What are the best face oils for gua sha you ask?
Well first if you are not familiar with gua sha, I’m excited to tell you about one of my favorite natural beauty secrets. Gua sha is a massaging, soothing beauty practice from ancient China. It is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine today. It involves massaging (or “scraping”) your face and body with a small, rounded plank that fits in your hand. Don’t be alarmed when you hear of “gua sha scraping” – it’s a gentle motion that feels soothing and calming.
Before we get into the best gua sha oils, a brief explanation on Gua Sha as a technique is in order for those that may be unfamiliar with this. If you want to get straight to the oil recipes, they are at the end of this article for quick reference 🙂
What is Gua Sha Good For?
Gua sha is a form of massage that relaxes and soothes muscles, along with fascia – connective tissue in your face and body. It also helps promote circulation in your lymphatic system, which helps your body detoxify itself more effectively. It involves a series of gentle movements designed to release tension and promote circulation.
If you’re interested in getting started with gua sha, try this tutorial that I really enjoyed.
Benefits of a Gua Sha Facial
Gua sha, done regularly, helps your face and body look smooth and toned and leaves behind a glowing, healthy look. This is because it is able to release more deeply held tension than face rolling or massage. Those are valuable tools and techniques in a skin care routine, but if you feel that your facial muscles carry stress or tension over a period of time, the releasing mechanism of gua sha exercises is second to none.
Some people like to use gua sha for scalp massage as well, which can help stimulate hair follicles. There are special gua sha tools with comb edges that are perfect for this technique.
By far the most popular beauty technique is to use gua sha for a facial which can be done to help with “face slimming” and has a range of other benefits. This is a secret technique that many models have mentioned using to achieve more sculpted-looking cheekbones and jawlines. This is because it helps promote the release of excess fluid from the face to enhance underlying bone structure. It has many other benefits including helping with smoothing wrinkles, eliminating puffiness and helping your skin absorb more nutrients from skincare products.
Tools for Gua Sha Facial Massage
You may be wondering, “what is the best gua sha tool?” There are many wonderful planks or planchettes available at different price points. The gua sha tool itself can be made of different materials and is available in specialized shapes. There are many choices ranging from smooth semiprecious stones or ceramic, to soft wood, to cooling stainless steel. If you are new to gua sha, I recommend the basic “heart” shaped plank gua sha as it is easy to use, easy to hold and can be used for many different massage techniques with just one tool.
Here is a list of my favorite gua sha tool materials that I’ve tried:
- Rose quartz
- White quartz
- Nephrite jade
- Bian stone (a mineral-rich stone popular in Chinese Traditional Medicine)
- Ceramic
The good news is you do not need to spend a lot of money to get a quality tool, with many affordable good options now on the market. Please note, there are a couple materials not reccommended including wood or plastic. Occasionally wood can be used if it is properly sealed and can stand up to repeated washings. (It is best to wash your gua sha tools like you would makeup brushes or other beauty tools.) Other plastic-based massage tools are not bad but I find that natural materials provide a fine yet gentle edge on your gua sha tool that properly releases tense fascia without becoming damaged over time.
6 DIY Face Oils for Gua Sha
Below are 6 easy DIY infused oil recipes that are perfect for gua sha!
Note: While these are geared towards skin types, most natural butters, oils, waxes, and botanicals can be widely used by a range of skin types, barring any personal sensitivities one may have to specific ingredients. So if you see a recipe that looks good to you, feel free to try it out despite it not being for your particular skin type. Skin is often sensitized from harsh artificial ingredients and can improve over time after switching to gentler natural ingredients with more nutrients.
As always, if you are not sure if an ingredient works for you, please do a patch test for 24 hours before use. These oil blends are great for the face but can also be used for body and scalp gua sha techniques.
For recipes that call for infusing dried flowers, you can either do a quick method involving infusing the flowers in oil over low heat for two hours in a double boiler or infuse them at room temperature anywhere from two to six weeks (see tutorial here for further information on each of these methods).
Chamomile Infused Rosehip Oil for Normal Skin:
Rosehip oil is a powerhouse oil packed with antioxidants. It has natural Vitamins A and C to promote cell turnover and it does not clog pores. Chamomile is a soothing flower that provides vitamins and minerals to skin to keep it balanced. Together these make a powerful combination that is great for normal skin and safe for all skin types.
- Combine one cup of rosehip oil with ¼ cup chamomile flowers.
- Infuse with your preferred infusion method (for more information on how to do this see this tutorial here).
- Optional: You can use 5 drops of chamomile essential oil as a substitute to infusing the oil with chamomile flowers. If you do this, skip step #2 and simply mix the essential oil with the Rosehip in your bottle of choice.
Rose Infused Almond Oil for Dry and Combination Skin Types:
Almond oil is well known for its wound healing and calming properties. This is due to its high level of fatty acids and minerals that help repair the skin barrier. Roses are also very good at repairing the skin and supporting cell regeneration.
- Combine one cup of almond oil with ¼ cup rose petals.
- Infuse with your preferred infusion method (for more information on how to do this see this tutorial here).
- Optional: You can use 5 drops of rose essential oil as a substitute to infusing the oil with roses. If you do this, skip step #2 and simply mix the essential oil with the almond oil in your bottle of choice.
Calendula Infused Apricot Oil for Sensitive Skin (safe for mature and baby skin):
Apricot kernel oil contains beneficial fatty acids that help hydrate delicate skin and support cell turnover. Calendula is a beloved flower in the marigold family that is ultra-gentle and known for its wound healing and calming natural nutrients.
- Combine one cup of apricot oil with ¼ cup calendula flowers.
- Infuse with your preferred infusion method (for more information on how to do this see this tutorial here).
Ylang Ylang Jojoba Oil for Oily, Acne Prone Skin
Did you know Jojoba oil is good for nearly every skin type? This is because of its similarity to the skin’s naturally created oil, called sebum. It is perhaps the most balancing carrier oil available, as it provides moisture to dry skin types and helps reduce oil production in oily types. Ylang Ylang is a balancing essential oil from a tropical flower that helps revitalize skin and provide antimicrobial properties.
- Combine one cup of jojoba oil with 5 drops of ylang ylang essential oil.
- Shake well to combine in your favorite dropper bottle.
Helichrysum Infused Argan Oil for Damaged Skin
Argan oil contains high levels of Vitamin E, an antioxidant which reduces inflammation and boosts the skin’s cell rebuilding and collagen producing ability. Helichrysum oil reverses the effects of stress and pollution on skin by neutralizing damaging oxidation molecules.
- Combine one cup of argan oil with 5 drops of Helichrysum italicum essential oil.
- Shake well to combine in your favorite dropper bottle.
Lavender Infused Olive Oil for After Sun Care
Olive oil’s antioxidants and nutrients help soothe skin after sun exposure and encourage skin’s repair process. Lavender flowers promote wound healing and skin barrier repair.
- Combine one cup of olive oil with ¼ cup lavender flowers.
- Infuse with your preferred infusion method (for more information on how to do this see this tutorial here).
- Optional: You can use 5 drops of lavender essential oil as a substitute to infusing the oil with lavender flowers. If you do this, skip step #2 and simply mix the essential oil with the olive oil in your bottle of choice.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at gua sha skin care techniques and these gua sha face oil recipes. As always, please comment below if you have any questions or feedback.
Author: Natalie, DIY Skincare Enthusiast