How to Gua Sha with skin expert Dawn Conder

I am so excited to have guest blogger Dawn Conder back to share some incredible holistic skincare tips! Dawn is an expert in Gua Sha, and is going to walk his through the importance of the practice, how to do it properly and how to incorporate it into our daily skincare routine.

Gua Sha is more than a trend, here are some tips for getting started!

It’s everywhere…tutorials on social media using small flat tools (A.K.A. Gua Sha Stones) to chisel jawlines and smooth out furrow lines. I may be partial as a Certified Hayo’u Method Gua Sha instructor, but I believe there is much more to this practice than any viral video can convey! 

While Gua Sha may seem to be a new beauty trend, it has actually been widely practiced in China for thousands of years.  The description is in the name, with ‘Gua’ meaning to rub, and ‘Sha’ describing the redness that results. This technique has been used to treat colds, coughs, fevers, migraines, headaches, stress, back pain, neck and shoulder pain, pulled muscles, injuries, numbness, and of course ageing. 

Used in beauty routine, Gua Sha has many benefits including:

-Increasing micro circulation in the skin up to 400%, flooding the skin with micro-nutrients. 

-Over time, increases levels of collagen and elastin 

-Reducing expression lines

-Reducing puffiness

-Reducing Facial Tension

-Contouring cheeks and jawline

-Supporting lymphatic drainage 

-Can be used to activate acupressure points

There are many shapes and types of Gua Sha stones. I recommend starting with a Jade Stone that is in the traditional heart shape. Jade has cooling properties, is a stronger stone better for sculpting than clear or rose quartz, and is suitable for all skin types. The traditional heart shaped stone is easy to hold and will allow for a multi-purpose routine. Whichever Gua Sha you choose, make sure it is 100% Crystal or Stone.  If it’s not it could be mixed with glass, plastic, or a chemically treated crystal and you will be getting an inferior skin massage.

Don’t forget to apply a facial oil or a face balm, with enough glide across the contours of the face to prevent pulling or tugging of the skin. Because your skin is your largest organ, look for products with high-performing ingredients that exclude potential chemicals of concern like fragrance, parabans, phthalate’s, formaldehyde releasers, and hormone disruptors.

As with any new routine, consistency is key for results. Start with a 5 to 15 minute routine a few times a week, eventually increasing to daily once familiar with the stone tools and techniques. While social media may move on to the next trend, your glowing smooth skin will encourage you to continue your Gua Sha practice long after.

Here are my go to products for Gua Sha that are natural, free of toxins or harsh chemicals, and safe during pregnancy and the whole family. (As a side note: All of the products below are safe for all skin types and ages, however the practice of Gua Sha is contraindicated for bleeding disorders, use of blood thinners or chronic cortisone users, and just the first trimester of pregnancy.)

100% Jade Gua Sha

Hugh & Grace Renewing Night Serum

Hugh & Grace Day C Serum

Dawn is a wife and a mom of two teens, living in Naples, Florida. As a Clean Beauty Specialist and the Owner of The Face Naturalist, it is her passion to inspire others they are worthy of  loving the way their skin looks and feels at any age. Certified as a Hayo’u Method Gua Sha Instructor and Advanced Danielle Collins Face Yoga Method Educator, she teaches a holistic approach to skincare by integrating non-invasive techniques, non-toxic products, and a balanced lifestyle. Follow at https://Instagram.com/thefacenaturalist or https://msha.ke/thefacenaturalist

4 Non-toxic beauty items I can't live without

I live for non-toxic, clean skincare.

I spend substantially more money, time and energy on my skincare than I do on makeup and beauty care.

Over the past few years I have learned that so many of our daily skincare products are loaded with harmful chemicals and toxins, and I made a huge switch to all non-toxic skincare, beauty care, and self care products.

I have a very consistent morning and evening skincare routine, and today I’m sharing 4 of my favorite non-toxic skincare items that I can not live without!

