TRENDING TALK: Jade Rollers

You may have seen jade rollers populating your Instagram feed lately and wondered… What is that thing? It’s been used by Chinese women for centuries to smooth and tone their complexions. Recently we’ve caught on to the trend of facial rollers, yes even me! They’re surprisingly easy to use and effective (in some ways)…

What is a face roller?

Most have two ends – a larger roller for cheeks, forehead and jawline, and a smaller roller for your nose, mouth and under-eye areas.  Jade is purported to have healing properties and ward off negative energy, and while there’s no scientific evidence to support that… it sounds like a decent side benefit.

What do Jade + Quartz Rollers do?

Facial rollers decrease the look of puffiness by moving lymphatic fluid that can build up, for example, during sleep.  By applying gentle pressure in an upward, circular motion you can encourage the flow of lymphatic fluid.  Begin at your nose and move outward to your hairline and jawline. The lymphatic system is located just below your skin, so you don’t need to apply much pressure to create movement.  You might increase your roller’s de-puffing power by storing it in your freezer or refrigerator overnight, as the stone retains the cold well. This is my favorite trick for looking more awake in the morning.

They may help evenly distribute product when used in tandem, but don’t expect any miracles in that department.  Despite some claims, jade rollers likely won’t increase the effectiveness of your skincare routines. But less puffy eyes makes everybody look more beautiful, right?

Jade rollers are also used to ease tension (especially if you tend to hold tension in your jaw) and some find the ritual of using a facial roller a soothing counter to stress and anxiety.

How do you Use a Jade Roller?

Jade rollers (and their rose quartz counterparts) start at $15 and are widely available for purchase online – in a variety of stones. The stones are each supposed to have different meanings (love, energy, etc.), but I picked by my color preference.

Here are a few tutorials to get started:

• This tutorial with celebrity facialist Cecilia Wong
• Facial lymphatic drainage massage from Gothamista

Begin slowly, do your research, and remember that carving out four or five minutes for yourself is rarely, if ever, wasted time.

A few face roller finds. . .

Sources: Women’s Health Magazine, The Independent, Refinery29