Featured in the cozy rooms of luxury spas, on the Instagram accounts of influencers or in the heart of Asian pharmacies, the guasha is a small flat tool, often made of jade or rose quartz, which intrigues with its shape, sometimes curved, sometimes sculpted into waves...
However, behind this object hides a centuries-old practice: Gua Sha, a technique and practice of care that spans time and cultures, today reinvented between traditional medicine and beauty ritual.
At the origins: a popular Chinese medicine
Le terme "Gua Sha” comes from Chinese: Gua (scrape, scrape) and S (redness, stagnation). Originally, this practice involved rubbing the skin with a smooth tool, once a buffalo horn, a porcelain spoon, or a polished stone, to cause redness. These marks, considered signs of toxin evacuation, were believed to stimulate blood circulation and release energy blockages.
Born within the framework of the traditional Chinese medicine, this small tool was used to relieve fever, cough, muscle pain or even chronic fatigue. It was practiced on the back, neck, arms or legs, often within families, as a home remedy passed down from generation to generation.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, Gua Sha acts on the circulation of Qi (vital energy) and blood, allowing to lift the stagnations responsible for imbalances in the body. Redness, called sha, bear witness to the liberation process.
On the scientific front, studies have shown that using gua sha can increase blood microcirculation, reduce inflammation, and even boost the immune system. Some research also suggests an effect on chronic pain, particularly neck pain.
From therapeutic care to beauty ritual
While Gua Sha was traditionally associated with sometimes intense body care, its contemporary version has largely adapted to the world of cosmetics. Today, it is mainly found in the form of facial.
These small pieces of rose quartz, jade, obsidian or amethyst stones are used with an oil or serum, gliding over the skin to:
– stimulate blood circulation,
– drain tissues and reduce swelling (especially bags under the eyes),
– relax facial muscle tension,
– refine contours and restore radiance to the complexion.
This technique, gentler than traditional Gua Sha, is similar to a draining massage. It's popular with facialists, skin yoga enthusiasts, and beauty influencers, who praise its immediate glow effects.
Today, Gua Sha navigates between two worlds, between tradition and modernity. On the one hand, it remains a therapeutic tool used in China and Asia to treat pain and imbalances. On the other hand, it has become a icon of wellness and holistic beauty in the West, carried by the wave of “self-care”. While some purists worry about a simplified Westernization of the ancestral gesture, others see it as a cultural bridge, allowing a family and popular practice to enter the daily rituals of the 21st century.
Choosing the right Gua Sha: the essential guide
You might think that all Gua Shas are the same, given their similar shapes and colors. However, the choice of stone, the shape, and even the time you use it directly influences the experience. Choosing your Gua Sha is a bit like choosing a perfume: a matter of affinity, needs, and sensations.
Stones that tell a story
Le jade, an ancestral and emblematic stone of imperial China, is the most traditional. Used for millennia, it symbolizes wisdom and balance. Its natural freshness is ideal in the morning, to wake up the face and reduce bags under the eyes.
Le pink quartz, softer and milky, evokes love and gentleness. It is the stone of comfort, the one we choose in the evening, when we want to soothe our skin and release the tensions of the day.
THEblack obsidian, born from volcanic fire, is denser, deeper. It is said to protect and anchor. In practice, its firmness makes it a perfect tool for working on areas of tension, a tight jaw, or knotted trapezius muscles.
Some brands also offeramethyst, a purple stone associated with serenity. More confidential, it appeals to those who want to transform their beauty ritual into a meditative moment.
If the stone is important, the shape is just as important. The best known is the the heart, whose curve naturally follows the oval of the face and the cheekbones. The shape aile, more versatile, also allows you to massage the body. The comb, is designed to stimulate the scalp or provide more intensive drainage. Finally, the shape wave, soft and fluid, is particularly appreciated for lymphatic massage.
The facial roller: the companion of Gua Sha
Alongside the Gua Sha, another small stone object appeals to beauty ritual enthusiasts: the face rollerRecognizable by its two ends equipped with cylindrical rollers, it is often made from the same stones as the Gua Sha and is also part of the tradition of Chinese care.
The jade roller was originally used by women of the imperial court to maintain a fresh and radiant complexion. Its application, gentler and more intuitive than that of Gua Sha, involves rolling the stone over the skin in upward or downward motions. The smaller roller, located at one end, is designed to contour to delicate areas of the face such as the eye area, while the larger roller is suitable for the cheeks, forehead, and neck.
Le sensory pleasure is immediate: the stone remains cool in contact with the skin, providing a feeling of decongestion and tone. Used regularly, the roller promotes blood microcirculation, helps reduce morning puffiness and stimulates lymphatic drainage. Where Gua Sha acts in a more targeted and sculpting way, the roller is essential as a tool for daily relaxation, easy to use even in a few minutes. Some choose to place it in the refrigerator for a few moments to accentuate its toning and fatigue-relieving effect, particularly on dark circles and puffiness. Others use it at the end of their routine, to better allow a serum or treatment oil to penetrate.
More than just an accessory, the facial roller is therefore the ideal complement to Gua Sha : one soothes and refreshes, the other sculpts and relaxes. Together, they transform a care gesture into a true ritual of well-being, where effectiveness blends with the delicacy of an ancestral massage.
A beauty ritual that adapts to your rhythm
In the morning, focus on quick, invigorating movements with jade or obsidian to refresh the face. In the evening, use rose quartz or amethyst, with slower movements, like a caress that prepares you for sleep.
In all cases, Gua Sha is used with a vegetable oil or serum, so that the stone glides over the skin without damaging it. Five to ten minutes is enough, but regularity is key: a short massage every day is better than a long session every now and then.
A good Gua Sha can be recognized by its finish. It should be perfectly smooth, pleasant to the touch, and slightly heavy in the hand. Beware of colored plastic imitations: a real Gua Sha is carved from stone. After each use, rinse it with warm water and dry it thoroughly. Some even choose to “recharge” their stone in the light of the moon or on a quartz cluster, thus perpetuating the symbolic link with its energetic virtues.
To recognize a real Gua Sha made of natural stone, first rely on the toucher : the stone remains cool in contact with the skin, even at room temperature, unlike plastic or glass which heat up quickly. weight is also a clue: an authentic stone is denser and slightly heavy in the hand. Visually, a real Gua Sha presents nuances, veins or small irregularities, while an imitation displays a uniform color, sometimes too bright to be natural. Also be wary of prices that are too low: a Gua Sha made of genuine jade or quartz is never sold for just a few euros. Finally, favor brands that are transparent about the origin of their stones and check that they mention certified natural materials.
Like a bridge between cultures, Gua Sha is more than a beauty tool: it is a practice that tells a story the story of a popular know-how Having survived for centuries, it is now reinterpreted in a world seeking well-being and authentic rituals. Whether practiced in a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in Beijing or in a spa in Paris, it keeps the same promise: soothe, stimulate, reconnect.
Angélys Saint-Clair
