You’re probably familiar with face rolling, especially on social media. They seem to be everywhere right now and are taking social media by storm.
Face-rolling tools are commonly made from jade, rose quartz, or other crystals and are designed to softly massage the face and stimulate the lymphatic system to decrease puffiness, stimulate blood flow and ease tension.
We’ll explore the ins and outs of face rollers, including their efficacy, types, and benefits in this article!
Brief History of Facial Rollers
We all know that facial rollers are the newest craze right now, but in fact, it’s been a practice for quite some time. Some evidence suggests that flat stones, specifically jade, were used on the skin in China as far back as the 7th century. Other crystals are also believed to have been used in the Middle Ages and ancient India for skincare. They consider jade to be the stone of eternal youth and that it was thought to be a good luck charm that could bring prosperity and fortune into your life.
Does Face Rolling Actually Work?
Of course, if you roll the right way. It’s important to roll with passion and not just all over your face. Also, only roll upwards, not back and forth. This is the key to getting a more sculpted effect on your face. Rolling in the morning is best since crystal rollers are naturally cool, especially rose quartz, which is denser. Chilling it inside the refrigerator would garner even better results.
But also, the benefits of facial rollers vary depending on what corner of the internet you are on.
The technique is more customarily known as lymphatic face massage or lymphatic drainage massage, it drains fluid from the skin and muscle tissue on your face.
The idea behind this is that rolling the crystal across your skin while applying light pressure prompts oxygen-rich blood to the skin’s surface and increases circulation and blood flow, which helps the skin release some toxins and reduce inflammation.
But there are claims that it improves:
- Blood circulation
- Skin tone
- Increases resiliency of the skin
- Reduced puffiness
- Wrinkles
- Dark under-eye circles
- Minimized presence of toxins in the skin
- Tightens pores
Here’s how lymphatic massage works, as we continue to age, our body’s ability to remove excess fluid from our lymphatic system declines and is not as effective as before. Promoting lymphatic flow using a gentle roller massage and stimulation can result in some of the benefits listed above.
It’s also important to take note that the effectiveness of lymphatic massage and facial rolling generally differs from other people; however, you can also expect to see noticeable improvements in the appearance of dark eye circles and puffiness throughout your face.
Types of Facial Rollers
There are many types of facial rollers on the market, knowing where to start is a must. Since there are many options if you ever searched for a facial roller on Google. It’s important to discover which material is suitable for you.
Listed below are the common types of facial rollers you can find:
- Rose Quartz
- Jade
- Clear Quartz
- Amethyst
- Blue Soladite
- Red Jasper
- Black Obsidian
Benefits of Facial Rollers
Facial rollers have a lot of benefits since facial massage and face rolling do have some similar tendencies. Facial massage tends to work deeper into the skin tissues to relax muscles and ease tension. Both of these techniques do help boost circulation, leaving your complexion with a rosy, radiant look and the appearance of smoother, more taut skin [2].
1. Improves Blood Circulation
The face roller is best for improving your blood circulation since it stimulates blood flow to your face that helps make your skin look brighter [3].
2. Decreases Puffiness
It may also decrease puffiness like under-eye bags, this can be achieved by stimulating lymphatic drainage. A research study has linked this type of massage to a decrease in swelling. Further research is needed to link facial rollers and their benefits in lessening the puffiness in your face [4].
3. Improves Mood
A study from 2008 suggested that facial massage reduces anxiety for some people [5].
4. Enhances Skin
There’s a study from 2017 about facial massage that showed some anti-aging effects, which is best if combined with an anti-aging cream. However, it was not done with facial rollers specifically [6].
5. Cools and Soothes Skin
Some people store their facial rollers in the refrigerator, but you can also use a naturally cold stone like jade, which will cool your skin on contact. Moreover, the benefits of this are still to be determined, but some people enjoy how it feels.
6. Distributes Skin Care Product
Facial rollers are typically used with an oil or moisturizer to help the tool glide across your skin. This process delivers the product well and deeper into your skin, but no research has proven this yet.
