Gua sha looks simple: a smooth, flat tool you glide over your face. Yet most people who give up made the same mistakes: too much pressure, the wrong angle, not enough slip, or expecting a new jawline.
Here is how to use a gua sha and face roller properly, how often, what the research shows and when to skip it.
Cleanse, then apply a few drops of facial oil or a rich serum. Hold the gua sha almost flat to the skin and glide it outwards and upwards with light pressure, 3–5 strokes per area, working from the neck to the forehead. Five to ten minutes, a few times a week, is plenty.
- Always use slip (facial oil, serum or moisturiser). Never drag a tool across dry skin.
- Keep the tool almost flat and the pressure light. Redness that fades quickly is normal; bruising is not.
- A roller covers broad areas quickly; a gua sha board follows the jaw, cheekbones and brow more precisely.
- Research suggests facial massage can boost skin blood flow for a short time. It does not permanently change face shape.
- Skip it on broken skin, active breakouts or a rosacea flare, and ask your practitioner first after fillers or other injectables.
What is gua sha?
Gua sha (pronounced "gwah-shah") comes from traditional Chinese medicine, where a tool is scraped firmly over the body. The facial version you see today is much gentler: a smooth, flat-edged board glided over oiled skin as a relaxing massage. A face roller does a similar job with a rolling head instead of an edge.
Think of both as massage tools, not treatments: used well, they can leave skin feeling soothed and looking fresher for a while.
How to use a gua sha on your face, step by step
Start with a clean face (our facial cleansing brush guide covers gentle ways to cleanse), apply your slip, then work through the face in this order. Use 3–5 slow strokes per area and lift the tool off the skin at the end of each stroke.
| Step | Area | Which edge | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neck | Long, flat edge | Gently downwards from below the ear to the collarbone, off the front of the throat |
| 2 | Jawline | Notched (V-shaped) edge | From the centre of the chin, along the jawbone, up to just below the ear |
| 3 | Cheeks | Long, curved edge | From beside the nose, outwards under the cheekbone towards the ear |
| 4 | Under-eye | Small, rounded edge | Barely any pressure, inner corner out to the temple, on the bone, never the eyelid |
| 5 | Brows and forehead | Long, flat edge | Along the brow bone outwards, then from the brows up towards the hairline |
What angle should you hold a gua sha?
Hold it almost flat against the skin, at a low angle of roughly 15°. The more upright the tool, the more it scrapes and the more likely it is to mark the skin.
How much pressure?
Light, about the pressure you would use to spread a moisturiser. A pink flush that fades within minutes is normal; tiny red dots or bruises mean too much pressure, so stop and let skin settle.
Which direction: up, down or out?
On the face, most guides (and our Resin Gua Sha and Face Roller Set instructions) work from the centre outwards and upwards; on the neck, a gentle downward glide is usual. Slow, one-way strokes matter more than direction.
Resin Gua Sha and Face Roller Set, 2-Piece
A shaped gua sha board for the jaw, cheekbones and brow, plus a roller for broad areas. Lightweight resin, in pink, white, green or black, with or without a gift box. Ideal for beginners.
From £12.99 · Free UK standard delivery
Shop the gua sha setHow to use a face roller
A roller is the easy option and pairs well with a gua sha: roll first to spread your oil, then use the board for detail.
- Apply your oil, serum or moisturiser.
- Roll from the chin out along the jaw, then from beside the nose out across the cheeks.
- Roll the forehead upwards from the brows, then out to the temples.
- Use the small end very lightly under the eyes. Keep each area to 5–10 passes.
For morning puffiness, a cold tool can feel especially refreshing. See our ice roller benefits guide for how to use one safely.
Should you use gua sha with oil, serum or moisturiser?
Always use something. The tool should glide, not tug. Here is how the options compare:
| Slip | Glide | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Facial oil (e.g. jojoba, squalane) | Excellent, long-lasting | Evening gua sha, dry or normal skin |
| Rich moisturiser or balm | Good | Those who don't like oils |
| Water-light serum | Short: absorbs quickly | Rollers; add moisturiser on top for a gua sha session |
A good evening pairing is a serum such as Smooth Veil Peptide Serum followed by moisturiser, then your massage. Our night skincare routine shows where each step goes. In the morning, finish with SPF after massaging.
Pair the gua sha set with a serum from our Face Care collection: any 2 items save 10% and 3 or more save 15%, applied automatically in your bag.
How often should you gua sha, and for how long?
Advice varies from once a week to daily. In the 2025 trial described below, participants massaged for 10 minutes, five times a week. A practical rule:
| Your skin | How often | Session length |
|---|---|---|
| New to gua sha | 2–3 times a week | 3–5 minutes |
| Used to it, no redness | Up to daily | 5–10 minutes |
| Sensitive or easily flushed | Once or twice a week, roller only | 2–3 minutes, very light |
Mornings suit puffiness; evenings suit winding down.
Does gua sha actually work? What the research says
It does something, but less than social media suggests.
- Blood flow: a small pilot study of 11 healthy adults found traditional gua sha on the back increased surface microcirculation for a short time (Nielsen et al., 2007). That was firm, body gua sha, not a gentle facial routine.
- Face rollers: researchers in Japan found five minutes of roller massage raised blood flow in the massaged cheek for more than ten minutes afterwards (Miyaji et al., 2018).
- Roller vs gua sha: a 2025 randomised trial of 34 women compared the two over eight weeks. Both groups showed small changes in facial contour measurements; the roller group showed improved skin elasticity readings, while the gua sha group showed changes in muscle tone (Ahn et al., 2025). It was small, short and had no untreated control group.
