Why Gua Sha Is the Original Form of At-Home Self-Care
July 15, 2020As seen in Vogue
“This emphasis on a top-to-toe approach is a nod to a somewhat obvious philosophy that is only beginning to gain traction in the beauty industry: “The skin is a map for what’s going on in the body,” explains Katie Woods, a Bay Area–based esthetician and the owner of Ritual SF, a San Francisco face-massage studio offering bespoke facials that incorporate gua sha tools and techniques. Before even entering the treatment room, I have to fill out two pages of paperwork covering everything from my menstrual cycle to my bowel movements, a line of questioning that is more comprehensive than many conversations I’ve had with my primary-care physician. The customized experience begins with an edible honey-and-berry mask that Woods prepares on the spot—“Your skin loved that,” she says as she wipes it off—and includes a deeply relaxing gua sha interlude administered with cooling spoons and stone tools of all shapes and sizes.”
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