I'm in love with my jade guasha tool! Thank you to Malia for sharing this face massage technique with me! After the first few days of trying it, my husband kept interrupting me to say how come my face looks smoother or more supple or something. He literally said he can notice a difference, which is uncharacteristic of him. Usually I have to ask him to take notice of something. That's what made me keep going. Been doing it for at least a month now.
I know everyone develops their own unique routines for this, but want to share mine because it's all about efficiency and what I've found to be effective. Let me know what you think or if you have your own routine--and how it's different/same. :)
My family was really into the graston technique to aid healing and recovery of sore muscles from sports or working out. Turns out it's similar in theory to the guasha methods, except guasha usually focuses on your face.
I think when you graston/guasha your face, these are the benefits:
The gentle scraping technique breaks down the scar tissue and fascia restrictions that are usually associated with overuse, strain or trauma. These are the adhesions that form a spiderweb under your skin that harden (that I mentioned in the video).
Stretches connective tissue in an attempt to rearrange the structure of the facial tissue.
Promotes a better healing environment for the facial tissue.
Sounds great, right? Just know that it smooths out your face, plumps it up and diminishes wrinkles. Unlike skincare, it can literally change the underlying muscular structure of your face.
it can literally change the underlying muscular structure of your face.
Here's the tool set that I got. I don't use the roller much--I keep it in the freezer and roll it over my eyes when they're puffy in the morning. You can store both tools in the freezer actually, for a refreshing ice cold massage! lol Have fun with that.
My Chinese lady facial story
I don't usually like to get facials because I have kind of a phobia about other people touching my face. But one time I got a facial as a gift from a friend--it was a Chinese face massage. And it was the most painful thing ever. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but this lady was like killing me. I had to tell her to stop a couple times! Anyways, I think the principles behind her massage are the same as that of gua sha. You have to physically BREAK UP the fascia that has become set in its ways over time. The nasofobial lines, the 11 lines between my brows...forehead lines...so many lines to smooth out!
I would have gone back to that Chinese face massage lady, but 1) it was semi-traumatic, and 2) I'm sure it was expensive. She told me I have to come back. I didn't and a part of me always wanted to. But now with my own gua sha tool, I feel like I can actually give myself a painfully traumatic face massage all on my own! Yay!
So anyways, that's why I also press down harder than most people. I'm channeling that lady, but in my own inimitable DIY way. Oh the power. Oh the pain.
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*UPDATE 2/3/21:
Still doing nightly guasha and I don't think I'll ever stop. This is something that is a lifetime practice. Still love my jade scraper tool too. Eat your heart out, Bebe!