Until a few years ago, I had never heard of scraping or jade rolling. Honestly, most people hadn't, but these traditions are certainly not new. Gua sha is an ancient practice that evolved from Chinese medicine that has been used for thousands of years. It's only in the last 10 years that it's gained traction in the beauty world. But is it really worth the hype? Today we talk about gua sha, rolling jade, the difference between the two and whether they really work!
What is Gua Sha?
So first of all, what is Gua Sha and does it really work? As mentioned earlier, Gua Sha is not a new practice, but has been used for thousands of years as one of the many tools of Chinese medicine. Sometimes referred to as "caressing" (Gua Sha literally translates as stroking), practitioners of TCM use it to help stimulate blood flow and the movement of "qi" or energy throughout the body. It has a wide range of uses, but traditionally it has been used to reduce muscle pain and tension.
In the past few years, the beauty community has jumped on the Gua Sha tool and is beginning to see its own benefits, especially for facial work.
So what are the benefits of Gua Sha?
-Increases lymphatic drainage in the face
-Reduces inflammation, acne scars
-Relieves facial muscle tension
-Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
I learned about Gua Sha from Katie, an esthetician at Ritual Skincare. The first time she gave me a Gua Sha facial, I really didn't know what was happening, but when I walked out, I saw results immediately. I had never left a facial before, and my face looked swollen and red. I usually have to make an appointment 48 hours in advance to get my face back. Not with Katie and her magician shaving hands. My face looks firmer and less red, and although I definitely don't believe it's possible, I can go out without having to put on a lot of makeup.
Does shaving really work?
Interestingly enough, yes. Having a doctor use a scraping tool on your face will help reduce inflammation and redness by stimulating the lymphatic system and helping your skin to heal itself. As for whether it's the new natural BOTOX? The jury is still out. People swear it helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles and prevent the signs of aging. I personally am not 100% convinced that this is true, but it certainly doesn't cause harm. I find it does help with jaw tension and feels good if you have a headache, but no, scraping won't solve all your skincare problems.
What about jade rolling?
Well, now that we know about scraping, what does jade rolling do? In short: jade rolling is a type of gua sha. It is a specific tool that makes it easier for you to do Gua Gua yourself. This beautiful tool makes it easier to roll and stimulate the lymphatic system without having to stare into a mirror while you do so.
Does jade rolelr work?
As with Gua Sha, the benefits of jade rubbing include reducing redness and scarring, relieving muscle pain and possibly reducing signs of aging. From my personal perspective, jade kneading is not as effective as the Gua Sha tool, but it is easier to do and makes my practice more consistent. Consistency is key whether you're rubbing jade or scraping, so in the end, it doesn't matter what tool you're using as long as you're actually using it!
