What is a Jade roller?
Simply put, a jade roller is a beauty tool made of jade or other stones that’s used for face massage. The tools aren’t anything new, just hyper-visible thanks to social media. Like Gua sha, jade rollers date back to seventh-century China, and crystals have been used in skin care for thousands of years.
The crystal isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, but most of the benefits come from the fact that it’s cold to the touch (and even more so if, like some enthusiasts, you store it in the fridge). “The practice of applying a cold sensation and pressure to an area has been used for centuries because it works without fail,” says Joie Tavernise, aesthetician and founder of JTAV Clinical Skincare in NYC. “It’s simple: The cold restricts blood flow to a particular area, and pressure pushes fluid, known as lymph, to the lymph nodes, which process it and filter out toxins.”
Do Jade rollers really work?
While they may be widely touted as skincare miracle workers, there’s nothing inherently healing about the jade stone, and you are unlikely to achieve long-lasting benefits or significant collagen stimulation from jade rolling, says Bard.
That doesn’t mean it’s not worth the time of day, though. “Any gadget that increases the blood flow to your skin will definitely give your skin a glow,” says Jaliman. So if it feels good and is a welcome part of your self care routine, jade rolling can’t hurt. Just don’t expect to get J.Lo’s youthful aura overnight—or even in a month or twoS
How do Jade rollers work?
The key to getting in on the de-puffing, glow enhancing benefits is knowing how to use Jade rollers correctly. According to Tavernise, the goal is to push the fluid trapped in your skin cells toward your lymph nodes. She likes to do three strokes of light pressure, working with one side of the face at a time.
Here’s how she recommends doing that: Start at the center of your chin, rolling out and up toward your ear. Then move the roller up to the side of your mouth and repeat. Repeat again, starting this time at the side of the nose. Roll it under your eye, moving it horizontally toward your temple, and repeat it on your eyelid. On your forehead, roll it up from your brow to your hairline. Then roll it horizontally out toward your temple. Finally, repeat on the other side of your face.
Effect Of Jade Rollers.
There’s no scientific research on jade rollers. But based on the medical knowledge we do have, here’s my take:
Jade rollers may help reduce puffiness. Anything cool applied to the skin may help to calm swelling temporarily, by constricting blood vessels and reducing inflammation. Cool compresses could come in the form of cucumber slices, ice packs, chilled washcloths, frozen peas, a splash of chilly water, or the cool stone of a jade roller. The few times I’ve used one, I’ve stashed it in the fridge beforehand to help maximize its puff reducing capabilities. (The cool roller feels soothing – but the anti swelling benefits are admittedly mild, and temporary.)
1.Jade rollers might improve circulation.
Poor sleep, extra salt intake, fluid retention, gravity, illness, infection, and other factors could slow circulation or lead to increased swelling in the head and neck. This often manifests as under eye swelling or dark circles. Massage (with the help of a jade roller or otherwise) or exercise may improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage, helping to funnel extra fluid out of the head and neck and back into the circulation.
2. Jade rollers could spread germs.
Roll any germy device over the skin and it might contribute to breakouts, inflamed hair follicles, or infection (like if the cold sore virus, herpes simplex, is spread around). If you use a jade roller, clean it before each use with alcohol, chlorhexidine, or a gentle cleanser, and only apply it to clean, intact skin.
3. Jade rollers should not be used over enlarged lymph nodes.
There are over 300 of these tiny glands in our head and neck, and they are an essential part of our body’s immune defenses against germs, illness, and even some cancers. If you feel any swollen, enlarged, tender, rubbery, or firm lymph nodes in the face, neck, or anywhere else – especially if they’ve persisted for more than a couple of weeks – put the jade roller away and seek the care of a physician.
How Often should you do Jade roller?
There is no limit on how often you should use a jade roller – in fact, acupuncturist Maudie suggests making it a regular step in your beauty regime: “You can a Jade Roller every day, there are no limits to this practise. The key is to introduce the ritual to your routine slowly, with intention.”
Dr Catherine is an advocate of using a jade roller, “At least 1 to 2 times a week,” to see a difference.
Or twos
Jade roller benefits.
While there are plenty of rave reviews for jade rollers across Instagram and YouTube, I decided to go to an actual dermatologist to see whether they live up to their anecdotal hype. It turns out even some of those too-good-to-be-true skin benefits just may be legit.
“The real benefit of jade rollers or facial massage is improving circulation and lymphatic drainage, so you look more glowing and less puffy,” says, Jennifer Chwalek, M.D, a dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in NYC.
“Marma point massage (or Ayurvedic massage), acupressure, or even gentle facial massage, when done correctly to your face, is known to help calm the mind and improve headaches, TMJ pain, sinus congestion, eye strain, and puffiness of the lower eyelids,” she says.
The bottom line: There’s no significant science to support the hype behind jade rollers. But if they’re a part of a soothing, feel-good home ritual, why not.
