East has definitely met West when it comes to skincare, and the before and afters all over social media of gua sha routines have proven the transformative effects of these little stones. “Gua sha is a modality of traditional Chinese medicine that uses a tool, such a stone, that runs over the skin to break up tension due to stagnation from water retention, muscle tightness, or other congestion,” explains Giselle Wasfie, D.A.C.M. and founder of Remix Acupuncture + Integrative Health in Chicago.
Although gua sha tools can be used all over the body, they're especially beneficial for the face. They feel cooling and soothing—plus, they can help boost lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness and inflammation, says Wasfie. While those are pretty much instantaneous benefits, there’s also a long-term play: Gua sha can help stimulate collagen production to fill in fine lines and boost skin elasticity. It's also just a darn nice moment of self-care, Wasfie says. (And we agree.)
We conducted hours of testing on the best gua sha tools, evaluating each on their ease of use, effectiveness, quality, and overall results. Some of our best picks were designed by acupuncturists, so their shape takes into account the exact areas of the face people need to hit for lymphatic drainage to be the most effective.
Best Overall
Wildling Empress Stone
Easy to hold
Works for all areas of the face
Made a big difference in toning
It's pretty expensive
Shape: Round/pointed
Crafted by esthetician Britta Plug, who’s well-known for her online demos on how to use gua sha tools, this pick is specially designed so that each of the four sides fits perfectly against the curves of the face. It’s also ergonomic and very easy to hold. Plus, unlike the standard rose quartz and jade options, this is distinct in that it’s made of Bian stone, which is composed of more than 40 healing minerals (and has a very sophisticated black hue).
There are so many things we loved about this product, but the biggest win was when people started to take notice of how toned and sculpted our face looked after continued use. We’ve even recommended this product to our family and friends after testing it out. What makes it unique from other gua shas on the market is that it has a combed edge, allowing for a deeper massage than your standard, smooth edge.
Best Overall, Runner Up
Face Gym MultiSculpt
Works for all areas of the face
Durable
Expensive
Shape: Scalloped
There are a lot of things we love about the FaceGym Multi-Sculpt High-Performance Gua Sha—its unique shape is one of them. It has multiple sides to target multiple skin concerns, including softening fine lines, contouring, reducing facial tension, and more.
We loved that this product felt really cooling on the skin throughout each gua sha session. Because it’s made with 100% hypoallergenic and recyclable solid medical-grade stainless steel, it stays cool in your hand and on your face. We also love that we don’t have to worry about it breaking because it’s so strong and solid.
Best Budget
Daily Concepts Gua Sha Facial Jade
Affordable
Made of real jade
Some reviewers note it breaks easily
Shape: Heart-shaped
Interested in trying gua sha or just don’t want to shell out the big bucks on a tool? This is a top-tier affordable alternative. Despite the price tag, it’s still made of real jade (the kind used in popular jade rollers) and boasts a similarly effective and easy-to-use shape as its much more expensive counterparts.
After testing this gua sha out, we didn’t notice a huge difference in the way that our skin looked, but we did notice that our skin felt better. It didn’t significantly tone or sculpt the face, but after keeping it in the fridge, it provided a really nice, cooling, and soothing effect during each use. We noticed that the jade stone stayed cool for a long time after removing it from the fridge, too.
Best Stainless Steel
Kitsch Stainless Steel Gua Sha
Super hygenic
Glides on the skin beautifully
Feels a bit sharp
Shape: Heart-shaped
There’s a lot to love when it comes to gua sha tools made out of stainless steel. First of all, they are non-porous and won’t trap bacteria and potentially transfer that bacteria onto your skin. Second, they are basically unbreakable and are super sturdy, unlike other gua shas made of real stone.
We noticed significant short-term results after testing this pick from Kitsch, including decreased puffiness, lifting, and tightening, too. We loved how easy this gua sha tool was to clean, and that the stainless steel makes it look really expensive.
Some folks have complained that the bottom edge of the tool feels a bit sharp on the skin. Make sure to use lots of oil or a slippery serum before putting pressure on your skin with this pick.
Best Rose Quartz
Pink Moon Gua Sha Facial Tool
Made from real rose quartz
Easy to use
Not widely available
Shape: Heart-shaped
As a nod to her Chinese heritage, Pink Moon's founder Lin Chen created this beautiful rose quartz gua sha tool to help with lymphatic drainage. It also works to decrease puffiness in the face, promote elasticity, and offer a really nice massage for your muscles, too.
We found that, overall, the tool was easy to incorporate into our morning routine. It felt nice when we glided it along our face with facial oil, and we noticed that it helped our eye area depuff faster. While our tester didn't notice any major long-term results, they did notice that it helped prevent a seasonal cold. Our tester would wake up with a tight throat and pressure in her ears, but after using the Pink Moon Rose Quartz Gua Sha, they felt less pressure due to the lymphatic massage.
