self-care ritual is better with Gua Sha. Which Gua Sha Face Massage Tool Should I Get? Ready to get started? Here’s our collection of Skin Gym Gua Sha tools that you and your skin will be obsessed with! Skin Gym Sculpty Heart Crystal Gua Sha Tool Enhance your skincare routine with our modern facial massaging tool! Skin Gym Gua Sha Crystal Sculpty Tool This Gua Sha tool is arguably our most popular and Instagram-worthy, and it’s easy to see why. The precious pink stone represents unconditional love, both for yourself and others, along with positivity that always has a place in your self-care and skincare routine. Use it along your cheekbones, chin, forehead, and jawline for a lovely and luxurious look – along with good vibes wherever you go. Skin Gym Gua Sha Jade Sculpty Tool Jade is known as the stone of tranquility, harmony, and peace. Basically, all the things that your self-care routine should entail. Therefore, it’s no surprise that people love our Jade Gua Sha Sculpty Tool. The small curves along the broader end are ideal for your under-eyes, creating an energized and exquisite look, while the longer sides can be used along the cheeks and jawline. Rose Quartz Gua Sha Spoonie Designed specifically to enhance and glow your beauty routine by doing pressure point facial. Cleo Bian Stone Gua Sha “Tall, dark, and mysterious” takes on a new form with this Gua Sha, separated from others on the market due to its intricately jagged edges and intimate healing powers. It’s designed to get those hard-to-reach areas of your skin, like around the nostrils or under-eyes. Meanwhile, the striking black stone carries more than thirty trace minerals for a vision of healing energy that helps you look and feel your best. Amethyst Sculpty Tool Wisdom and intuition, with a side of exquisite looks? Only from our Amethyst Sculpty Tool. This Gua Sha is like the older sister who always had your back, providing the best advice and helping you grow into your beauty routine with ease. The heart shape shows love to your skin while gliding easily along with our Signature Oil to deliver the best physical beauty benefits. Your complexion will be feeling wise and awake after using this Amethyst tool, and you have to trust us when we say how much you need it! Cryo Stainless Steel Sculpty Heart Gua Sha Stainless steel looks good on your skin, darling. This Gua Sha takes on a futuristic design that’s the ideal balance between modern beauty tools and ancient health rituals and feels oh-so-sleek in your hand for a stunning complexion. Use our beloved Sculpty shape along your chin, cheeks, forehead, and more for a naturally radiant and rejuvenated look. Next: What Is My Skin Type & How to Deal with Concerns?