When did covering our faces in heavy, artificial ingredients become the secret to getting youthful, glowing skin? Unfortunately, most beauty brands focus on piling on instead of stripping away when it comes to the pollutants and free radicals that actually age our skin. That's why it's exciting when something comes along that doesn't require you to submit your skin to a long list of additives and chemicals to smooth, firm, and brighten it. The Gua Sha stainless steel beauty tool from Sacheu is one of those “big finds” that could change your relationship with your skin.
What exactly is this shiny tool you've probably seen countless women post about online by now? Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese healing method involving a smooth-edged beauty tool that gently strokes your skin.
While it's somewhat similar to the jade rollers that have been popular in recent years, a Gua Sha tool actually has some benefits that go deeper than rollers. Of course, it's only natural to wonder if something this simple could actually create noticeable changes in your skin. Don't wonder for one more minute because I have the goods on Gua Sha that I'm ready to spill in this review.
Quick Summary of Sacheu Gua Sha Review
| Product: | Sacheu Gua Sha |
| Material: | Stainless Steel |
| Brand: | Sacheu Beauty |
| Best for: | An all-natural device that helps anti-aging and wrinkles on face and other skin areas |
| Used in ancient beauty practices: | Yes |
| Main Benefits: | Prevents Dynamic Wrinkles, Enhances Natural Contour, Relieves Muscle Tension |
| Cost / Pricing: | $35 |
| Average Rating: | 4.8/5 (Over 100 reviews) |
| GW Rating | 4.6/5 |
Sacheu Stainless Steel Gua Sha
What Is the Sacheu Stainless Steel Gua Sha?
Developed using ancient beauty practices focused on promoting rejuvenation from the deepest levels of your skin without any nips, tucks, or injections to commit to, Gua Sha is an amazing “lifting” tool that helps you to address underlying causes of wrinkles and aging. There's never any worry about being roped into a gimmick that requires subscriptions the way you are with so many beauty products today because this is a single-purchase tool that will last forever.
It's important to say that Sacheu's Gua Sha tool is intended to be used with a serum, balm, or oil that can produce lots of “slip.” This helps the scraping motion along. When using the tool, you should be starting from the center of your face before scraping in an outward motion. The tool's divot feature is intended to glide in between your brows, across your jaw, over the edges of your cheeks and forehead, and on the bridge of your nose. The recommendation is to work out your skin with a Gua Sha oil scraping three times per week to see results.
Brief Overview of the Sacheu Brand
It's worth covering the background of Sacheu because this is a really interesting brand that's focused on making natural beauty techniques available for a mainstream audience.
This is a company based in Los Angeles that formulates, tests and manufactures its products there. Sacheu was founded by a well-known beauty influencer named Sarah Cheung in 2020. Sarah has been using facial rollers and Gua Sha tools as part of her beauty routine from a young age. She really wanted to bring high-quality, sustainable Gua Sha tools to the market in response to the popularity of jade rollers because she felt that it was important to offer an eco-friendly alternative.
It turns out that demand for jade and quartz rollers has actually triggered excessive mining of these materials that is having a negative impact on the planet. Sacheu's Gua Sha tools are made from 100% stainless steel that is both recycled and recyclable. The brand is also committed to using packaging made from 100% recycled materials.
Using stainless steel isn't just better for saving the planet. It can also save beauty lovers from serious skin issues. Something that's been emerging about those popular jade and quartz rollers recently is that they can actually contribute to breakouts and skin infections. Jade and quartz are pretty porous. As a result, they can harbor bacteria in their small crevices that will eventually end up on your skin.
Pros:
- Sanitary, safe product.
- No need to deal with beauty subscriptions.
- You can use your own favorite serum or oil.
- Stainless steel retains its coldness nicely with no refrigeration.
Cons:
- Not as smooth to “roll” over your skin as a roller.
How Much Does It Cost?
The Gua Sha beauty tool from Sacheu is just $35. Sacheu's website gives you the option to break the cost up over four payments if you prefer. It's always worth seeing if there's something else in the Sacheu store that you want because the company usually offers free shipping for purchases over $40.
Why Stainless Steel?
I covered briefly why the Gua Sha tool's stainless steel design is superior to jade and quartz rollers. However, I want to go a little deeper into this because it's really important if you're trying to make your skin look firmer, tighter, younger, and free of inflammation. Let's cover the essential benefits!
Antibacterial
There's a reason why most medical and surgical equipment is made from stainless steel. Stainless steel is an antibacterial material. It's also incredibly easy to clean. This is important when you're using oils and serums that can easily get absorbed by porous materials. The products you use with the Gua Sha tool will only stay on the surface of the tool. That means you're not worried about breakouts and infections that can do damage to your skin.
Self-Cooling
Stainless steel is naturally cool and refreshing! I love that you don't have to worry about putting this tool in the fridge between uses just to keep it cool. The natural coolness of stainless steel is so effective for reducing puffiness and swelling.
Eco-Friendly
You don't have to feel like you're contributing to the mining of precious stones just to pamper your face. The Gua Sha tool is made of eco-friendly stainless steel. What's more, the durability of stainless steel means that you don't have to constantly buy a new tool because this one won't wear out!
Durable
Stainless steel is one of the most durable consumer materials you can buy. Do you ever feel like some companies create flimsy products just to get you hooked on subscription refills? That's not how this company operates. The Gua Sha tool is made to be durable for long life.
Claimed Benefits
What exactly does the Gua Sha tool do for your skin? There's actually a lot going on here. Gua Sha offers many of the benefits that are associated with general facial massages and exercises. However, the design of the tool helps you to activate key points in the muscles that control your facial movements to create a natural “lifting” effect.
