A Beginner’s Guide To Facial Gua Sha + Qi Gong At Home

The word holistic is everywhere these days. But what does it actually mean and how does it pertain to beauty? As a holistic skincare practitioner, I define holistic as any practice that includes mind, body and energy. I truly believe that beauty and mental health go hand in hand, and that’s why a holistic treatment should always empower people to incorporate sustainable beauty routines that bring balance to their mind, body and energy. This is the foundation of true self-care.

But what you’re probably thinking is: do holistic facials actually work? In other words: can they make your skin look more radiant and youthful? The quick answer is a resounding yes, and I have two easy ways to help you elevate your skin care routine at home.

1. Facial Gua Sha: As one of just a few Gua Sha practitioners in Greater Vancouver, believe me when I tell you, Facial Gua Sha is a real deal facelift. More than just a viral TikTok trend, Gua Sha originated thousands of years ago in Traditional Chinese Medicine and was historically performed as a vigorous total body massage technique that has now evolved into a much gentler practice for the face. Using a handheld board—often made of jade—Gua Sha is a simple technique of gently pulling the board along certain energy pathways on your face to move stagnant blood and improve the flow of Qi, the body’s vital energy. It lifts skin, reduces puffiness, and smoothes lines.  Gua Sha can remove energetic blockages in the skin, revitalizing the body and thereby initiating the body’s innate energy to heal itself. Start with your lower face and move up to your forehead. Each time you perform Facial Gua Sha on yourself, you’ll see a noticeable contour and lift. Try doing it on just one side of your face, and then take a look in the mirror and admire your natural and immediate facelift. Over the course of just a few weeks, you’ll see an improvement in your overall skin tone and over the course of a few months, you’ll see a lightening of pigmentation. It really works! If you’re not sure how to get started, check out a few of the videol tutorials on my Instagram @wildflower.beautybar. Or, treat yourself (or a loved one this holiday season!) to a Face Reading and Gua Sha facial.
2. The Wave Breath: The Wave Breath is a Qi Gong breathing practice that will calm the mind and body while aiding digestion, boosting immunity and improving the radiance of your skin! Get started by finding a comfortable place to lay down and settle in. Next, take a deep breathin through the nose and guide that breath all the way down to the belly so that the belly rises, and then let the breath rise to the chest. Now exhale through the mouth, letting the air leave the chest first and the belly deflating last. Do this for a few minutes—or whatever feels right for you. If you feel light headed, return to your regular breath. Try this daily as a breathing meditation.I always recommend breathwork as a powerful tool to support emotional transformation.

The body, mind, and spirit—while seemingly separate—all work in unison to rejuvenate your skin and restore balance to your body. When one is off balance, the others will follow. So when the skin, which is a part of the physical body, feels out of balance, your best bet is to first start by looking to the subtler bodies for answers.

Circling back to my post from last week, you can detect the root cause of emotions that may be contributing to your skin concerns with Face Reading. Your face has much to reveal about what is contributing to your biggest skin concerns. Incorporating these easy and sustainable skincare routines into your daily life will shift your perception of beauty and empower you to live your best life while also shedding any unrealistic expectations of ‘beauty’ you may be holding on to. Stay tuned for my third and final post next week on my top recommendations for a holistic skincare routine you can do right at home! —Gretchen Oppenheim