Jade facial rollers and tools may have come onto the mainstream beauty scene sometime in the last five years, but they've been a part of Chinese skincare routines since the 7th century. The pretty gemstone tools act as a dual-sided facial massager to help reduce swelling, promote blood circulation, drain lymphatic fluids and more — plus, jade gemstones are thought to soothe the mind and help release negative thoughts. While they certainly look lovely, I've personally never noticed a big difference from my jade rollers — which is why I was intrigued by Sachue's new and improved take on the tools.
Sachue founder and beauty influencer, Sarah Cheung, grew up in Asia where facial rollers and gua sha tools — a smoother facial tool that can be rubbed along the face to release tension, sculpt the facial muscles, and more — were a part of her beauty routine since she was young. However, she realized that jade and quartz, the two traditional materials used in the tools, were porous and could harbor acne-causing bacteria, which is a big no-no for a product you're rubbing on your skin daily. The excessive mining of these gemstones was also problematic for the environment. To combat these two issues, she reimagined the traditional tools, using 100 percent recycled stainless steel to create her own versions. The result was non-porous, eco-friendly skincare tools that are better for your skin and the environment.
Shop now: $35, sacheu.com
I decided to put the stainless steel facial roller to the test first, since it was the product I was most familiar with. Unlike my jade roller, which is still sitting in my freezer as we speak, the stainless steel facial roller was naturally cooling to the touch. It also felt a lot more durable than my jade roller, which had begun to rust and squeak — probably from sitting in my freezer. I applied my nighttime skincare concoctions, which include serums and creams, and then used the facial roller in an outward motion along my forehead, cheekbones, and under-eyes to rub in the products. I didn't notice much of a difference — though I did feel more relaxed — but figured the real test would come in the morning, once my products had set overnight.
I woke up and realized that this is what facial rollers were supposed to do. My morning face, which is normally puffy, was significantly less bloated and my under-eye bags were slightly less pillowy. I also felt like my skincare products had really melted into my skin overnight, and was hesitant to wash my face and ruin the glow.
Shop now: $35, sacheu.com
I was so pleased with the results I decided to try the gua sha tool next. Gua sha literally translates to "scrape wind," according to Anna Lam, of Ginger Chi, a natural boutique in New York — which makes sense, as you lightly "scrape" the tool across your face to promote new blood flow — and it has traditionally been used to relieve muscle pain and release toxins. Unlike the jade roller, which moves in one direction, the gua sha tool has a unique curved shape that's great for sculpting and contouring the face. According to Cheung, it can also penetrate much deeper into the muscles. I had no idea where to begin, so thankfully Sachue had a helpful YouTube tutorial on the site.
According to Cheung's tutorial, the best time to use the gua sha tool is in the morning because you've been "laying horizontal" all night so there's "a lot of fluid retention" in the face. (Let's pretend I knew that and wasn't just overly zealous to try the tool right when I woke up.) Her biggest tip is to use a "slip agent" like serum or a moisturizer, before using the tool "otherwise you're just breaking down the collagen." She notes that in traditional Chinese medicine, you scrape the gua sha tool until you're red, but you should only use light to medium pressure on your face and repeat each motion five times. She demonstrates that you should scrape along the jawline and "wiggle" at the end of the jawline with the divet side. Then she scrapes along her cheekbones with the curved side, her eyebrows with the divet side, her forehead with the curved side, the bridge of her nose with the divet side, and so on. The biggest takeaway for me was that you use the smaller divet side for tighter areas like corners and the smooth curved side for larger muscles.
While the stainless steel roller seemed to help set my products and deliver results overnight, the results from the gua sha roller were nearly instant. My jawline was more sculpted and my previously non-existent cheekbones were visible. I can't speak to wrinkle-reduction since I think that may come over time, but the sculpting and lymphatic drainage effects were instantly noticeable. Plus, the cooling effect felt like a splash of cold water on my face, making me feel less groggy and more awake.
If you too have been wondering why your facial rollers aren't delivering the results TikTok promised, I highly suggest trying Sacheu's stainless steel tools ASAP.
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