How to Do a Gua Sha Facial June 14, 2020 14:00 1 Comment


HOW TO DO A GUA SHA FACIAL

Gua sha is a traditional Chinese medicinal treatment in which the skin is scraped with a smooth edged, blunt instrument in order to release toxins and stimulate new oxygenated blood flow to the area. It can be used to help relieve tension and pain, break down scar tissue and treat injured or sore muscles.

Gua sha tools are also used (in a much gentler way) on the face in skin care routines as facial massage tools. They are used to promote blood circulation in the skin, thus having tightening and rejuvenating effects. It is said to lift the skin and help to dissolve fine lines and wrinkles, while enhancing the skins elasticity, firmness & brightness.

Today we are going to teach you how to use these tools to perform a gua sha facial and massage. It's fun, relaxing, feels amazing and works wonders on your skin! 
1. APPLY MOISTURIZER OR OIL.
For the first step, you may want to apply a face oil or moisturizer that you typically use daily. Face oils tend to work a bit better (depending on the moisturizer) since they can take longer to absorb into the skin, providing ample time for use as a lubricant for your gua sha tool to glide smoothly across your skin. You can also use pure carrier oil such as sweet almond oil or marula oil. Use the same amount you would normally, about a dime size or so.
2. START BY GOING ACROSS THE FOREHEAD.
Start on your forehead by taking your gua sha tool and gliding it from the middle of your forehead sweeping out to your hairline. Repeat several times then move to the other side and do the same. You may notice your skin getting a bit red, but don't be concerned because that is a normal occurrence as a result of the blood circulating. 
3. GO UP THE FOREHEAD.
Holding your tool with both hands, start at the top of your brows and push the gua sha tool upward. Repeat several times, only pushing up (not back down). This helps to flatten the wrinkles on your forehead over time. It can also help to relieve stress that you carry in those muscles of your face and reduce headache pain.
4. SWEEP ACROSS THE BROW BONE.
Take the tip of your gua sha tool (the smaller end) and use it on your brow bone. A lot of fluid tends to collect in your brow, particularly in the corners of your eyes near the bridge of the nose. Place the tip of the tool in the aforementioned area and sweep outward from the corner of your eye and across the brow. Then follow it down the outside of your cheek (along the hairline) to your jaw.
5. THEN ALONG THE HAIRLINE & DOWN THE NECK.
You may even want to continue that path and connect it down to the outer part of your neck to flush the fluid downwards. Also, in terms of circulation it helps blood flow to your heart. Repeat starting with the other brow and work on the other side of the face.
6. WORK ON THE CHEEKS & FLUSH UPWARD.
Now we move onto the cheeks. Start by placing the edge of the tool at the corner of the nose. It is important that you sweep the tool upward first before flowing down the side of the face and neck. That upward motion along the cheekbone will help naturally lift and tone the skin. While the flushing down will help with lymphatic drainage and blood circulation towards the heart. Repeat multiple times on both cheeks.
7. CONNECT FROM THE TIP OF YOUR NOSE.
You can work the brow bone further by taking the small end of the tool and starting on the side of the tip of your nose and working up. Connect across the brow bone, up and out to the hairline and down the side of the face. 
8. FLUSH DOWN TOWARDS THE HEART.
Again you want to continue to flush down the side of the neck. Repeat this path on both sides of the face, starting at the tip of the nose on the other side and following the contours of the brow and face.
9. MIDDLE OF UPPER LIP AND SWEEP UP & OUT.
Starting from the middle of your upper lip, use the edge of the smaller end of the tool to glide across the upper lip, up and out to the cheek.
10. CONTINUE UP THE CHEEKBONE THEN FLOW DOWN.
Connect that path going up the cheek bone, again following the contours of your face-- some of these motions will feel fairly intuitive because of this. Continue up the cheekbone to the ear and then again flow down the neck. Repeat multiple times, then move to the other side.
11. USE CURVED EDGE TO FOLLOW THE JAW LINE.
Depending on what kind of tool you are using, you will typically have some kind of edge with small curves or indents. Check out an example here, though they look different on many tools. These are designed for the more defined bones. Use that special part of the tool to hug the jaw bone and follow it up starting from the chin and connecting to the ear. Then sweep down the neck in the direction of the heart.
12. SWEEP ACROSS THE CHIN & UP THE CHEEK. 
Starting from the chin area, take the edge of your tool and glide it up the lower part of the cheek up towards the ear, then down the neck. Repeat a few times and then on the other side of the face. 
It's that simple! The whole process can be as short or long as you'd like, but typically only takes about 5-10 minutes. Gua sha can be used for many things in the body but this is just a quick tutorial for face massage and skin care. Definitely worth considering adding to your daily routine! We linked them above in this email but in case you missed it, use the button below to check out gua sha and other face massage tools that we have available on our online shop. Thanks and wishing everyone health and safety at this time <3

Best,
Earth Speaks
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