Table of Contents
BY JULIE CIVIELLO POLIER
It all started with my mother, who sought out acupuncture during her pregnancy with me because she had heard about the “beautiful baby point” that is only used with a 24-karat gold needle.
When I was old enough for acupuncture, my mom took me to a mother-daughter session, and the experience opened up a world of natural healing. Thirty-one years after receiving the golden needle in utero, I too offered the “beautiful baby point” while carrying my son.
After considering career paths that included acupuncture, I ultimately chose facial massage—a natural healing modality that, like acupuncture, leads to significant transformations with the most tender of touches. I have found that massaging my face has been, and continues to be, my return to center, a way to harmonize all my bodies at once: the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
Gua Sha
As part of facial massage, the healing technique gua sha (pronounced gwah shah) is especially effective at not only returning the body to center but also boosting circulation, smoothing fine lines, relaxing facial muscles, brightening the eyes, and so much more.
Curious where to start? The beauty of gua sha is that you can’t go wrong by intuitively and gently gliding a gua sha tool on your skin. I keep tools in my purse, car console, and coat pocket so that, wherever I am, I can fit in a few strokes to release jaw tension or deepen the breath (see instructions below).
Tools of the Trade
Gua sha tools come in a wide variety of materials and shapes, and the functionality of each tool helps to create a sense of purpose and ritual in a self-care routine. In ancient times, gua sha tools were recycled materials or held a dual purpose: coins, soup spoons, animal bones, cattle horns, and stones. Today, facial gua sha tools are typically made from polished and shaped crystals, though stainless-steel options are becoming increasingly popular.
Basic gua sha tool:
The simple wing or fin shape of this tool makes it ideal for many techniques. Its narrow tip is great for targeting the delicate area around the eyes and can efficiently contour under the cheekbones (#1).
Gua sha tool with notched edge:
A notch in the edge of a gua sha tool can be used to collect the tissue and guide more fascia and fluids in a given direction. This notch will gently grip the skin, whereas a smooth edge glides on top of the skin (#2, #3).
Gua sha tool with toothed edge:
Use the teeth to break up and smooth out wrinkles, scar tissue, or raised scar tissue called keloids (#2).
Gua sha tool with points or legs:
Use a tool with points or legs for tracing up either side of the back of the neck (hugging the spine) or tracing up the front of the neck (hugging the larynx). The edges of the points or legs are also effective for applying gentle pressure over acupressure points (#3).
Spoons or mushrooms:
Use the spoon or mushroom tool for massage or for tracing over the traditional gua sha patterns (#4).
Face roller:
Use a roller for massage and easing tension in tissues and muscles. Similar to the traditional gua sha massage tools, rollers are useful in improving skin care product absorption and reducing puffiness (#6).
Gua sha tool on a necklace:
Having a tool to adorn yourself with makes it easy to massage anywhere and anytime because it is always with you (#7).
Facial tools come in any size and shape imaginable, so find what suits you best. Keep turning your tool upside down and flipping it around to discover how it fits best with the unique contours of your face and body. All the sides, edges, teeth, grips, and notches can be used in myriad ways, so have fun discovering and being creative.
Gua Sha Technique: Cheek Muscle Release
Time: 30 seconds
Repetition: Up to 3 times
Tool: Gua sha board (wing/fin shape) or spoon
Pressure: Deep
Releasing the nasalis muscle can alleviate sinus pressure, seasonal allergies, and Flu/cold congestion. Applying sustained pressure invites deeper and easier breaths, a widening in the corpus callosum (bridge between the brain’s hemispheres), softens the muscles around the eyes, and can help rid under-eye bags.
Using your fingertips, search around for the nasalis muscle on either side of the bridge of your nose. If you trace outward from the nasal bone, it’s the first muscle bump you find before gliding over your cheekbones and orbicularis oculi muscle (the muscle that moves in a circle around your eyes and extends across the top of your cheeks).
Massage a drop of facial oil over the nasalis muscle and place the edge of the gua sha board or the tip point of the spoon at 90 degrees into this tissue.
Massage outward a millimeter with deeper pressure or it may feel good to massage in a tiny circular motion with the tip point of the spoon.
Notice your inhale after completing this technique. Does your breath feel deeper or more expansive?
Gua Sha Technique: Jaw Release
Time: 30 to 90 seconds
Repetition: 3 to 10 times
Tool: Gua sha board (wing/fin shape or square)
Pressure: Medium to deep
Using deeper pressure to release the muscles around the jaw can prevent headaches and relieve temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder and related pain. Additional benefts include a more de-fined jawline and a release of jaw tension. The technique also reduces swelling in the lower face and jaw or under the eyes.
Massage facial oil along your jawline and underneath your earlobes. Place the gua sha tool flat in the center of your chin.
Breathing deeply, glide the tool along your jawline toward your earlobe. You may like to use more pressure here to work in the muscles, inviting them to release.
Repeat up to ten times in a single session. Switch the tool to your other hand and glide along the opposite side of your jaw.
There is often more tension in the muscles toward the back corner of the mandible or jawbone. Use a point, edge, or wand tip to press into any tight areas or knots. If it feels good, move in tiny circles over each point.
Finish with a final sweep or two from the chin to the earlobe along each side of the jaw.
Tips
- Try massaging one side of your jaw completely before moving to the other side. This way you can see the difference a few strokes can make.
- As you work, use your fingertips to hold the skin taut on one side of your chin, as you glide the tool to the earlobe on the opposite side.
Additional Considerations
Massaging oil into the skin before tracing with a gua sha tool allows the tool to slide rather than tug or pull on the skin. The gua sha tool also actively presses the serums and oils into the skin, allowing deeper layers to absorb the hydrating and nourishing formulas.
Squalene oil from organic olives can be relieving, nourishing, and hydrating; look for a squalene product with a single ingredient sourced from organic olives. Another good option includes rosehip oil—a very gentle oil that absorbs quickly and works well with sensitive, dry, and mature skin. Refrigeration is best once opened.
Finally, sea buckthorn oil is anti-inflammatory, nourishing, and moisturizing, rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and flavonoids.
When using oils in your gua sha session, it is best to wash the tools after. The easiest way to clean your tools is with mild soap and water, but if you’re on the go, alcohol wipes work well. Pat dry after. Be mindful of how slippery the crystal tool can become when wet. Maintain a firm grip while washing, as porcelain, ceramic, and crystal tools are especially prone to cracking or shattering if dropped in a sink or tiled floor.
____________________________________________
JULIE CIVIELLO POLIER is a Reiki Master and licensed aesthetician specializing in gua sha and reflexology. In 2020, Julie launched LINEA, a holistic gua sha beauty kit designed to educate and empower women to connect with their inner and outer bodies. Julie has worked with top brands True Botanicals, KORA Organics, and Jenni Kayne.
Well Being Journal adapted the above excerpt from Gua Sha & Crystal Massage by Julie Civiello Polier © 2023 Quarto Publishing and used with permission of publisher.
