Gua sha is a Chinese skincare technique that involves gently, yet firmly, scraping your skin (typically your face) with a special stone or tool, going in very specific directions. Gua sha has been used in China for more than 2,000 years. However, here in America, it's a relatively new skincare concept.

While many people get professional facials, use certain soaps, body scrubs, and other materials to take care of themselves, more folks are adding gua sha to their skincare routines.

In order to safely gua sha, the skin should always be clean and prepped with oil before the scraping starts. This will not only make gua sha more comfortable and soothing, but it'll also prevent the skin from tearing or suffering trauma due to friction from the stone or tool.

Gua sha is often done on the face with specific stones

Tools used for gua sha facials should be small and come with a smooth edge. Though stones designed for gua sha are often made of either stainless steel, jade green, or rose quartz. These tools are also uniquely shaped to mesh with each person's facial structures while making for effective scraping.

After each gua sha session, the tool used on the face should be thoroughly washed. Clean gua sha tools ensure that bacteria and/or other impurities don't get repeatedly rubbed into the skin during scraping sessions.

When doing gua sha, people generally move the stone in an upward motion. This is designed to work against wrinkles that naturally form on the face with time. Though gua sha comes with many other worthwhile benefits.

Why you might want to consider gua sha

Gua sha's impressive skincare advantages have prompted its popularity on social media. Today, many influencers are posting video tutorials of how to effectively gua sha your face.

Some of the documented benefits of this ancient Chinese skincare technique are as follows:

• Lymphatic drainage
• Increase in blood flow
• Tightening and lifting of the skin
• Reduction of wrinkles
• Sculpting of facial muscles
• Increase in collagen production

Certain online users believe doing gua sha with a stainless steel tool - rather than a jade green or rose quartz stone - can maximize skincare benefits. If you're interested in trying gua sha, the necessary tools and facial oils can be easily - and affordably - purchased on Amazon.