Face rollers seem to be everywhere these days. Social media influencers swear by them, beauty stores offer dozens of different types, and skin care bloggers insist on adding one to your morning beauty routine. Which begs us to ask, why are these wand-shaped rollers so popular suddenly?
In reality, the face roller isn’t a new object nor is rolling a cool stone over the skin a new concept. Some historians believe that the practice of using jade rolling stones in beauty regimens dates back to the Qing Dynasty who ruled in 17th century China. The elite members used jade for its healing and soothing properties. By rolling the cool jade over the skin along the neck and face, these women believed it would keep them beautiful and ageless.
Now, centuries later we’ve taken up the practice again in hopes of achieving similar results. Let’s take a closer look to see if face rollers are worth the hype.
Consider some other beauty practices that utilize cooling agents to decrease puffiness and stimulate blood flow. We apply cold tea compresses or cucumber slices to tired, puffy eyes. A cold spoon placed on top of eye bags can provide immediate relief.
Jade rollers work much in the same way. Traditionally, the hand-held wand has two cylindrical stones on either end, one more oblong than the other. They can be made from jade or rose quartz and weigh less than one pound. At around six inches long, your facial roller can be stowed away in a purse or makeup bag with ease.
When kept in the refrigerator or freezer, the stones become very cold. Each cylinder easily rolls over the forehead, cheeks, and eyes, following the contours of your bone structure. The chilly temperature alleviates redness, irritation, or inflammation while the pressure of the hard stone provides a host of other benefits, including the following.
Pressing down gently with these rolling stones stimulates the blood vessels just under the surface of the thin facial skin. With increased blood flow comes a boost in oxygenated red blood cells. Splotches and redness may die down while the actual skin can look firmer and feel tighter because of the influx of new, oxygenated blood.
Allergy sufferers should consider buying a jade roller for its medicinal properties alone. Rolling the cool stone along the cheeks just next to the nose and underneath the eyes can help alleviate sinus pressure. Pressing the stones gently to apply pressure to the submandibular nodes encourages fluid and pressure away from the nose down the lymphatic drainage system.
Instead of using our fingers, a jade roller can be used to apply serums and boosters to the face after a cleansing routine. The roller can push the product deeper into your skin ensuring it is absorbed. For those with particularly dry skin or during winter’s harsh months, apply a nourishing moisturizer to the face first then roll a face oil on top to ramp up hydration.
Some dermatologists believe that rolling these cool stones along the face and neck can stimulate collagen production. Pair the practice with a hyaluronic acid cream for an added benefit.
The lymphatic draining system that sits just below the skin of our face and neck performs a complicated job. Lymph nodes collect bacteria and toxins, keeping them from entering the bloodstream. Like getting a massage, this build up of toxins needs to be released. The daily practice of running a jade roller along the face and neck massages the lymph nodes, facilitating the release of build up to reduce puffiness.
We can hold a lot of tension in the muscles of our face. Stress, sadness, or angst shows up in furrowed brows and frowns. Massaging these areas with a jade roller has similar benefits to getting a professional facial massage. Soothe tired muscles by massaging them gently with the cold rolling stone and you’ll soon feel a mental boost as well.
First, cleanse the face with a gentle yet effective wash. It’s important to remove all impurities before rolling the face, as you may force dirt and grime deeper into the pores. Try a purifying cleansing gel from the ACTIVE PURENESS line. Its soothing, gentle formula is powerful to fight excess sebum, sweat, and sediment to ensure the face is purified and free from blemish-causing toxins.
Apply your favorite sustainable skincare product like a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid to restore the skin’s natural balance and encourage a healthy biome.
The jade roller glides more easily across the skin when aided by a brightening serum, like the /skin regimen/ Vitamin C Serum, or an anti-aging natural retinol serum. The stone gently pushes the formulation deeper into the pores, boosting its efficacy.
Start from the inside of the face along the vertical axis and roll outwards towards the hairline and ears. Go at a moderate pace and don’t roll back and forth. Begin at the forehead and work your way down to underneath the eyes. Roll from the edge of your nostril out towards the ears, following the natural contours of the face. When rolling the jawline, start at the chin and roll upwards, opposite the direction of gravity, following the jawbone until it meets the ear. Roll the neck from the jawline down towards the collarbone.
Rollers come in varying stone options, including jade, rose quartz, and amethyst. Some believe that the stones have various properties and can provide additional benefits. For example, jade is said to have a calming effect while amethyst is known for its purifying properties. Some rollers are made of metal, jasper, or obsidian.
There are myriad ways to incorporate a jade face roller into your daily skin care routine. It’s up to you how much you utilize this tool, but here are some suggestions for getting the most out of this magic wand.
1. Store your face roller in the refrigerator or freezer after each use. Use it in the morning upon waking up and before applying your day-time moisturizer, sunscreen, and makeup.
2. Wash your face and take care of your nighttime skincare routine before grabbing your face roller and heading to bed. For a soothing evening ritual, roll the stones over your clean, moisturized face and take some deep breaths.
3. Carry it with you. If you’re one that enjoys squeezing in a midday workout on your lunch break, bring your jade roller to reduce post-workout redness. For stressful work environments or warm temperatures, a jade roller can offer soothing relief in the middle of a hectic day.
While studies are still underway proving the efficacy of face rollers, there’s no doubt that these stone tools stimulate blood circulation, alleviate redness, and reduce puffiness. When paired with high quality skincare products, like a [ comfort zone ] serum, booster or moisturizer, the roller becomes even more helpful in achieving your skin care goals.
A comprehensive skincare routine is necessary if you want to see lasting results. Adding a jade roller to your established cleansing, toning, and moisturizer process certainly doesn’t hurt. Use a natural retinol serum, vitamin C serum, or a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid to up anti-aging benefits and firm up the facial skin. For a professional facial massage akin to the at-home jade roller technique, find an experienced esthetician with our spa locator.
[ comfort zone ] prioritizes both people and planet when designing conscious skincare products. Sustainability sourced ingredients and years of research go into each skincare item while recycled packaging and green practices are just a few ways in which we achieved our B Corp status. We want to do more than provide effective skincare to our clients and strive to ensure our output leaves this planet and its residence in a position to not only survive, but to thrive.
