We tried Finnish beauty therapist Katja Kokko’s gua sha techniques for ourselves and quickly discovered that with a smooth-edged stone, a thoughtful approach, and a few measured strokes, it’s possible to soften tension and reveal the cheekbones you forgot you had
Gua sha, a godsend for tense masceter muscles and dull complexions everywhere, may not be new on the beauty block. It's been making the rounds for decades, peaking during when we had time for complex routines during Covid. And while endless routines have become more streamlined, this specific practice had stayed its course as a popular pillar in our Sunday reset routine.
Gua sha has been practiced for centuries as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Facial gua sha specifically uses gentle, precise pressure to stimulate circulation and help move out fluid retention — no dramatic scraping required. “Although the marks can appear dramatic, gua sha treatment is not painful,” Finnish beauty therapist Katja Kokko assures. “The method does not involve the use of excessive force.” In other words, we’re far from the deep-tissue approach often used on the body. Instead, it’s all about encouraging your skin to breathe and your facial muscles to let go of pent-up stress.
A closer look at the ‘sha’
Gua sha literally means “to scrape” (gua) and “reddish mark” (sha). On the body, those telltale red marks appear where circulation has increased and pathogens rise to the surface. But don’t worry about sporting a bright flush on your face. "When using the gua sha tool on the face for cosmetic purposes, it’s not intended to bring the sha on the skin,” Kokko explains. Here, the approach is more subtle, aiming to boost blood flow and lymphatic drainage just under the surface.