P. Sze 
Gua sha is an ancient technique that can work wonders for facial puffiness when done correctly. If you wake up with a puffy face, integrating gua sha into your morning routine can help you depuff quickly and effectively. This article will cover five powerful morning gua sha rituals that can instantly refresh and sculpt your face, helping you look more awake and revitalized.
Before diving in, if you’re new to gua sha or need a refresher, check out our guide on gua sha basics for an overview of this beneficial practice.
1. Start with a Cooling Gua Sha Tool
Begin your morning ritual by using a chilled gua sha tool. Cooling your gua sha stone overnight in the fridge or a bowl of ice water can amplify the depuffing effects. The cold temperature helps constrict blood vessels, reducing swelling and inflammation.
“Using cooled gua sha as a finishing touch on the face helps tighten pores and refine the skin’s texture. However, since warmth is generally better for reducing puffiness, it’s recommended to follow the cold gua sha massage with a warming massage using the gua sha.” — Ms. Mai Sogawa, Senior TCM Therapist
To get started:
- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser.
- Apply a facial oil or moisturizer to provide a smooth surface for the gua sha tool.
- Take your chilled gua sha stone and gently press it against your skin for a few seconds in areas that tend to be more puffy, like the under-eye area and cheeks.
2. Use Upward and Outward Strokes
The technique you use with your gua sha tool is crucial for reducing puffiness. Always work in an upward and outward direction to promote lymphatic drainage, which helps remove excess fluids from your face.
Here’s how to do it:
- Starting at the base of your neck, glide the gua sha stone upwards toward your jawline.
- Move to your face, starting at the center and sweeping the tool outwards toward your ears. Focus on your cheeks, jawline, and forehead.
- Use lighter pressure around the delicate eye area and slightly firmer pressure on the rest of your face.
It’s important to note that in this general routine, you are already covering the entire face, including the cheeks and jawline. However, this is a broad, comprehensive approach meant to stimulate lymphatic drainage across all areas. In the next step, you’ll revisit the jawline and cheeks with a more focused technique to specifically target and sculpt these areas.
3. Focus on the Jawline and Cheeks
The jawline and cheeks are areas where puffiness can be particularly noticeable, especially in the morning. Target these areas with more attention during your gua sha session to achieve a more defined and sculpted look.
Steps to focus on:
- Hold the gua sha tool at a 45-degree angle and start from the center of your chin.
- Glide the tool along your jawline, moving it toward your ear. Repeat this motion 3-5 times on each side.
- Then, move to your cheeks. Begin at the side of your nose and sweep outwards towards your ears. This motion can help lift and depuff your cheeks effectively.
While you’ve already addressed these areas in the general routine, focusing on them again with more deliberate strokes allows for deeper depuffing and better contouring. This targeted approach helps to reduce puffiness more effectively in areas where it tends to accumulate, such as the jawline and cheekbones. By revisiting these areas, you can ensure that they are fully sculpted and depuffed, giving your face a more defined and lifted appearance.
“Releasing tension in the facial muscles can help improve wrinkles and sagging. For the muscles around the eyes, nasolabial folds, and the masseter muscles, use the gua sha in small, vibrating motions. For the neck, glide the gua sha tool downwards towards the collarbone to help drain waste products.” — Ms. Mai Sogawa, Senior TCM Therapist
4. Don’t Forget the Eye Area
The area around the eyes is prone to puffiness due to fluid retention overnight. Using gua sha around your eyes can reduce under-eye bags and make you look more awake.
To target the eye area:
- Use the curved side of the gua sha tool.
- Start at the inner corner of your eye and gently glide the tool outward along the brow bone and under the eye towards the temples.
- Use very light pressure here, as the skin around the eyes is delicate.
- Repeat this motion 3-5 times on each eye.
5. Finish with a Lymphatic Drainage Massage
To maximize the depuffing effects of your morning gua sha ritual, finish with a gentle lymphatic drainage massage. This final step helps move any excess fluids that have been dislodged by the gua sha strokes toward the lymph nodes, where they can be processed and eliminated by your body.
When performing the lymphatic drainage massage, it’s essential to focus on the entire neck area, not just the front. This includes the sides and back of the neck, as the lymphatic system includes various lymph nodes in these areas that help in draining excess fluid.
- Start Under the Jaw: Place the gua sha tool under your jawline, near the center of your chin.
- Move Downward: Glide the tool downward towards your collarbone. This motion helps guide the lymphatic fluid downwards, promoting effective drainage.
- Include the Sides and Back of the Neck: After covering the front, move to the sides of your neck, starting just below the ears and sweeping down towards the collarbone. Don’t forget to also work on the back of your neck, using downward strokes from the base of your skull towards your shoulders.
By following these five morning gua sha rituals, you can effectively reduce puffiness and start your day with a refreshed, more sculpted face. Gua sha not only helps in depuffing but also promotes overall skin health, making it an excellent addition to your daily skincare routine.