Prevents Dynamic Wrinkles
Dynamic wrinkles are those lines that show up when we make different facial expressions. You may be self-conscious about frown lines between the eyebrows, crow's feet, forehead wrinkles, and other lines that have “stayed behind” after years of making the same expressions over and over again. The Gua Sha tool can be great for helping to renew those areas by promoting circulation and blood flow to them. As we age, collagen production slows down. This is why it can seem like lines get worse every year.
When we stimulate the skin to promote restored blood flow, we are actually helping to encourage renewed cellular growth that can give us younger skin. In fact, many of the injections and medical-grade facials that people undergo are actually designed to stimulate collagen production using a similar principle of triggering blood flow to the face. According to research, a simple five-minute facial massage significantly increases blood flow to the face.
Enhances Natural Contour
This can be a great firming tool if you're notching little pockets of loose skin. Many people purchase the Gua Sha specifically for the “jowl” area. Facial massage can be amazing for lymphatic drainage that helps to reduce puffiness. In one study, nearly 60% of women who had a facial massage reported noticeable rejuvenation. In addition, more than half of women who noticed improvements in their skin reported that they experienced skin tightening.
Relieves Muscle Tension
Do you hold tension in your face? While we often feel the tension that we are holding in our neck or shoulders, we don't usually notice that we are actually “clenching” our faces. This is common in people who are told that they have an “angry” resting face. That tension can actually cause us to form stronger, deeper wrinkles because we are holding our expression in a furrowed, pursed manner. Once you experience how fresh and relaxing the Gua Sha feels as it glides over your skin, you'll understand how it helps to drain the tension from your face to help you maintain a softer expression.
“When muscles are taut and tense for long periods of time, this may trigger other reactions of the body and even promote stress-related disorders,” according to the American Psychological Association. That means that scraping the stress away won't just make you look rested and alert. Being able to relieve stress from your facial muscles can actually help you to feel calmer.
Real Sacheu Gua Sha Reviews and Average Rating
Gua Sha has five-star reviews from real users across the board. There are over 800 reviews and a 5/5 star average rating, which is incredible to say the least.
If you're thinking of using this product, getting on the Gua Sha product page to read the experiences of actual customers can be great for setting up your expectations. People seem to be really impressed with the quality of the tool's design. Many have posted that they are seeing noticeable results take shape. A few customers have even posted their before-and-after photos to share the firming and contouring effects that they're seeing in the mirror.
Two things stand out to me about user reviews on Gua Sha. First, so many customers are sharing that they noticed a reduction in puffiness right away. The second thing is that customers are reporting that they're using their Gua Sha tools without any breakouts.
Alternatives
Sacheu didn't invent the concept of facial massage and Gua Sha. While I think this company does an incredible job of creating a very hygienic, user-friendly, and cost-effective way to introduce this practice into your beauty routine, I will say that there are other options there that offer products in the same vein. I'll cover a couple of them just to give you a well-rounded perspective.
SolaWave
SolaWave has generated some buzz because it uses red light therapy to reduce the appearance of lines, blemishes, and dark spots. This product also applies serum as it glides over your skin. SolaWave uses technology to stimulate your skin using microcurrents and heat.
While there's definite potential for this to be beneficial for your skin, the practice of using light waves and heat is just very different from using the ancient beauty practice of Gua Sha. There's no reason why you can't investigate both options. However, I personally prefer the purity of the Gua Sha method. Just keep in mind that SolaWave costs about five times more than the Sacheu Gua Sha tool.
Empress Stone
The Empress Stone uses the same concept as Sacheu's Gua Sha tool. The difference when we're talking about an Empress Stone review is that this product is actually made from Bian stone. Bian stone is interesting because it is believed to have been created when a meteor struck a mountain in modern-day China 65 million years ago. This stone supposedly emits measurable ultrasound pulsation, a far-infrared wave, and negative ions to provide anti-aging and oxidative properties.
It's really hard for me to comment on those claims from a scientific perspective because claims about “rock healing” aren't necessarily sound. I think the Empress Stone is great for many of the same reasons that the Gua Sha tool by Sacheu is great. However, I still prefer the hygienic angle of the stainless steel used by Sacheu over any option that uses natural stone.
The Bottom Line
Why not add this to your beauty routine? That's my take. The safety, ease, and low cost of the Gua Sha tool by Sacheu really mean that you have nothing to lose. The research definitely supports that a tool like this can help to improve facial circulation, reduce muscle tightness, and support a more relaxed look. The cooling aspect mixed with massage movements can also do wonders for fighting puffiness.
Overall, this is one of those products that's “all perks” with no downsides. I think this is one of the easiest ways for anyone to tap into the ancient Chinese beauty practice of Gua Sha that was only available to people who visited high-end spas until very recently.
Tips for Success
Gua Sha is meant to support your current skincare routine instead of replacing it! Don't assume that you can slack on moisturizing and exfoliating just because you're going to be getting the skin riches of boosted circulation from this tool.
As a registered dietitian, I always like to remind people that one of the best ways to keep your skin beautiful and youthful is to stay hydrated! Make sure you're drinking plenty of water. If you're looking into the Gua Sha because you always wake up with puffy skin, consider if your diet might be causing some puffiness and inflammation.
Processed and high-salt foods can definitely “show up on our face” the next day. Keep nourishing your beauty with plenty of leafy greens and fresh fruits as you start pampering your skin with your new Gua Sha routine.
