Fashion and Beauty 14th July 2021 by Stellar Magazine

Jade Rollers And Gua Sha Stones – Are They A Swizz Or A Must-Have?

We speak to the experts to find out!

We know, we know, we’re not supposed to be touching our faces in the middle of a pandemic, but isn’t it just the time for a relaxing facial massage? The practice has been a huge trend in skincare for the last few months, with ancient tools like jade rollers and gua she stones sitting alongside more hi-tech innovations like the NuFACE, a beauty guru fave that zaps the skin with electrical ‘microcurrents’. Oh yeah, that’s really a thing now.

If this all smells a bit like a swizz to you, we wouldn’t be surprised, but experts agree that a regular facial massage has genuine benefits for the skin. Sarah Flood, senior skin and laser aesthetician at Dublin’s South William Clinic & Spa (southwilliamspa.com), is a big fan of the jade roller herself. “We need to exercise the muscles in the face, and tools like jade rollers are great because they stimulate circulation, help with lymphatic drainage, and increase product penetration into the skin,” she tells STELLAR.

‘Lymphatic drainage’ is mentioned a lot in skin and body care – it’s a massage technique that encourages the lymph fluids (which transport nutrients and oxygen to the cells) to flow around the body, reducing water retention and in turn, puffiness and swelling. The jade roller is your tool of choice for a lymphatic drainage massage – the flat stone of the gua sha, meanwhile, relieves tension in the facial muscles, like a little foam roller for your skin.

“You could store your jade roller in the fridge and use it first thing in the morning to awaken the skin, or you could do it after you apply your hyaluronic acid or peptide serums to assist them in penetrating into the skin,” Sarah suggests. “The gua sha is all about lifting the skin, so you’re going to work more from the chin outwards and up. For drainage, you’re always working down, towards the nose and out towards the ears.”

Sarah recommends spending about three to five minutes daily massaging your skin, giving a little more love to the areas that get puffy or swollen, like the eyes. And for a particularly lovely at-home treatment, she rates using your facial massage tool over a sheet mask to allow the hydrating ingredients to sink even deeper into the skin. How good does that sound?

Of course, you don’t need to purchase any tools – you can always employ the ready-made jade rollers that are your (freshly washed) fingers to massage your face. Use light, circular motions to massage your neck, forehead, and under your ears and eyes, making sure to go extra-gentle on the latter.

If you’re looking for mind-blowing results you can see straight away, we’ll tell you right now that this is not that kind of treatment. However, if you want a few precious moments of pampering, or have a hungover face that needs de-puffing, a little facial massage is just the ticket. Roll on.

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