How to Use a Facial Roller
The best part of using the face roller is that you can use it wherever you want and however you want. It’s a quick pick-up and also great for vamping up your face right before a party or a meeting since results can be seen in seconds.
These are the steps to follow when using a facial roller:
- Use a facial oil, serum, or moisturizer that’s slippery enough to evenly glide on your skin. If no lubrication is present, the tool can pull or tug your skin, which can contribute to wrinkles.
- Always start at your neck and roll upwards. Roll up, not back and forth.
- Roll from your jawline going to your ear on both sides using gentle pressure. Continuing this motion all the way from your jaw to your cheekbone.
- Using an upward direction, roll from your forehead up towards your hairline. It’s the same gentle pull you’re using as if you were pulling your skin taut and wrinkle-free with your hands.
- Roll flat over your eyebrows horizontally, this may feel relieving if you have a headache.
There are also facial massages or facial exercises you can perform without a roller, it’s called “face yoga”. Wherein you can give yourself an at-home facial without the use of tools.
Tips for Face Rolling
The best way to utilize your face rollers is to keep them in the refrigerator. Most crystal face rollers are naturally cold, using an extra-cold tool will tighten pores and wake up a worn-out face at the end of a long day. This makes it particularly good to use before an event. It may also be great to use for headaches.
How Often Can You Use a Facial Roller?
It’s safe to use face rollers every day. A certain study indicates that you’ll see better results if you use it long-term as well.
How to Clean Your Facial Roller?
Cleaning your facial roller is a must since we often put this directly onto our skin.
- Always wipe off any excess oil or product left on the roller with a soft and clean washcloth. Wiping it off after every use is a good idea.
- Apply a gentle face wash or soap to kill the bacteria. Rinse thoroughly using room temperature water.
- Don’t put very hot water on your facial roller or soak it in water.
- Put it on a clean cloth to dry and lay it horizontally.
Face Rolling vs. Gua Sha
We can see that there are a few differences along with so many similarities between Gua Sha and Facial Rolling, but it always comes down to preference in modality. First, the difference between the two is the shape and usage of the tool, one is on a handle to roll gently on the skin, and the other one is shaped to be held in hand.
Moreover, the facial roller can be much more convenient and a quick option by stimulating blood flow and draining puffiness. Although the gua sha can help incorporate intuitive flow to your routine, which allows you to go deeper while spending more time indulging in the ritual of skincare.
The Bottomline: What Are Face Rollers?
A facial roller is a relaxing tool, and it might have some potential benefits for your skin. Rolling is an excellent addition to your skincare regimen. The gentle stimulation it gives helps to oxygenate your face and provides many benefits. The best part is it also requires minimal effort. Spending a couple of minutes during your beauty ritual and giving yourself a mini facial massage is exactly a luxury in your routine.
Disclaimer: This article is only a guide. It does not substitute the advice given by your own healthcare professional. Before making any health-related decision, consult your healthcare professional.
Editorial References And Fact-Checking
- Miyaji, A., Sugimori, K., & Hayashi, N. (2018). Short- and long-term effects of using a facial massage roller on facial skin blood flow and vascular reactivity. Complementary therapies in medicine, 41, 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.09.009
- Ezzo, J., Manheimer, E., McNeely, M. L., Howell, D. M., Weiss, R., Johansson, K. I., Bao, T., Bily, L., Tuppo, C. M., Williams, A. F., & Karadibak, D. (2015). Manual lymphatic drainage for lymphedema following breast cancer treatment. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (5), CD003475. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003475.pub2
- Hatayama, T., Kitamura, S., Tamura, C., Nagano, M., & Ohnuki, K. (2008). The facial massage reduced anxiety and negative mood status, and increased sympathetic nervous activity. Biomedical research (Tokyo, Japan), 29(6), 317–320. https://doi.org/10.2220/biomedres.29.317
- Caberlotto, E., Ruiz, L., Miller, Z., Poletti, M., & Tadlock, L. (2017). Effects of a skin-massaging device on the ex-vivo expression of human dermis proteins and in-vivo facial wrinkles. PloS one, 12(3), e0172624. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172624
