In between working from home and spending hours teaching myself new Tik Tok dances, I'm taking the time to give my skin some TLC. With being home and in my comfort place, it's a great time to add to my skincare routine.
I'm not gonna to lie, I missed the whole rose quartz roller trend, but Gua sha could possibly be the next best thing. It's no secret that a lot of skincare trends come from Asian therapy and wellness techniques and this is no different.
So, what the heck is Gua sha?
Gua sha (pronounced gwa-sha) is a natural therapy that involves massaging your skin with oil and an uniquely shaped smooth-edged tool (also known as a flat jade) to improve blood circulation. For centuries, it's been used for the body — mainly the back, arms, now it's showing up in facial routines on and offline.
Why should we do Gua sha?
Besides its ability to improve blood circulation in your face, the Gua sha technique also breaks down tension, reduces the appearance of bags under your eyes, wrinkles, and blemishes. And a huge plus is, you can save yourself a $75 visit to the spa and just do it yourself!
You're probably thinking, how is this any different from the jade roller? With Gua sha you have dedicated tools that cater specifically to each section of your face, instead of blindly rolling something back-and-forth on your face. Gua sha follows the natural shape and flow of the body to tighten and tone your skin.
How do we use Gua sha?
When I initially got my Gua sha kit, my thought was WTF is this? It was three weird shaped stone-like tools that I had no idea how to use. Remember when I said it has a dedicated tool to cater to the flow of your body? Well,that's why it looks so weird. Essentially, all three tools do the same thing, but you can choose which one is more comfortable for you.
Here's a step-by-step breakdown:
- Start on clean skin and prep your face with oil.
- Also start with clean tools, we're not trying to spread bacteria.
- Start at the neck and work your way up to the forehead in a smooth but firm motion.
- Use upward and outward strokes on the neck, jawline, chin and mouth area.
- Sweep across the cheeks.
- Once you get under your eyes, switch to an even gentler upward motion.
- End with upward strokes from your forehead to your hairline.
*A pro tip is to always go in upward motions. My mom used to say use upward motion on your face for youthful skin, downward motions equal aging.*
Lastly, how many times should you do Gua sha?
You'll see better and faster results if you do Gua sha often — it's not a one and done method. Three times a week is recommended, but there's nothing wrong with easing the method into your nightly routine.
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“WaterWipes has been in my household for I don’t know how long. We don’t just use them for Noah; I keep them in the car and my makeup bag, too,” Rowland shares in an exclusive interview with xoNecole. “I also like the fact that they are natural. I’ll definitely have them in my fanny pack for trick-or-treating. This is Noah’s second Halloween, and I know he’s going to be excited and digging in his pail to try the different candy, and his little fingers will be messy. He’s going to want to get dirty. So, I love that WaterWipes is putting up ten Hallowclean stations across the country for parents to use; it’s such a great idea. I just love Halloween, and I really love Halloween with my kids, so I thought this campaign was a really great idea.”
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
She and her youngest son, Noah, attended the event, where the two enjoyed a day of family-friendly activities while he sported the most adorable astronaut costume. But the Spooky Szn fun doesn’t stop there for the Merry Liddle Christmas actress and executive producer.
We recently caught up with Kelly Rowland over Zoom to learn more about her Halloween (and holiday) plans, her keys to a healthy marriage, and she even dropped her go-to cold-weather skin routine—finally.
xoNecole: What are your family’s upcoming trick-or-treat plans? Will you do a fun group costume, or is everyone going to do their own thing this year?
Kelly Rowland: I’m preparing for tour, so I’ve been in rehearsals and pre-production. And my husband's schedule has picked up, too. But the kids are going trick-or-treating; we usually go with people we know, so mommy and daddy will definitely be home to take them. We’re actually letting the kids dress us up this year, which means my costume will be a complete surprise to me. I told Noah he could paint my face or even go to the costume store and pick something out—it’s literally up to them. So, I don’t know what that will be. And, right after, I’ll be back to rehearsals.
xoN: Speaking of holidays, what do you look forward to most during the season?
KR: We love having people over, especially during the holidays. It looks like we will be home this year—thank God— just enjoying each other and spending quality time together. I like to decorate the house and go completely ham; it always looks like Christmas threw up in my house. From the stairwells to the exterior of the house and the lights—everything. We go so crazy. I also love the smells, it’s one of my greatest memories with my mom, God rest her soul. So I love to play all of that up.
I like to bake something every day, I like to make sure there is something for the kids to do or make each day, we watch Christmas movies, and we even do a wine tasting sometimes. It’s just all really sweet and cozy.
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
xoN: We love that family is so important to you, and it always shows in your posts, especially those with your husband. What would you say has been that “key” to a healthy marriage as partners and spouses for you two?
KR: I would say, each of us doing the self-work. I have not seen marriages last long in my lifetime. I haven’t been given the tools to “make it last forever.” We just try to do the work on ourselves and not sweat the small stuff.
Communication is key for us, too. We communicate everything. Whether I’m upset or I’m not sure about something, I communicate it. I also just like being around him, he’s fun. He’s a really great person and makes me laugh. We can literally sit together and watch a game and not say anything. We understand what true intimacy is, and now we’re almost ten years into our marriage.
xoN: Now, Kelly, we have to ask. Skincare. What is your cold-weather routine and the products you’re reaching for as temperatures drop?
KR: Right now, I’m all about moisture. I will wash my face morning and night, I do not skip. I’m obsessed with this 111SKIN toner. It smells good, but it also feels good on my skin. There’s also this product from Vanessa Lee of The Things We Do. They are these coconut eye patches with these little beads. I place them under my eyes and around the corners of my mouth—talk about a game changer. I like to put them on at night and then rub in the extra serum all over my face. Between that and this lactic acid by Shani Darden, they are both game-changers for me this season.
xoN: So, since you’ve found the key to aging backwards, should we be on the lookout for the Kelly Rowland skincare line anytime soon?
KR: Honestly, that market is so saturated. I wanted to do it a while back, but I have to really think about what I want to bring to the marketplace to really impact culture. It’s not just about a product for me. I love the way Selena Gomez has created a community. I want to be able to create a community as well. When it’s not just about skincare, it turns into a space for people to be their most authentic selves. And that’s what I love.
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Feature image by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Tres Generaciones
