I’m a low maintenance kind of chic, so when I initially heard of “face yoga” the first thing that came to mind was someone face-planting during a downward dog position. And the newish craze of rubbing rocks on your face, gua sha, was completely baffling to me. (By the way, I still have no idea how to even pronounce that word.) And possibly even weirder still, the whole dry brushing thing, where you literally rake a bristly brush all over your body.
Well, I’m here to tell you… they’re kinda great. Still really, really weird… but they seem to work. I’d say it’s one part magic and two parts lymphatic drainage. I’m not a specialist though. Nor am I very far along in my journey with these new techniques and practices, but I already know that I like them enough that I thought I’d share.
What the hell is gua sha, you ask? It’s basically lightly scraping your face with a special rock (not joking, bahaha!) to massage and reduce puffiness. Given the rise in popularity, there are probably no less than a million video tutorials on various techniques – which can be a bit overwhelming. Honestly, I found some examples on Pinterest and just ran with it. However, not wanting to misinform you, I did my best to find instructions from actual specialists. Here’s a video by a Lymphedema Physical Therapist and another video by a Face Yoga Expert. (Who both do it differently than I learned, so maybe I need to switch it up.)
If you think rubbing rocks on your face is odd, give dry brushing a try. I think it’s possibly even more strange. It makes me feel a little bit like a horse getting a brush down… Thankfully, my hubby hasn’t witnessed this new self-care ritual yet, because he already loves making copious smart-ass remarks about the whole gua sha situation. (Though I admit he is quite funny, which only makes the process more difficult to do when you’re laughing like crazy.) Anyway, if you’d like to pony up, buy a brush, and join the craze, I found this video by the same Lymphedema Physical Therapist on dry brushing. And maybe don’t let your significant other witness your new routines without first explaining that you have not, in fact, lost your mind.
If you’re already a fan of these strange beauty/health trends, please let me know your favorite techniques. Or, if you’re just getting started, let me know how you’re liking it. Also, I obviously encourage you to do your own research, and check with your doctor and such before you jump into these self-care habits. I’m no expert in rocks or brushes.
Happy scraping and brushing, hehe!
PS: How I learned to gua sha… Apply a moisturizer first. Hold the tool as flat, or close to your face, as possible while you lightly “scrape” the tool across your forehead, under your eyes, cheeks and jawbone. (Use the groove part of the tool for your jaw.) Slowly pull the tool in an upward curve, three times or so and then do the other side of your face. Also, be sure to use your other hand to hold your skin taught while you pull the tool in the opposite direction. Another key thing to remember is to give the tool a gentle little wiggle when you reach your hairline or edge of your face. Again, this is just the technique that I’ve been using, and is actually rather different than the videos I found for you… So, use all of this info at your own discretion. I won’t be held accountable if you manage to give yourself extra wrinkles, haha.
PPS: Olivia thought I was rubbing rose quartz all over my face for good luck. Hahaha!
🙂
