How to use gua sha on the face? This is a question many gua sha beginners ask. With the popularity of gua sha as a natural beauty method, more and more people are starting to use it as an essential part of their daily skincare routine. Among these users are many complete beginners who are confused about how to begin.

But don't worry, today we'll tell you how to use gua sha on your face in this article. Rest assured, the method is very simple and not difficult at all.

How to Use Gua Sha on Face? Preparation Stage

There's an old Chinese saying: "Sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood." This means that only with proper preparation can things proceed smoothly. The same applies to facial gua sha. Before starting the gua sha treatment, you should do the following:

1. Choose A Suitable Gua Sha Tool：

• Material：

1. Jade: Cool to the touch, it helps to calm and soothe, making it suitable for sensitive skin.
2. Rose Quartz: Believed to have calming and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Stainless Steel: Hygienic and easy to clean, with excellent cooling properties, suitable for quickly reducing puffiness.

• Shape：

1. Heart-shaped/Fish-shaped: The concave curves are perfect for contouring the jawline and cheekbones, achieving a sculpted look.
2. S-shaped: Fits the contours of the face and neck.
3. Comb-shaped/toothed edges: Can be used to massage the scalp or promote blood circulation in thicker areas of the face.

Choose a suitable gua sha tool based on your actual needs. However, as a beginner, you can start with one of the most popular gua sha products on the market. These are usually the most widely accepted products, meaning they may not be the most professional, but they are the most versatile.

2. Clean Your Gua Sha tools and Face：

Cleaning is very important. If you don't clean your hands properly before gua sha, bacteria and viruses on the gua sha tools and your facial skin may enter your body through the gua sha process, causing damage to your skin.

• Gua Sha Tool Cleaning：

1. Prepare lukewarm water no hotter than 60℃.
2. Choose a mild detergent for cleaning.
3. Do not use excessive force when cleaning. Do not use metal brushes for scrubbing.
4. Alcohol can be used for further disinfection.

• Facial Cleaning

1. 1. Rinse your face with warm water to open pores.
2. Choose a suitable facial cleanser based on your skin type.
3. After cleansing, apply a suitable moisturizer to prevent your skin from becoming too dry, which could interfere with the proper execution of the gua sha procedure.

• Lubrication is key.

It is not recommended to perform gua sha on a dry face, as this may damage the skin, causing anything from peeling to bleeding.

How to Choose: You must use a high-quality facial oil or a rich serum. Make sure to choose a non-comedogenic product to prevent clogged pores.

1. Recommended Amount: Ensure there is a thin film of oil on the skin so that the gua sha tool can glide smoothly and without resistance.

Once everything is ready, you can begin your facial gua sha journey.

Facial Gua Sha Operation Guide

Facial gua sha is not difficult; compared to traditional gua sha, the technique is much simpler. The core principles are angle and pressure: always maintain an angle of 15-30° between the gua sha tool and the skin. The pressure should be gentle and steady, following the direction of muscles and lymph nodes.

Keep this core principle in mind, and the rest is just slight adjustments based on the specific area：

1. Cheeks and Cheekbones

• The most common areas for facial gua sha. The main purpose is to lift the cheeks and improve the smile line.
• Cheek Lifting: Starting from the sides of the nose, scrape along the area below the cheekbones to the hairline in front of the ears. Maintain medium and steady pressure; do not apply too much pressure. This helps relax the face and provides a brief lifting effect.
• Smile Line: Using the narrow edge or tip of the gua sha tool, gently massage in short, smooth strokes perpendicular to the nasolabial folds.

2. Jawline and chin

This is also a common area for facial gua sha, aimed at creating a more perfect jawline.

• Chin area: Starting from the center line of the jaw, gua sha along the jawline towards below the ear. Maintain moderate pressure.
• Double chin: Using a smooth gua sha surface, alternately gua sha downwards along the double chin area. This can have a temporary effect in improving a double chin.

3. Eye area

The purpose of eye gua sha is to improve dark circles and eye bags, while also relieving fatigue. Considering the delicate nature of the eye area, it's crucial to maintain a gentle and soothing pressure during gua sha.

• Upper eyelid/brow bone: Using the pointed or rounded corner of the gua sha tool, gently scrape from the inner corner of the eye along the brow bone to the temple.
• l Under-eye area: Lay the gua sha tool flat and gently scrape from the inner corner of the eye outwards to the temple.

4. Forehead Area

Gua sha on the forehead primarily helps reduce forehead wrinkles. Furthermore, the forehead area contains numerous acupoints and meridians; gua sha in this area can also relieve fatigue and alleviate headaches.

• Vertical gua sha: Starting above the eyebrows, scrape vertically upwards to the hairline to help smooth horizontal wrinkles on the forehead.
• Horizontal movements: For the area between the eyebrows and frown lines, use the tip or narrow edge of the gua sha tool to perform horizontal smoothing movements.

By following the steps described above, you can master basic Gua Sha techniques and experience the benefits of facial Gua Sha. Of course, this is just a beginner's guide. If you want a better experience, you'll need to learn more professional techniques. Naturally, with accumulated experience, your Gua Sha skills will improve naturally.

It's important to note that the tools should be cleaned after Gua Sha. The cleaning method follows the tool cleaning techniques mentioned above.

Now that you've mastered the basic Gua Sha techniques, begin your facial Gua Sha journey!

Facial Gua Sha Faqs

1. The Stronger the Gua Sha Force, The Better The Effect？

The pressure should be "gentle but firm"—enough to feel the muscles and bones under the skin, but not painful. Slight redness is a normal sign of microcirculation activation, but bruising or purple discoloration indicates you're applying too much pressure.

2. Gua Sha Frequency and Duration

Facial gua sha should be performed once a day, not too frequently. The duration of each gua sha session should be 5-10 minutes. Too short a time may be ineffective, while too long a time may cause skin damage.

3. Why Should the Direction of Gua Sha be Upward and Outward?？

This is based on a comprehensive consideration of gravity, muscle, and lymphatic flow. The massage direction needs to counteract gravity (lifting upwards) and follow the direction of facial lymphatic drainage (outwards).