For the past few years there’s been a boom in new facial tools, like Gua Sha and Jade rollers. Like everything that’s new, it’s made to sound like the be-all and end-all, the thing that’s finally going to get you those results.
While I do find it fun to test new things and to adapt your routines to benefit from new knowledge, it can feel a bit overwhelming sometimes to figure out what you really NEED. Gua Sha is definitely not one, specially considering how easy it is to hack it. You can easily gua sha without tools!
I have nothing against body and facial massage tools. I’m a big fan of dry brushing so I’m never without a body brush or scrubbing mitt. I also used to have one of those “spider” scalp massagers (great fun!).
However when it comes to tools and products, I try to keep things minimal and essential. Unless it truly adds value to my life, I rather invest my resources elsewhere.
Also, I don’t like physical clutter, so seeing a bunch of stuff accumulate over time really stresses me out, making me especially motivated to acquire mostly essentials.
If you’re anything like me, or if you’re just trying to cut out non-essentials to save some money, then read on for an excellent Gua Sha hack. I’ve also thrown in a (complementary) bonus mini acupressure “facelift” tutorial at the end – just another way to Gua Sha without tools.
What is Gua Sha all about?
To explain how you can Gua Sha without tools and why you don’t really need tools at all, I’ll start by explaining what Gua Sha is and what it does.
Gua Sha (aka scraping, spooning, or coining) is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and, as such, has been used for thousands of years.
It’s a technique that uses a smooth-edged tool, usually Jade, bone, or even metal, on lubricated skin to scrape it. By doing this, it stimulates blood flow to the skin, fighting blood stagnation, encouraging cell repair and regeneration.
It can be done on the body, as well as the face. The strokes can be harder or gentler, depending on the area. They follow the same meridian points and lines used in Acupuncture.
Now, this post is about Gua Sha as a facial massage tool, so I won’t go into the supposed health benefits of body Gua Sha massage. If you are interested however, here you can find a good referenced article on the benefits of Gua Sha therapy in general.
Benefits and side effects of a Gua Sha facial massage
Gua Sha does have some potential negative effects. Among the most common negative outcomes of Gua Sha massage tools are things like tissue damage, dermatitis and friction burns.
This is mostly due to excessive use of pressure, or insufficient lubrication of the skin, coupled with the hard surface of the tool. In itself, this is actually a good reason to try to Gua Sha without tools instead.
Now, when done right, what are the benefits of a Gua Sha facial massage? By gliding the tool along the meridian lines it basically:
- Performs lymphatic drainage
- Improves facial contour
- Improves microcirculation of the skin, plumping it, reducing fine lines and wrinkles
- Relieves tension that accumulates on certain facial muscles (different for everybody).
Why you don’t need a Gua Sha tool
You might have guessed it already – all of the above is achieved through a plain-ol’ facial lymph draining massage.
The only added benefit of using a Gua Sha tool is perhaps if you believe in the healing power of crystals.
Personally, I’m on the fence about it – they could just as easily be real, as not. So, if you believe in the healing powers of Jade or rose quartz, by all means get yourself a tool.
I might not be very convinced on crystals (as medicine), but I am 100% convinced on the power of the mind. If you believe a tool has particular healing powers, it will probably benefit you. If not, then keep reading to find out how you can Gua Sha without tools.
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How to achieve the same results WITHOUT a Gua Sha tool
First, a little personal background. I started giving myself facial massages daily over 15 years ago, after reading an amazing Ayurvedic beauty book called “Absolute Beauty”, by Pratima Raichur.
In it she describes how to give yourself a full body self-massage and a “facelift” massage that works on the meridian points that are well-known in both Indian and Chinese medicine. In Ayurveda these are called Marma points.
This book is an absolute gem for anyone interested in natural minimalist beauty. It includes simple recipes for anything you might need in terms of hygiene and beauty, practical skincare directions, skincare troubleshooting, and diet. All through the perspective of Ayurveda.
In her facial skincare section she instructs you how to properly apply your face oils, so that you’re helping lymph drainage and boosting microcirculation in your face.
It is the exact same concept of the Gua Sha facial massage, using the same motions, except you are using your hands to apply the appropriate pressure, instead of a tool.
Using your hands has the added benefit of helping to make sure you don’t ever damage your skin by applying too much pressure and friction with a hard object. Also, the warmth of your hands will help the oils sink into your skin better.
GUA SHA WITHOUT TOOLS (the hack!)
