About a year ago, I did a post on gua sha. I find it meditative and relaxing. I enjoy the ritual of it immensely. However, my nagging curiosity kept leading me back to – does it really work? Are all of the images and videos I see legitimate? Inquiring minds…
So when Wildling Beauty sent out an email invitation to join a 21-day gua sha challenge, I knew I had to give it a try.
What’s Gua Sha?
Gua Sha (pronouced gwa sha) is based on a Chinese technique of skin scraping designed to relax tight facial muscles (in this case) and promote fluid drainage. The intended effect is to depuff and resculpt your face, combatting the collective effect of daily living.
The Tools
There are two things you need for this challenge. You need a stone AND some facial oil. You want a lot of slip to eliminate friction so you’re not tugging your delicate skin when you do this challenge.
Gua Sha Tool
Wildling Beauty sells a really beautiful gua sha tool. The one they recommend for the 21 day challenge is their Empress Stone. This is made from Bian stone.
“Known for its rejuvenating properties, Bian stone formed when a meteor struck a mountain in China 65 million years ago. This stone emits energy known for antioxidant and anti-aging benefits, including a measurable ultrasound pulsation and a far-infrared wave. It also emits negative ions, known to promote relaxation and overall well being.”
Wildling Website
They also have a new product the Empress Platinum. These are a bit pricey. The Empress Stone is about $69 and the Platinum is about $159. It’s worth noting that the platinum does NOT have the comb edge which you will want for this challenge.
You can find gua sha stones in a variety of different materials. I wanted to find one that was a little more affordable for my lovely readers so I found a Bianstone Gua Sha Tool on Amazon (affiliate link). This is the one I used for the challenge.
Facial Oil
Wildling Beauty sells a beautiful facial oil that is designed to provide the perfect amount of slip. This oil is also pricey at $82 for 1 oz of product, but it is really beautiful and adds to the relaxation and spa-like sensation of the gua sha ritual.
Of course you can use your own favorite facial oil but pay attention to slip. I decided to pair the challenge with a bottle of facial oil a friend gifted me. Yikes! When I looked it up, I can honestly say I will have to think twice before I replace it. But it IS another beautiful facial oil. Don’t let the Serum label throw you. It’s an oil. A 1 oz bottle of this runs about $195.
If you go to the Vintner’s Daughter website, scroll to the bottom to the application video. I particularly like the rub and press technique. It feels very lux to me!
Here is a more affordable facial oil that I also love and use regularly. The Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate is unisex (doesn’t smell floral or herbal) and runs about $79 for 3 oz. That’s three times the volume of the others! The Herbivore Emerald CBD + Adaptogens Deep Moisture Glow Oil is another favorite that helps with redness and irritation I might experience. This runs about $60 for 1 oz. You can locate this one at many retailers and you may find it on sale.
The 21 Day Gua Sha Challenge
Once you are armed with your tool and facial oil of choice, then you can start the challenge! Candidly if I didn’t already have these tools, I would have gone full brand with Wildling Beauty. I love their products. But I didn’t want to pass up the chance to use some items I already had in my possession.
The Empress Ritual is the foundation of the 21-Day Challenge. When you sign up for it, they email you a new addition to the ritual to append to the process each day. I won’t share all of the details since I really want you to try it out for yourself, but to get you started, here’s the first day of the 21-Day Challenge.
Broadly there are several parts to the Empress Ritual. It’s important to pay attention to the angle of the tool (it’s often more flat than you might think), pressure (it’s your face, be gentle!), and section of the tool (very clearly spelled out in the tutorial).
- Spine
- Neck
- Throat (gently)
- Jawbone
- Cheekbone
- Browbone
- BigLift
Each day after the first day, you start with the Empress Ritual and then add in another piece. The addition changes each day so you aren’t just creating an ever longer ritual.
Examples of the adds on are:
- Neck Tension
- Headache
- Breakouts
- Worry Lines
- Detox
- Hangover
They didn’t all feel like they applied to me specifically but I tried everyone and kept revisiting the ones I liked long after the challenge ended.
One of the instructions is to take a picture on the first and twenty-first days of the challenges. Of course, that’s key to seeing differences.
Results
I wanted to isolate any improvements to just the gua sha challenge so during the three week period I did not use any microcurrent, microneedling, or red light tools. When I first started doing my jaw, I noticed that there were a lot of “lumps” that were both tight muscle and tight fascia. Over the course of the challenge it decreased and I continue to see it lessen even now.
I definitely see a difference in my face after the 21-Day Challenge. My eyes are more open and my brows look more lifted. The wrinkles between my eyebrows are diminished. The downward turn around my mouth is also changed which is part of less fluid in my face and a slightly reduce jowl.
I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at the before and after photos…enough so that it has become part of my daily ritual.
It may not be as dramatic as other gadgets and tools, but it is also affordable, faster, travel friendly, and it doesn’t require charging cables. I’m hooked. I’ve since added in a lymphatic drainage motion that gently pulls down the neck to help pull fluids out.
What do you think? Do you see any differences? Do you think you will try the 21-Day Gua Sha Challenge? Let me know in the comments below!