- The big picture: a review in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology concluded there is not enough evidence to support anti-ageing claims for gua sha, jade rollers or facial massage (Hamp et al.).
So expect a relaxed, temporarily de-puffed, fresher look, not a new jawline. For longer-term skin goals, ingredients and daily SPF do the heavy lifting: see what peptides do for skin and what niacinamide does.
Gua sha vs face roller vs vibrating, EMS and V-shape massagers
The best tool is the one that suits your time and the feel you enjoy.
| Tool | How it feels | Learning curve | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gua sha board | Smooth, sculpting strokes | Medium: angle and pressure matter | A hands-on ritual focused on jaw, cheekbones and brow |
| Manual face roller | Light, rolling | Easy | Quick sessions and beginners |
| Vibrating rose quartz roller | Cool stone plus gentle buzz | Easy | A soothing finish over night cream |
| Vibrating V-shape roller | Twin rollers follow the jaw and cheeks | Easy | Working skincare in along the contours |
| EMS 3D roller | Rotating balls with an EMS tingle | Easy, but read the instructions | People who want a powered massage on face and body |
| Hands-free chin massager | Wearable, five massage modes | Very easy | Massaging under the chin while you read or relax |
| Facial cupping | Gentle suction as cups glide | Medium | A different massage sensation, used over oil |
None of these tools removes fat or changes facial structure. Choose the one you will actually use; every BeautyEssence beauty tool comes with a 14-day trial.
How to clean a gua sha and face roller
- After every use: wash with warm water and mild soap, then dry thoroughly.
- Weekly: clean the roller's frame and axle, where oil collects.
- Store: dry, in a clean pouch or box.
- Replace: stop using a chipped or cracked tool.
- Powered tools: wipe with a damp cloth; don't submerge unless the instructions allow it.
Who should avoid gua sha (or wait)
- Broken, sunburnt or irritated skin, cuts, or a skin infection.
- Active, inflamed breakouts. Massaging over them can irritate skin further.
- A rosacea flare. The American Academy of Dermatology advises avoiding rubbing, scrubbing or massaging skin with rosacea.
- Bruising easily or visible broken capillaries, which firm pressure can make worse.
- Recent fillers, anti-wrinkle injections or facial surgery. Ask your practitioner how long to wait before massaging the area.
If you are pregnant, take blood-thinning medication or have a skin condition, ask your GP or a dermatologist first. Stop if anything hurts.
BeautyEssence facial massage tools
Browse the full Face Skincare Devices collection or all beauty tools. Our favourites for a massage step:
Two tools, one ritual. From £12.99.
Natural rose quartz with gentle vibration. £16.95.
Dual diamond-cut rollers for the jaw and cheeks. £19.99.
Hands-free massage with a remote and five modes. £34.95.
Rotating 3D head for face and body. £24.95.
Soft cups in three sizes. From £6.95.
Not sure which tool fits your goal? Our BeautyEssence product guide matches each skin goal to the product we recommend.
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Choosing and using one gently.
Frequently asked questions
How do you use a gua sha for beginners?
Cleanse, apply facial oil, hold the tool almost flat and glide it outwards with light pressure, 3–5 strokes per area. Start with 3–5 minutes, two or three times a week.
Should you gua sha up or down?
On the face, work from the centre outwards and upwards. On the neck, glide gently downwards towards the collarbone.
Can you gua sha every day?
Many people can, if pressure stays light and skin shows no lasting redness or marks. If your skin is sensitive, stick to once or twice a week or use a roller instead.
Is a gua sha or a face roller better?
Neither is clearly better. A roller is quicker and easier; a gua sha follows contours more precisely. Many people use both.
Can gua sha cause bruising?
Yes, if you press too hard or hold the tool too upright. Facial gua sha should leave only a light flush that fades quickly.
Can you use gua sha after fillers or Botox?
Ask the practitioner who treated you how long to wait before massaging the area, and follow their advice.
Start your five-minute gua sha ritual
The Resin Gua Sha and Face Roller Set gives you both tools in one, from £12.99, with free UK standard delivery and a 14-day trial on beauty tools.
Shop the gua sha setBuilding a routine from scratch? Read how to start a skincare routine, and don't forget SPF, even in the colder months: do you need sunscreen in winter?
Sources and further reading
- Nielsen A et al. The effect of Gua Sha treatment on the microcirculation of surface tissue: a pilot study in healthy subjects. Explore (NY), 2007
- Tokyo Institute of Technology: Miyaji A, Sugimori K, Hayashi N. Short- and long-term effects of using a facial massage roller on facial skin blood flow and vascular reactivity. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2018
- Ahn SH et al. Comparative effects of facial roller and gua sha massage on facial contour, muscle tone, and skin elasticity: randomized controlled trial. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
- Hamp A et al. Gua sha, jade roller, and facial massage: are there benefits within dermatology? Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (PubMed)
- American Academy of Dermatology: 7 rosacea skin care tips dermatologists recommend
- Henry Ford Health: The benefits of facial gua sha (Yating Du, PhD, LAc)
- Dermatology Times: Social media mythbusters, at-home facial gua sha
This guide is for general skincare information and is not medical advice. Facial massage tools are cosmetic and results vary. Don't use them on broken, irritated or infected skin, and speak to your GP, pharmacist or a dermatologist about any skin condition, persistent redness or bruising.
