Gua sha (literally "scraping sand" in Mandarin) is one of the oldest and most accessible TCM practices. It's done with a smooth stone (traditionally water buffalo horn, often today rose quartz, jade or bian) moved across the skin in steady, gentle strokes. It is widely practised in modern China for face care, for releasing held tension in the neck and shoulders, and as part of a slow evening routine.
If you've come across "gua sha" through skincare content online, the version you've seen is usually the lighter, facial side of the practice: small heart-shaped tools, soft strokes, a few minutes at the end of the day. The deeper, traditional body practice is firmer, and is usually something you'd learn from a practitioner rather than from a website.
Our own tool (a contoured stone with a warm-light feature, currently in development) sits firmly in the gentle, daily-practice side.
