Gua Sha Stone or Jade Roller? Comparing These Two Popular Holistic Facial Tools

Choosing the right regimen for your specific skin needs can be tricky. There are so many options. And with all the talk surrounding facial tools lately – especially a jade roller vs. gua sha stone – we’ve been getting lots of questions like:

→ What are the specific benefits of each one?
→ What’s the difference if they’re both made from the same material?
→ Do I really need both?

Don’t worry, we’re going to break down all the details in this post with everything you need to know about these two Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) facial tools. Plus why you might just want to make both a staple in your beauty routine. ;)

Jade Roller

Facial rollers have quickly become one of the trendiest facial tools around – especially in the world of Instagram and beauty vloggers. But are these popular facial rollers actually effective?

The answer is yes! A jade roller is made from a precious gemstone with emotional, medicinal + physical benefits for your skin. Jade has origins in the ancient world for its healing powers. Ancient cultures actually used it to cure or relieve various aches and pains.¹  

Let’s talk about the benefits you might experience from regular use.

Jade Roller Benefits

In skin care, a roller is useful for its ability to boost the natural glow of the skin.

The jade roller benefits include:

• Stimulating lymphatic drainage
• Detoxifying skin tissue
• Waking up a tired complexion
• Increasing blood flow to feed skin from within
• Helping products absorb more readily into your skin 

Sounds great, right?

But with all the hype surrounding gua sha, how does a roller stack up? Why would you choose it instead?

Here’s a reason that appeals to many: a facial roller is less complicated to use. 

The technique is a bit more simple than gua sha, but still provides similar benefits. And when used regularly, a jade roller can provide a much-needed boost to your skin health. 

Since a facial roller doesn’t require tons of time or expertise, it’s the perfect holistic facial tool if you’re:

• Tight on time
• Craving a quick morning pick-me-up
• A mama with her hands full

Plus, with the specific properties of the jade stone itself (rich in trace elements and energetic benefits), a jade roller offers a holistic approach to support your skin + overall sense of wellness. 

And be sure to choose a roller with ridges. The added texture helps wake up your skin by stimulating even more lymphatic flow and circulation.

*Don’t worry, our jade roller is ridged. ;)

Pro Tip: To unlock even more jade roller benefits, keep it in the fridge/freezer. It’s a quick + convenient way to:

• Brighten your complexion
• Decrease puffiness (especially around the eye area!)
• Calm inflammation
• Encourage circulation
• Tighten + tone skin
• Boost your energy to face the day ahead

Because of the simplicity of this facial roller (+ visible benefits for your skin), we suggest giving your jade roller a permanent place in your routine – and refrigerator. ;)

How to Use Your Jade Roller

Use your jade roller as the final step in your skincare routine. 

→ After applying your skin-specific serum or cream, start at your neck. 
→ Move upwards using light/short strokes.
→ If you desire, use medium/firm pressure to help reduce tension, signs of aging, discoloration, and inflammation. 

*Always work around active breakouts and inflammation with your jade roller. This encourages lymphatic flow + opens healing pathways toward the areas – without causing further irritation. 

Pro Tip: You can also use the round handle of your jade roller to relieve tension by activating acupressure points along the face. Here’s a tutorial from our holistic esthetician to show you how!

Shop our Green Jade, Rose Quartz, and Yellow Nephrite Ridged Facial Rollers here!

Gua Sha Stone

We’ll give it to you straight: with this method, you’re going to get all of the same beauty benefits as above. But this facial tool is more targeted and takes a bit more time and intention. But the results are even. more. transformative.

Different from facial rollers, these gemstone tools are specifically designed to:

→ Hug facial bones
→ Contour curvatures of the face
→ Iron out fascia to smooth fine (and even well-defined!) lines/wrinkles
→ Release muscle tension

Sounds heavenly, right? It gets better. The gua sha stone is intentionally created to offer different curves, points + indents – variety you won’t find in a roller.

Gua Sha Benefits

Each contour and shape on the stone benefits your skin by:

• Promoting lymphatic drainage
• Decreasing discoloration from sun damage and acne scarring
• Detoxifying/depuffing (say goodbye to undereye bags + dark circles for good!)
• Clearing blockages + buildup of toxins and excess fluid
• Calming the nervous system + minimizing the effects of stress

One of the main differences (+ biggest benefits) of choosing gua sha is its ability to move out waste material and sluggish lymph. This creates fresh pathways of blood flow, oxygen, and vital nutrients. 

The improved flow beneath the skin from your gua sha routine supports:

• Restored mobility and elasticity in the tissue
• Relaxed muscle tension and tightness (a dream for TMJ)
• Softened depressions in the skin
• Repatterned pathways from repeated facial expressions
• Increased circulation + collagen production
• A seriously healthy glow

Think of it like yoga for the face. Movement feeds the skin and strengthens muscles. The result? A more toned, lifted, and sculpted appearance. Yes please!

When to Use Your Gua Sha Stone

With all the benefits listed above, we definitely suggest doing it as a part of your daily skincare routine (okay, fine, we know life can get full – try for at least 3-5x/week :)).

How you use your gua sha stone will depend on the specific results you’re working towards – or how much time you have to commit to your skincare routine.

Here are two options: 

1. You can incorporate your gua sha stone as a part of your AM routine. Using it daily will visibly diminish puffiness (especially around the tired eye area) and give skin a firm, lifted look for the day ahead. 

OR

2. Use your stone as a part of your PM routine to unwind after a long day. Melt away stress + muscle tension, and sedate the sympathetic nervous (fight/flight) system for a solid night’s sleep.

The Final Verdict: Gua Sha Stone or Jade Rollers

At Primally Pure, we say both. ;) After breaking down their benefits and their differences, both have earned a well-deserved place in our daily skincare routine.

It all depends on your goals, time, and preferences. 

Whether alternating between your jade roller and your gua sha stone throughout the week or incorporating one in the morning and one before bed, both are our go-to for skin that GLOWS.

What facial tools are your favorite? What benefits have you experienced? 

Tell us in the comments below!