One of the downsides of this gua sha tool is that it’s only available for purchase on the brand’s website.
Best Jade
Skin Gym Jade Gua Sha Crystal
Traditional gua sha shape
Combats overnight puffiness
Made with real jade
Some reviewers note it breaks easily
Shape: Heart-shaped
This pick from Skin Gym is shaped like a traditional gua sha, making it pretty easy to figure out which sides of the tool to use where. As far as the stone goes, jade is known to block negative energy and promote calmness and peace. Use it before bedtime to help you chill out, both physically, mentally, and spiritually, too.
We noticed depuffed cheeks after use with this tool, but didn’t notice a huge difference in terms of it sculpting our jawline. Unlike some of the other gua sha tools on this list (made with stainless steel), this pick might chip or break if you drop it on the ground, so be careful.
Best Anti-Bacterial
Sacheu Beauty Gua Sha
Made with unbreakable stainless steel
Anti-bacterial
Cooling
It scratches easily
Shape: Heart-shaped
We love this bestselling tool made from stainless steel because it stays cool (you can keep it in the freezer or use at room temperature) to deliver a cold sensation to your face that not only feels amazing, but also helps reduce puffiness.
We noticed less puffiness around the eye area after each use, and we felt that it helped a lot with breaking up congestion. We didn’t really notice that it “sculpted” our face a ton, but we did feel like it helped keep skin moisturized and more youthful with the extra boost of serum and circulation.
Because this is made with non-porous stainless steel, it prevents bacteria build-up that can potentially pass onto your skin. Unfortunately, other gua sha tools made with jade and rose quartz, are porous and have the potential to transfer bacteria. That’s why it’s important to always wash your gua sha tool after each use.
Best Splurge
Yina Bian Stone Gua Sha
Special mineral-rich stone
Promotes circulation and smooth skin
May break if dropped
Shape: Rounded with point and ridges
This pricey gua sha tool was made with the whole body in mind. The size and shape are thoughtfully designed for massaging both the face and body, promoting circulation, helping to depuff swollen areas, and smoothing the skin. It's made of bian shi, a "micro-crystalline" stone containing upwards of 30 minerals thought to help regenerate healthy cells and boost energy. We love how thick the stone is, but bear in mind it might break if you drop it on tile floors.
One issue we found with this pick was that it felt a bit too big for use on the face. If you like to use a gua sha on both your face and body, we recommend this one, but if you only prefer to gua sha your face, you might want to opt for a different, smaller tool.
We noticed a huge difference in how snatched our jawline looked after continued use with this product. We also noticed a lot of breakouts after using this pick. If you are acne-prone, make sure you are using non-comedogenic oils while swiping your gua sha across your face, and always wash your gua sha post-use.
Best with Comb
Ginger Chi Jade Gua Sha Tool
Can be used on face and scalp
Promotes hair growth
Not widely available
Shape: Dual points with comb
This is a really unique gua sha shape that works to target both your face and scalp. We thought the stone was super high-quality and liked how it fit into your hand without slipping. After consistent use, our face felt less puffy and lighter.
We also loved how you can massage your scalp using this tool as well. Scalp massage has been proven to promote hair growth, so this might be a great option if you’re concerned about hair loss and need an extra boost.
One of the downsides of this pick is that it’s only available on their website, so it’s not super easy to get. Also, if you don’t think you will be massaging your scalp with a gua sha, you might want to opt for a different tool on this list.
What to Look for in a Gua Sha Tool
- Shape: Gua sha tools come in a variety of shapes—but all are fairly thin and come with curved edges. Beginners might find the heart shape, like the Pink Moon tool easiest to manipulate. Those with more experience should consider a gua sha tool that has a variety of angles and ridges so you can use it on various parts of the face like under the eyes, cheek bones, jawline, and neck. We love the multi-shaped FaceGym Multi-Sculpt High-Performance Gua Sha tool, which can give a variety of contours.
- Material: Although shape is more of a factor in choosing your gua sha tool, material is also a feature to look for. Rose quartz and jade are some of the most common minerals used to fashion gua sha tools. If you prefer a tool that feels cold to the touch, consider a gua sha made from stainless steel, like the Sacheu model.
Why Trust Byrdie
Daley Quinn is a Byrdie contributor who covers all things beauty and wellness. She has bylines at The Cut and WWD, and is a former editor for Family Circle.
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. A lover of anything and everything Eastern medicine-related, she gua shas regularly and feels it’s a skincare step everyone should try.
For this story, we used our own tested insights to recommend the best gua sha tools on the market. Additionally, we reached out to Giselle Wasfie, D.A.C.M. an acupuncturist and founder of Remix Acupuncture + Integrative Health in Chicago to gather her insights about what to know when buying a gua sha tool.