Everything You Need to Know About Instagram’s Latest Beauty Trend

You’ve no doubt heard of it—the hottest new thing in beauty is all over Instagram and probably hitting the shelves in your favourite beauty shops—but what the hell is gua sha?

What is Gua Sha?

Gua sha translates roughly to ‘scraping’ and is derived from a traditional Chinese medicine treatment that involves scraping the skin to the point of redness or welts to supposedly draw out toxins. But what was traditionally done with whatever tool was on hand—an animal bone or horn, a soup spoon, a coin (it’s also known as coining)—to relieve heatstroke, migraines or common illnesses, has become the latest trend in the ever-evolving beauty and wellness scene.

These days, gua sha is performed with flat, shaped pieces of stone; jade and rose quartz are proving popular for their supposed beneficial properties. Said stones are scraped over the skin in upward strokes to relax stiff muscles and promote tissue drainage. It was traditionally performed on the back of the neck or the back, but in its newest incarnation, the same techniques are applied as a facial treatment—like your jade roller but rougher. And Instagram is loving it.

Proponents of the treatment claim facial gua sha can relieve tension in the muscles of the face, boost blood circulation, help produce collagen, and encourage lymphatic drainage, with the effects of de-puffing, firming and lifting your face, as well as treating dark circles, rosacea, scarring, skin congestion, fine lines and wrinkles and migraines.

Big claims for what is essentially a facial massage with a little piece of rock. Indeed, facial gua sha hasn’t been clinically studied and none of these claims have been proven. In fact, while some (not peer-reviewed) studies have reported impressive results for body gua sha, critics warn that facial gua sha can be risky because it's so easy to overdo and damage the sensitive skin on the face.

That said, if it’s done gently and carefully, you’ll undoubtedly experience some benefit, even if it’s just to relax your facial muscles and improve your blood flow. Fans of the procedure say it can be a very soothing experience, and numerous beauty gurus attest to alleged beauty benefits it offers.

Even professionally, many wellness and beauty clinics—both traditional Chinese medicine and western—around Australia now offer gua sha as an option during a facial or a massage. At home, beauty buffs are now adding it into their at-home routines.

If you’re keen to give it a try, there are plenty of options on the market, in a variety of different shapes, stones and sizes. Some claim that jade is naturally cooling, while rose quartz has natural calming effects, but most experts agree the most important thing is the shape, as it needs to fit comfortably in your hand and all the contours of your face.

How to Gua Sha

After washing your face, prep it with a serum and an oil, then use the stone to scrape your face gently in an upwards motion, making sure to get all the contours of the face. Stop as soon as the skin gets a little pink, as too much scraping could burst blood vessels or cause bruising—not a good look. For tips and hints, Instagram esthetician Britta Beauty has a series of videos that will help you navigate the procedure.

Facialists recommend you start with gua sha once a week but claim that if you can work up to doing it daily, you’ll reap the most rewards. Happy scraping!