A jade roller is a skincare product that has become popular in the Western world over the past few years. The beauty tool actually has its origin in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and is believed to have protective and healing properties.
Jade rollers for skincare
A jade roller basically uses jade stones to massage the skin. Some jade rollers use quartz instead of jade. “The real benefit of jade rollers or facial massage is improving circulation and lymphatic drainage, so you look more glowing and less puffy… Marma point massage (or Ayurvedic massage), acupressure, or even gentle facial massage, when done correctly to your face, is known to help calm the mind and improve headaches, TMJ pain, sinus congestion, eye strain, and puffiness of the lower eyelids,” Jennifer Chwalek, a dermatologist, said to Glamour.
Acupuncturist Ross J. Barr points out that jade is an excellent tool to even out the skin tone and recommends jade rollers for daily facial treatment. In fact, jade rollers are better than hands when it comes to massaging the skin. According to skincare expert Abigail James, the best way to use jade rollers is on clear skin, before you use any skincare product.
To get the best result from the jade rollers, you should work the tool around the facial contours. It is recommended that you apply more pressure with the upward action of the roller to get the best benefits. For optimal lymph drainage, roll away the tool in all directions using the bridge of the nose as a central point. If you want a firming effect, move the roller from the cheekbones, going in an outward direction. Then, roll against the jawline in order to create definition and contour.
In case you apply skincare products before using the jade roller, ensure that the items do not contain any chemicals that are harmful to the skin. The pressure from the rollers will force the products to penetrate deeper into the skin. Such pressure will also boost blood flow and collagen production, thus aiding you in maintaining a youthful appearance. As to which skin care products to use with a jade roller, an ideal option would be face oil or serum since they can help the roller glide against the skin. Other products to use with jade rollers include firming peptides, plant-based stem cells, and hydrating serum.
Jade rollers are usually safe for use and do not have any side effects. However, the rollers will accumulate bacteria and other microbes over time. As such, you should always clean jade rollers after using them. Otherwise, the rollers can spread microbes on the face.
Ancient Chinese beauty products
Jade rollers are just one of the numerous skincare beauty products the Chinese have used since ancient times. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BCE to 476 BCE), facial powder became popular in China. In those times, facial powder was made from grinding rice. A powder made from lead was also very popular due to its whitening properties despite the fact that it was toxic.
One of the important ancient beauty tips followed by the Chinese was to take care of the eyebrows. During the Warring States period (475 BCE to 221 BCE), soot from willow trees was used by women to paint their eyebrows. During the Tang Dynasty (618 CE to 907 CE), a decorative element called huadian was very popular. Created using silver, gold, dragonfly wings, or even fish scales, huadian was placed on the forehead, between the eyebrows.
