Gua sha stones and facial rollers are among the top tools you can opt for to really sculpt and depuff your face. But which is the right tool for you, and is there one better than the other? Find out with us!
The market today is abundant with facial tools, and newer, more improved versions of the same keep making appearances more often than not. However, what stood out the most have been gua sha stones and facial rollers – available in many colours (and hence made with different stones such as rose quartz, jade and more), each offers unique benefits to your skin.
Though been around for years, these facial tools have only gained popularity in recent years, ever since there’s been a greater focus on intensive skincare routines and using non-cosmetic ways to get a sculpted face, hydrated, plump skin and more. But between gua sha and facial rollers, which tool is better, and is there a perfect fit for you?
Gua sha versus facial rollers
What is gua sha?
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The use of gua sha as a healer is dated back to East Asian medicine. Gua means ‘to scrape’, while sha means the tiny red spots (called petechiae) that appear on the skin as a result of bleeding. The smooth, flat stone is gently scraped along the contours of the face (and even used for use on the body), and it is said to help increase the flow of energy (qi, in Chinese medicine) through the areas it’s used. It is used to help reduce inflammation and to promote healing, as it aids movement and blood flow.
The tool helps relieve tension, relieves headaches and assists with healing sore, tense jaws. What’s more, it helps sculpt/contour the face, giving you a more chiselled look. The different edges of the stone fit around different parts of the face, creating pressure and lift. These stones also help with lymphatic drainage, clearing your face of fluids and reducing your skin’s dull, tired, and puffy appearance. And when used with a skincare product (serum, cream or oil), it helps the product penetrate deeper into the skin while allowing the stone/tool to glide better onto your skin! What’s more, it relaxes the skin and is great to be used right after a shower, preferably when it is cold.
Gua sha stones are available in various gemstones such as rose quartz, jade, amethyst, or even metal.
What are facial rollers?
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Facial rollers are oval-shaped rollers attached to a long handle, which you can use all over your face. Said to be inspired by the gua sha, this tool is much easier to use, and some even have rollers in different sizes to help sculpt the face better and get into the contours. Among the most popular face rollers are those made with jade stone and those that use rose quartz, mainly because these are more easily available in the market. Made with different stones, each type of facial roller offers different benefits to the skin, and should be selected based on what you require from the tool.
Facial rollers can help reduce morning puffiness, especially under the eyes, or can be used as a skincare step in your nighttime routine to promote lymphatic drainage and help increase blood flow. And like a gua sha stone, it helps skincare products penetrate deeper into the skin, and these products help the cool stone glide smoothly onto the skin. One of the best ways to use them is with a sheet or sleeping mask – the serums in the products will sink into your skin, giving you a soft, supple face that boasts of hydration! And of course, apart from being easy to use, facial rollers also relax the skin with their gentle massaging action and cool surface. You can also refrigerate them for a more effective cooling experience.
Which tool should you choose?
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While gua sha and jade rollers have a lot of similarities in terms of their benefits, they do have subtle differences that make their functions slightly different from each other. But how do you choose the perfect fit for you?
If you’re using for a tool that’s slightly easier to use, we suggest choosing facial rollers. These are handy and their handle allows for easier, quicker movement and just the right amount of pressure to be put onto your skin. What’s more, there’s hardly a wrong way to use rollers, whereas gua sha requires to be used at a particular angle to avoid damage to the skin and for maximum benefits.
If you want to sculpt your face, then a gua sha will be a better choice over facial rollers. The varied edges of the tool allows for it to move along the contours of your skin better, giving you that chiselled jawline and sharp cheekbones over a period of time while promoting blood circulation.
If your aim is to reduce puffiness in the skin, facial rollers are the better choice, as they facilitate lymphatic drainage better and are a great choice to reduce morning puffiness while you sip on a hot beverage.
If you’re looking for something that needs less time, facial rollers are ideal. A quick five-minute session is enough to reap the benefits of the tool, making it fit seamlessly into your hectic lifestyle. If you have the time (especially during night time routines), a gua sha makes for a better choice as it requires a 10 to 15 minute session to help reap all the benefits. It’s also more relaxing than a jade roller, and makes for a great pampering session.
If you want your skin to show visible differences, gua sha makes for a better choice as though it is slightly trickier to use, they offer visible benefits faster over jade rollers.
If you’re a beginner, facial rollers are recommended because of their ease of use and less chances of skin damage, along with all the other benefits (such as glowing skin, reducing stress and so much more). But if you’re ready for something more challenging, gua sha should be what you choose, simply because they offer more intensive benefits and penetrate into the skin deeper than a facial roller.
Last but not least, keeping your skin’s needs in mind is of utmost importance when choosing a facial tool. Gua sha may not be advisable for those with sensitive, acne-prone skin. A roller is a more sensitive treatment that you can opt for. However, if you’re someone who wants to target fine lines and loose skin, gua sha will offer better benefits, stimulating blood flow and reducing puffiness.
However, you can always use both the tools for the best benefits!
Gua sha and facial rollers – products we recommend
McCaffeine Jade Roller
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Dromen & Co
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Skinduzed
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WishCare
Plum Goodness
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RAS Luxury Oils Jade Gua Sha Face Massager
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WishCare
Just Herbs Kansa Gua Sha
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Hero Image: Courtesy of Viva Luna Studios/Unsplash; Featured Image: Photo by Arina Krasnikova/Pexels
Anushka has worked with publications such as Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
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