Everything You Need To Know About This Celebrity-Approved Facial
Written by Carla Pasco Jones | 29th Sept 2020
Many celebs such as Elle McPherson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kendall Jenner, Victoria’s Secret Romee Strijd, and Emilia Clarke, are swearing by the benefits of the Gua Sha Facial.
If you are followers of the Insta ‘beauty’ influencers, you will most likely know that they are all over using crystals as part of their regular skincare routine. So before we get into the nitty-gritty of Gua Sha crystal roller facials, let’s look at the benefits:
- Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
- Stimulates the production of collagen
- Slows down the aging process
- Increases cell turnover
- Revitalises facial muscles
- Helps reduce stress
Originally used as a healing massage technique in ancient China. Gua means to ’scrape’ and Sha is…actually, I couldn’t find a director translation other than ‘sand’. Given I am not a qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, I am not going to attempt to try and hazard a guess!
The technique is said to remove stagnant energy (Qi/chi as they call it in the East) which TCM practitioners believe causes inflammation. By rubbing the skin’s surface it’s thought to help break up this energy, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.
We love it as it uses natural crystal rollers and tools allowing the product to deeply penetrate into the skin. Did I mention it originates from Asia, and you know my passion for bringing a little bit of the East to the West!
What’s even more fabulous about it, is you can also use the tools at home to enhance your home skincare routine. Did I hear you ask “do we sell them at the spa?” – Of course we do!
Gua Sha is a fabulous anti-ageing facial due to the natural stimulation of collagen
Getting to the Root of Gua Sha
Used by the women of nobility in China some two thousand years ago may have something to do with why Gwyneth and the gang are going mad for Gua Sha Facials as part of their skincare routine.
Gua Sha was originally a massage and there are some Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners who have trained in this technique (we work with an amazing therapist in our Englefield Green Spa who offers this, but that’s another post-story!)
Due to the amazing health benefits, this technique has been modified so you can reap the benefits with a gentler approach for a Gua Sha facial. It’s a much-loved part of celebrity skin care routines…and in fact mine too!
A combination of the benefits of using the crystal tools in a facial helps to revitalise facial muscles and slows down the aging process. Now we know Elle’s secret to looking so God damn amazing!
So What Exactly is a Gua Sha Facial?
There are a couple of tools used in our Gua Sha facials. A roller with two parts, the ‘heftier’ roller is used to treat the larger areas of the face, such as the jawline, cheekbones, and forehead. The smaller roller is for the nose area and the contour of the eyes.
Gua Sha involves gently scraping a jade, rose quartz or amethyst crystal tool over the skin to ease tension stored in tissue. Don’t panic, it’s so soothing as the edges are rounded so glide painlessly across the skin.
Known as the Eastern facelift, regular use has also been shown to lift the skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and add more definition to the face. It can even be used to relieve headaches or tension in the neck and to banish stubborn cellulite. Clearly, the last benefit is the Gua Sha Body Massage!
“These rollers stimulate natural collagen of the skin and the lymphatic system, delaying aging, improving the appearance of the skin and decreasing lines of expression,” explains Instagram’s facialista Ling Chan, who is responsible for caring for faces such as supermodels Miranda Kerr and Behati Prinsloo.
Other Benefits of a Gua Sha facial
The Gua Sha facial can help with other ailments such as headaches, post-flight puffiness, or just in need of some self-love, these fabulous facials are beneficial for your skin, mind, body, and soul too.
The Gua Sha tools are designed to conform to the shape of the face to complement the technique which increases circulation, decreases puffiness, and promotes collagen production. Any temporary redness which may occur is caused by the scraping action which triggers a repair response in the skin. Wait, don’t be scared, just read on and you will love what this is actually doing to your skin! It increases your collagen levels and cell turnover. And we all know what that means don’t we? Youthful skin!
According to published Melissa Wood, head of training, nutrition, and lifestyle of several celebrities in new york, “a few similar effects to those of Botox, acquired in a natural way by means of the activation of facial muscles”
If you want to experience the benefits of a Gua Sha Facial Ritual, give us a call (01494 870444) or book online.
