Gua Sha.

One of the most raved about beauty tools in the skincare world right now. You might have heard about it, but what is it really and where did it come from? And is it worth incorporating one into your skincare routine and practice? Is it okay to use for your super sensitive skin? 

After years of dealing with sensitive skin and trying so many different products and treatments to manage it, I had to put gua sha to the test after seeing how many people have fallen in love with it. I can understand why, but everyone’s skin is so different so I had to see how my skin would react.

Background

I have hypersensitive skin, rosacea and eczema. I have been able to manage all of this with the creation of Iremia Skincare and using the Restorative Facial Oil, Soothing Lotion and Protective Cream, while managing stress and gut health (read more of the correlation between the two in our blog post abouthow to get glowing skin from within as well as our article about thegut and skin health connection). My skin has gotten to a point where it is significantly stronger than before and my flushing is not as frequent.

What Is Gua Sha?

Gua sha is one of the oldest forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments. It literally means ‘to scrape away” any illnesses using tools like jade to activate blood circulation and get rid of any ‘old blood’. Gua sha isn’t painful and is intended to draw toxins out of your blood to the surface. Traditional practices of gua sha were mostly done on the body with stone, jade or ox horn, to stimulate blood flow in order to remove 'sickness'. It somewhat reminds me of when my grandmother used to rub a hot hard-boiled egg on any bruises I had to draw out the toxic blood and increase blood circulation. We were never allowed to eat the egg afterwards.

Why Gua Sha Didn't  Work For My Sensitive Skin

However, as someone with sensitive skin and skin that flushes easily, I found the practice, however gentle I was, an aggravator for my rosacea. Every time I used the gua sha, my face would turn hot and red, and not in the ‘wow that's a nice glow’ way. I also have a 'heaty' body type according to Chinese Medicine, which may play a part in how my body reacts to certain treatments, foods, and medicine. "Heaty" refers to your body reacting to things that promotes heat, blood circulation or energy in the body. For example, I can't have certain herbs like dates, ginseng, longan or lichi. Certain Chinese herbal soups that promote 'internal healing' will leave me with a nosebleed. Other foods that I tend to react to include chips, chocolate, peanuts, anything deep fried, and mangos. Reactions range from redness or flushing, breakouts to week-long nosebleeds.

So despite knowing all of the benefits of gua sha and how popular it has become in the mainstream skincare industry, I must admit that it just isn’t for me. It may be an unpopular opinion, but my hypersensitive skin prefers other methods of care in order to maintain its glow.

What Has Worked For My Sensitive Skin

Of all the facial tools I have tried, Jade facial rollers have worked well for my skin. With the right one, the weight itself is enough to move fluids and promote lymphatic drainage. It has even helped with relaxing the tension in my jaw and forehead muscles, making my face look softer and even. I have always loved the way they felt on my skin, but the ones on the market were never 'enough'.  After a lot of searching, I finally found one that had the weight and size that your skin will completely benefit from. You can take a look at our newest launch, The Nara Jade Facial Roller (named after the first Empress of the Qing Dynasty when the jade roller originated), which I have been using daily during my routine with our Restorative Facial Oil. The combination of the two helps increase circulation, helps with product absorption, and helps with lymphatic drainage. With a heavier weight than most jade rollers, it relaxes your senses while cooling your skin and decreases the pressure you need use to feel the effects. I have seen a huge difference with consistent use, with the most being in the decrease of tension in my forehead and jawline, softening the look of wrinkles and contouring the face.

I’d love to hear what your experience has been with gua sha or any facial tool and if it works for you! Feel free to leave a comment below and as always, thank you for being here. 

Xo,

Elaine