Obsessed: Why I Gua Sha every morning

I am obsessed.

If you've talked to me in the last three weeks, I've told you about this.

A month ago, youtube finally did me a solid. It served me up a Gua Sha video. I'm all about skincare these days, so I was instantly intrigued. The video below is how I got started. I watched it a few times and then found my own groove.

What I learned: Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese practice. You use a jade stone to massage your neck and face. It relieves tension in the face's muscles, boosts blood circulation, and encourages lymphatic drainage to banish bloat.

Why I keep doing it: I SEE the difference. After I do the face exercise, I can see the lift in my eyes, the bags under my eyes are practically gone, and my cheeks are lifted.

Other benefits: It's become a form of meditation for me. Instead of starting my day with NPR news, I put peaceful music on and zen out as I take care of my skin. It makes me slow down and tune into my morning in a way that I've been wanting to.

My playlist

I pulled music from Pride & Prejudice, Far from the Madding Crowd, Mansfield Park, and The Duchess. You can check it out, but I recommend building a playlist that doesn't have any words. It uplifts your practice.

I’ve been doing this every morning and honestly, I look forward to it. I get out of the shower, put on robe, start my playlist, get out my Gua Sha, take a deep breath and zen out for at least 15 minutes. When I’m all done, I look more awake. My skin is bright, my eyes are open and the tension in my neck is gone. Try it - at least a few times. I bet you won’t regret it.

Here’s a list of places you can buy a Gua Sha tool: List