Gua Sha: The ancient Chinese facial technique to embrace in your daily routine

You might or might not have heard of gua sha (pronounced gwa sha), an ancient Chinese massage therapy involves using a tool (typically jade) which is scraped across the skin to redirect energy flow.  Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow swear by it (finally, something she endorses that we agree on) and it’s not hard to see why.

‘Gua’ means to ‘scrape or scratch’, while ‘Sha’ means sand, and this results in an intense application pressure that dissolves all the knots and tension in your body – an intensity that is, admittedly, not for everyone. It’s a multi-miracle worker: it helps reduce inflammation, increase blood flow and stimulate your body’s lymphatic system, which in turn heals the body from within. Not only that, it’s also able to relieve everything from migraines and muscle tension to coughs and urinary tract diseases.

Wait – a Gua Sha Massage?

In Singapore, you’ll find spas, acupuncturists and TCM practitioners offering Gua sha massage. During these sessions, a tool is used to apply medium to intense pressure all over a person’s back, neck, arms and legs, devoting attention to areas that need more attention. Be warned: much like cupping, the results aren’t pretty – the friction from the repeated strokes results in rather daunting looking bruises that can last days after treatment.

Gua Sha in Skincare?

In beauty and skin care, the classic Gua sha technique is recreated – but in a gentler way. According to Vogue UK, you can incorporate this massage technique on your face with a Gua sha tool for just a minute each day – a doable and non-committal step to include in your daily morning or evening routine. Its wisdom is simple: rather than applying a cream or serum to improve your skin from the outside, you’re activating your body to nourish your skin from within.

Get this: studies have revealed that practising Gua sha on the skin every day “improves microcirculation by up to 400%, reduces wrinkles, rejuvenates, tones and smooths skin, boosts collagen, combats pigmentation, dark circles and puffy eyes, defines jawline and even decongests the sinuses.” Talk about a multi-performer.

The Perfect Morning & Evening Ritual 

The beauty of gua sha is that you don’t necessarily have to fork out the dollars to reap its benefits. After all, Gua sha is traditionally practised at home.

The best Gua sha tool is, of course, one that is made of jade. It looks pretty for the dresser, and if you’ve ever tried a jade roller before, you’d know its cooling properties make for a delightful pick-me-up on the skin. To allow the stone to glide easier on your skin, smooth on a layer of facial oil. If you’re unsure on the right way to apply the pressure on your, there are simple easy-to-follow guides by the likes of UK-based Hayo’u, and more.

At the core of traditional Chinese medicine is the idea of self-care. The benefits of Gua sha aside, the very habit of taking a minute out of your routine to do something for yourself is an incredibly healing and rewarding ritual in itself.

Sold yet?

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images (header), Hayo’u (body)

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