Emily Barton on how to gua sha
Emily Barton considers Gua Sha to be a natural alternative to botox
At our February skincare retreat this weekend, Emily Barton (Holistic Facialist) shared her skincare secrets with an intimate group of curious women.
Each guest received a pink quartz Gua Sha in their goodie bag. Emily then taught the group how to use this ancient Chinese medicinal tool to sculpt the jawline and cheekbones by draining lymphatic fluid from the face to the lymph nodes.
Guests were taught that (with consistency) tools can create a “smoother, more radiant complexion.” Emily recommended starting by massaging the supraclavicular lymph nodes, directly under the collarbones, to get the lympatyhic system moving. She then demonstrated how to run a Gua Sha along the jaw/cheekbones to the TMJ (where the jaw connects to the skull) and down the neck to the lymph nodes. She also taught us to pinch the eyebrows and “moonwalk” our fingers along the temple to tighten the skin in those areas.
Emily emphasised that the benefits of Gua Sha are not simply aesthetic. “I feel there’s a really connective, grounding element to [gua sha], especially when you can personalise your needs even further through the use of different crystal tools, alternating temperatures to suit your needs.” For example, Emily recommends storing tools in the fridge if you experience puffiness, or warming tools up for relief of jaw tension.
Interestingly, it is not necessary to use tools, with similar effects achievable using fingers and knuckles. “There’s something to be said for keeping things simple, and for some people having a tactile approach - connecting skin to skin, can be really healing in and of itself, so it really depends on your intention behind your routine.”
Retreat guests were given the opportunity to ask Emily all of their burning skincare questions. Her top tips were:
Use organic products;
Incorporate face masks or serums into your skincare routine to help improve skin texture and tone (Emily loves the Zone Face Lift - Facial Elixir, which is infused with amethyst and Native American healing herbs, as well as a base of white poppy seed oil which holds many benefits. She also loves the ‘BALM. Wellness - SUN mask’, with turmeric);
Look for for products that contain natural ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, or hyaluronic acid to brighten and hydrate skin; and
Retinol is useful but use should be gradual to build up tolerance.
Book a personal holistic facial with Emily at Remedies London.
Guests at our Wellness Retreat focussing on skincare
