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What is a Gua sha facial?

During a Gua sha facial, your therapist will first apply oil or balm to your skin to make it easier for the tool to glide over your face. They will then gently scrape a flat jade or rose quartz stone over your skin in upward strokes to help relax stiff muscles and promote tissue drainage. Weekly Gua sha facials for four to six weeks are the best way to maximize results. 

Here are some of the benefits of Gua sha facials:

1. Remove toxins by moving your lymphatic fluids

Lymphatic fluids are clear liquids that travel through the lymphatic system and carry cells that help fight infections and other diseases. They also remove cellular waste. Unlike your circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have anything to regulate its flow. The pressure applied during a gua sha facial helps to move lymphatic fluids, increasing blood flow, and decreasing puffiness. 

To promote lymphatic drainage, your skincare professional will start at your chin, then sweep the gua sha tool along your jawline and up to your ear, then move it behind your earlobe and down your neck and then repeat the process.

2. Reduces dark eye circles

Under the eye, dark circles can result from sleep deprivation, stress, dehydration, or poor blood flow. By increasing the flow of oxygen and blood, gua sha can improve skin tone and reduce under-eye circles.  

To lessen the appearance of under-eye circles with gua sha, your skincare professional will sweep the tool over your under-eye area and out to the temple, to your hairline, and then repeat the process.

3. Other benefits of Gua sha facial massage:

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• - Improves acne by purging blemish-causing dirt and oil
• - Improves sagging skin and wrinkles by ramping up collagen production and retraining, relaxing, and strengthening muscles
• - Helps aid moisturizer penetration to increase hydration and provide a youthful flow
• - Reduces sinus pressure
• - Improves double chin

Gua sha is also used to break down tension in muscles and treat chronic pain all over the body, especially tightness in the shoulders, neck, legs, and back, and can even help alleviate different types of headaches, anxiety, and fatigue.

Try Gua sha as part of a customized facial...

​Studio 16 provides customized facials based on your skin’s specific needs, including Gua sha. We are also harnessing the rejuvenating power of cool + AVEDA products for Kuhl-It facials, which provide instant reduction of redness and puffiness for skin that is calm, cool, and collected. Like gua sha, Kuhl-It is recommended weekly for 4 to 6 weeks for the best results. Contact us to learn more about our facials and what they can do for you!