An ancient beauty ritual, Gua Sha facial massage is known for its ability to awaken & energise your skin. Originating from Traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s a great tool for both the face and body.

The gentle repetitive motions of the Gua Sha facial massage improves blood circulation and encourages lymphatic drainage, both of which refresh and energise you and your skin. The beautiful thing about the art of Gua Sha, is that it can be used to awaken or relax you, depending on when and how you’re using it, and what you’re looking to achieve.

We have over 40 muscles in the face and hold much more tension here than we realise. Not only is Gua Sha facial massage a great relaxation technique, but enthusiastic gua sha-ers even liken the effects to a natural alternative to botox. This is because it brings out your natural glow and balances your complexion all while firming your skin.

Aside from appearances, the massage techniques release facial muscle tension. This makes it great for TMJ (jaw tension), for those suffering with regular headaches, and is very effective for reducing sinus pressure.

Used in the morning, Gua Sha awakens you & your skin and minimises that morning puffiness, while in the evening it helps to relax your facial muscles and release tightness and tensions. Relaxing these muscles regularly also improves and minimises the appearance of fine lines which are formed  from repetitive facial expressions., for example the “11” lines that can form between the brows.

One of the greatest benefits of Gua Sha is its ability to get the lymph flowing, which in turn is linked to a number of health benefits including an improved immune system and healthier skin.

The gentle repetitive motions boosts the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the skin, evening out your complexion and bringing out your natural glow.

BENEFITS OF GUA SHA

•  Releases muscle tension

•  Boosts Blood circulation

• Aids Lymphatic drainage & reduces puffiness

• Minimises appearance of fine “expression” lines

• Balances  complexion & brings out your natural glow

• Improves the absorption & efficacy of your skincare

• Refreshes and relaxes mind

HOW TO GUA SHA

Following the directions of the arrows above, sweep across the suggested areas 5-7 times, using the below tips, to get the most of your Gua Sha experience.

1. Always start with a thoroughly cleansed face & a clean Gua Sha tool.

2. To provide glide and prevent friction and pulling, prepare your skin by applying around 5 drops of your favourite facial oil. Use more or less drops, depending on how thirsty your skin is.

For extra antioxidant & botanical benefits as well as a sensory pleasure we recommend the d'still 'Rejuvinating Botanical Serum' or Lena Wild's 'Harmony Bloom Oil'. 

3. It’s important that you use gentle pressure around delicate areas such as your eyes and thyroid, which is positioned at the front of the neck.  

4. For a deeper massage use medium pressure. Gua Sha should not be painful, so pay attention to how your skin responds and adjust your pressure accordingly. Facial skin is very sensitive, yet responsive and gentle repetitive motions achieve the best results.

The unique curves & edges of Elysian Theory’s Snow Quartz Gua Sha tool are designed to work perfectly with the contours of your face to sculpt and tighten the skin. Additionally Snow Quartz promotes clarity, intuition and courage, making it the perfect tool to balance & calm your skin and mind.

5. We recommend always starting and ending the massage with light downward strokes at the neck, as this is where the lymph fluids are encouraged to drain.

It’s important to sweep across from the middle of your face to your outer face (see above picture), because that’s how you ensure that toxins can drain away. For lymph drainage only light pressure is needed, as the lymph network sits just under the skin’s surface and a deeper pressure would bypass this system altogether.

6. Once done, clean your Gua Sha with mild soapy water and store in the ET pouch, until next time :)

You can incorporate Gua Sha daily, or we recommend 3 times a week as part of your beauty routine.

Whether you spend 2 minutes or 20 minutes performing your Gua Sha massage, it’s a worthwhile and important addition to your self-care ritual.