Acure Beauty Moroccan Argan Oil

Tula Brighting Eye Balm

Cocokind Texture Smoothie Cream

Cocokind Rosewater Toner

Vitamin C & Skincare

By now we all know how important Vitamin C is for our immune system…but did you know Vitamin C is essential for your skin as well?

Vitamin C is one of my top tricks for clear glowing skin!

Using Vitamin C topically on your face helps to fight free radicals, brightens and evens out skin tone. This brightening effect helps to get rid of dark spots and prevent future dark spots from forming. 

The natural collagen in Vitamin C help to support and create firm, plump, and smooth skin. Think of it as tightening and toning for the face!

The antioxidants found in Vitamin C help to prevent fine lines and signs of aging. Talk about a multi-purpose serum! I like to use efficient and effective products on my skin…little multi-tackers if you will…and Vitamin C is definitely in my daily line up. 

Eating Vitamin C is not quite the same as applying it topically on your skin. When we eat Vitamin C (think oranges and strawberries) it goes to our gut and has to be digested and broken down, not much of it is making it’s way to our skin. When we apply topical Vitamin C to our outer most layer of skin it really helps to fight the free radicals and dark spots, but also acts as a protection barrier. 

There are literally so many benefits to adding a Vitamin C serum to your morning skincare routine. 

The Vitamin C serum I’m currently loving is Coco Kind Vitamin C & Sea Grape Caviar. All of their products are super clean, light weight, and affordable.

Have you tried Vitamin C before? Comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Holistic Skincare 101: How to Prevent Acne

I get a ton of messages and comments IRL and on my social media pages about my skin. People always want to know what my secret is to glowing, smooth skin? I’m not going to lie, part of it is good genes (thanks Mom & Dad). Although I do take incredibly good care of my skin, you could say it’s a hobby!

I have a pretty die hard morning skincare routine and evening skincare routine that I can share in a future post. (comment below and let me know if you would be interested in that!)

Today let’s focus on clear skin, and what it takes to be acne free. 

Our skin is our largest organ, whatever we put on our skin will ultimately be absorbed into our skin and into our bloodstream. This is why organic and clean beauty and skincare products are so important. The liver and kidneys are the two main organs involved in detoxification, so when we consume or ingest chemicals and toxins into our body (think toxic skincare) we make their job even harder. 

So now that you know your skin is your largest organ, let’s take a step back. My number 1 piece of advice, and the entire point of this post, is that NUTRITION IS KEY. 

I still stand behind the philosophy of “you are what you eat”. What we eat has such a huge impact on our skin. Dairy is one of the biggest contributors to acne and redness on the face. This is primarily because dairy, especially cows milk dairy, is injected with tons of hormones, antibiotics, and other toxins. When we eat dairy we are in turn ingesting these toxins, hormones, and antibiotics…gross! If you want to be grossed out even more…dairy is filled with blood and pus. In fact the FDA legally allows 750 MILLION pus cells in every liter of milk?!? How crazy is that. So yeah, dairy is terrible for your skin. Pus in your milk turns to acne on your face. 

Inflammatory foods are also a major cause of acne…think gluten and sugar. Both of these food groups cause major inflammation inside the body, redness on the face, and acne breakouts. Fast food is another big contributor to acne. Chances are your favorite fast food staples are loaded with gluten, diary and sugar…not only wrecking havoc on your digestive system but also on your skin. If you are suffering from acne try eliminating these foods for 21-40 days and see how your body responds…chances are clear skin is right around the corner!

Stress is another huge contributor to acne. Ever notice that you tend to break out more when there is a big deadline or exam coming up? It’s not a coincidence. In order to keep your stress down make sure that you are taking time for yourself every day. Go for a walk, meditate, journal, do some gentle yoga. Take time to move and breathe in a way that is relaxing and healing for your soul. This will help to keep your stress down, and will help to keep those unwanted acne flare up away!

If you enjoy posts like this and want to learn more about holistic skincare comment below and let me know!

Photo Taken By: Jontel There Photography