How to perform a lymphatic drainage massage
To Gua Sha without tools you’ll be basically mastering the lymphatic drainage massage.
This is best achieved with oils, so if you use oils to moisturize your face, apply them with this massage (always on wet skin). If you use the oil cleansing method to clean your face, do it then. Likewise if you use cold creams or any type of lotion as a cleanser.
If you’re not in the habit of using oils at all, then try it with whatever moisturizer you do use. If your moisturizer is absorbed too quickly, then consider using something else for the purposes of this massage. The important thing is that you should be able to easily glide your fingers across your face without dragging the skin too much.
Generally speaking, you want to make sure that you’re working in an outward and upward direction, so that you’re moving the lymph waste properly towards the lymph nodes in the correct order.
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Face
The facial lymph ducts all across your face will be moved to the sides of your face, just along the hairline.
Then push the waste from the top along the sides of your face, down to the area in front of your ear lobes. There is a cluster of lymph nodes located around your ear lobes, in front and behind it.
You will then want to push all of that down on both sides of your neck and towards the collarbones.
Then push your fingers down on that dent all across your collarbone, sliding them from the outer corner towards the V-shaped dent in the middle that connects both of them.
Eye area
While most lymph drainage massage instructions advise an under-eye stroke from the eye duct towards the temples, in her book Pratima advised against this movement, as it emphasizes the wrinkle formation direction.
Instead she suggests a stroke in the opposite direction, meaning:
- from the corner of the eye towards the eye duct, continuing up from the beginning of your eyebrows, at the bridge of the nose, all along your eyebrow arch and towards the temple, where it would drain.
When massaging the eye area, make sure you’re not using too much pressure and that you’re using your ring fingers. This is the version I’ve been doing all these years and it definitely works for me!
Neck
- Use upward strokes on the front of your neck, from the base of the collarbone towards your jaw line.
- Then run your thumbs along the under part of the jaw line, following the bone, from the chin towards your earlobe.
- Then from your earlobes again down the sides of your neck towards the collarbone, same as before.
Make sure to perform each stroke a few times. You can make this massage shorter or longer if you’re enjoying it.
Stay well hydrated throughout the day, because well-hydrated tissues move waste a lot better.
If you do this massage on a daily basis it will improve your facial contour, as well as keep your skin firm and supple, just like with the Gua Sha tool.
Once you get used to doing it, it actually becomes second nature. You’ll end up following those movements automatically every time you’re putting any product on your face.
BONUS Marma Point natural facelift
Another way you can Gua Sha without tools is to perform a Marma point “facelift” massage. Also from the same “Absolute Beauty” book.
I think it’s a wonderful compliment to the lymph drainage massage (aka Gua Sha hack), as it helps to further relieve stored muscle tension on the face through acupressure.
I don’t personally perform this massage every day, since it does take a bit longer and it just adds time to my skincare routine. Sometimes I just want to get it done and go to bed or get started with my day.
But if you can spare about 5 minutes and you’re in the mood for some more dedicated TLC, it’s a great one too!
- For this one you DON’T need lubricated skin, so you can perform it whenever and wherever you want.
- You’ll basically just apply pressure in a clockwise direction (without sliding your finger from place) on specific points for about 20 to 30 seconds.
- You can use your middle finger for most of the points, except on some areas that either need a gentler or stronger touch.
Marma Points
- Center of chin: helps to relieve head colds
- Both corners of mouth
- Center of bone between nose and upper lip
- Outside corners of nose where nostrils flare: it relieves the sinuses
- Center of cheekbones: push up on underside of bone and massage
- Lower lids just above cheekbones: don’t massage, press gently with ring fingers
- Brows: use thumbs to press upwards on inside corner of eyebrows at bridge of nose; with thumb and forefinger, pinch brow all across the arch, from inside to outside corner (if sore that means there’s built up tension). Can relieve headaches.
- Temples: use flat of fingers
- Third eye
- Crown: place both hands on top of head and move them rapidly back and forth
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A facial lymph draining massage is the perfect way to Gua Sha without tools. It’s one of those things that is really simple and quick to perform, with immense benefits in the short and long term.
Just like with the Gua Sha tool, doing it every day as part of your normal skincare routine will help keep your skin firm and well oxygenated, improving your facial contour.
As you’ve seen, you don’t specifically need Gua Sha to achieve any of those things. So if you prefer to keep your beauty essentials list short, then this one is definitely one you can easily hack and do without.
I hope you give this Gua Sha without tools hack a try and please let me know your thoughts in the comment section!
