7-Minute Gua Sha Face Lift Routine (Follow Along for Lift, Glow, and Less Puffiness)

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If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought, “Why does my face look puffy today?” you’re not alone. Gua sha, a facial gua sha technique from traditional Chinese medicine, can help your skin look more awake, feel less tight, and appear more lifted, especially around the jaw and cheeks.

This follow-along Gua Sha Face Lift Routine focuses on the things many women want most: glow, less puffiness, sculpted cheekbones, and a more defined jawline for facial rejuvenation (yes, even when the “double chin” is really just fluid that’s hanging out under the jaw).

It’s a quick at-home practice, it feels good, and it works best when you treat it like your few minutes of quiet time. You’ll need a gua sha tool and an oil for slip, such as a cleansing oil like the IUNIK Cleansing Oil or any facial oil your skin tolerates well. If you still need a tool, here’s a gua sha facial tool option similar to the one used in the routine.

Follow Along Gua Sha Routine : My 7 Minute Face Lift (That Actually Works!)

Why gua sha works (and why it can change how your face looks)

Gua sha is simple, but it’s not random scraping. When you do it gently, with slip, and in the right direction, it supports a few things that affect how your face looks day to day.

It boosts lymphatic flow and helps reduce puffiness

A lot of “puffiness” is fluid that hasn’t drained well. Gentle strokes can encourage lymphatic drainage so your face looks less swollen, especially:

• Under the eyes

• Around the mouth

• Along the jawline

• Under the chin (where a “double chin” can sometimes just be fluid retention)

It increases circulation for a natural glow

More circulation means more blood flow to the skin. That’s often why people notice a fresher look after gua sha. Skin can look more bright and alive, not flat or dull.

It releases tension that pulls features downward

Many of us hold muscle tension without noticing it, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, tightness around the mouth, and even tension in the brow.

When muscles stay tense, they shorten. Shorter, tight muscles can pull the face down over time. Relaxing those areas can help your face look more lifted, and it can feel amazing if your jaw tends to feel sore or “locked up.”

It supports firmness by working with skin and fascia

Think of gua sha like a gentle face workout. You’re not trying to “fix” your face, you’re helping it move better. With consistent practice, it can support anti-aging benefits by improving skin texture and skin elasticity, especially as the lymph system slows down with age.

Gua sha basics: the biggest dos and don’ts

Doing Gua Sha the right way matters more than doing it hard.

The must-do’s

1. Start with lymph node activation
   This is like opening the drain before you start moving fluid. (You’ll do quick pumps at the armpits, collarbones, throat, sides of the nose, and around the ears.)

2. Use oil or serum for slip
   You should never tug dry skin. Use a facial oil, serum, or cleansing oil. The IUNIK Cleansing Oil is one option for your gua sha stone, but any skin-safe oil works, as long as you aren’t sensitive to it.

3. Use light pressure
   This is your face, not a deep-tissue massage. Start feather-light, then adjust slightly based on comfort.

4. Anchor the skin
   Use your free hand to brace (for example, a finger on the chin while you work the jawline). Anchoring helps you glide without dragging.

5. Don’t skip the neck area and behind the ears
   Drainage pathways matter. The neck work also feels ridiculously good.

6. Go at your own pace
   “7 minutes” might be 10 the first few times. That’s fine. The point is to enjoy it.

The don’ts (read these)

• Don’t do Gua Sha over active acne, broken skin, or fresh breakouts. Wait until skin calms down.

• Don’t use heavy pressure. More pressure doesn’t mean better results.

• Don’t Gua Sha right after Botox or fillers. Wait at least 2 weeks, then resume gently.

A simple “spa night” at-home routine approach that works

If you’re doing this at night, it can help to treat it like a mini routine:

• Cleanse first.

• Apply facial oil to gua sha.

• Wash off the oil after, then do your normal skincare.

What you need before you start

• A gua sha tool to sculpt and contour (such as jade gua sha, rose quartz, or stainless steel gua sha; any comfortable shape works). If you need one, try a gua sha facial tool.

• A facial oil or cleansing oil for slip, such as the IUNIK Cleansing Oil.

• Clean hands and a clean face.

Also, plan to clean your tool after. A basic face wash works well.

Step 1: Activate lymph nodes (the “open the drain” step)

Do this before you apply oil and before you start the strokes to kickstart lymphatic drainage. Aim for about 10 gentle pumps each.

• Armpits: squeeze and release

• Collarbones: pump along the collarbone area

• Throat (front of neck): light pumps

• Sides of the nose: gentle pumps

• Around ears: a light squeeze at the front and behind the ears

This step is quick, but it makes the rest of the at-home routine work better.

Step 2: Apply oil to chest, neck, and face

Use 1 to 2 pumps of facial oil (or enough to create slip).

Spread it across:

• Chest (décolleté)

• Neck area

• Face

You may notice your skin looks a bit pink as you go. That’s normal for many people because you’re increasing circulation and touching the skin. This creates the ideal slip for Gua Sha.

The 7-minute gua sha routine (follow along visually, then make it your own)

Follow this step-by-step tutorial, which is often easiest if you do one side first, then the other. You’ll see the lift happen in real time, which helps you learn the angles.

A good rule: repeat strokes around 5 to 10 times, or simply until the area feels softer and less tight.

Chest (décolleté) strokes (optional, but worth it)

Many people skip the chest, but this area often shows early signs of aging and offers key anti-aging benefits.

1. Light strokes from center outward
   Move from the center of the chest toward the shoulder.

2. Slightly firmer strokes up and in
   On the chest, you can use a bit more pressure than the face. If you find a tender or tight spot, pause there and massage gently before continuing.

Repeat on both sides.

Jawline: sculpt and contour, glide across, then drain down

Use a curved edge of the gua sha stone.

• Place a finger or two on your chin to anchor.

• Glide along the jawline (from chin toward the ear) to sculpt and contour, then continue the stroke down the side of the neck to encourage drainage.

• Add a tiny wiggle near the jaw if it feels good.

This is a favorite area for anyone who clenches or grinds their teeth. The release can ease muscle tension immediately.

Under the jaw: short tension-release strokes

Switch to the indented edge.

• Use small, short strokes under the jawline where tension gathers.

• Keep pressure light and controlled.

Neck: gentle upward strokes, then down

Using the curved edge:

• Glide up the side of the neck with small wiggle for upward strokes.

• Then glide down to drain.

If you deal with sinus pressure, you might notice things start moving. (Not glamorous, but it’s a sign drainage is happening.)

Smile lines: soften, then lift

Using a flatter edge:

• Anchor your chin again.

• Work into the smile line area with short strokes, then guide the motion in and up toward the cheek.

Some people like to stroke upward repeatedly here. If that feels better, do that. The key is: gentle pressure, lots of slip, and an upward finish.

Cheekbones: sculpt and contour up and out

Use a curved edge that hugs the cheekbone.

• Glide from near the nose outward to sculpt and contour, then lift up along the cheekbone.

• This also catches the area under the eye, which is where many women hold fluid.

Consistency here can change how “defined” your cheekbones look, even without makeup.

Under-eye and orbital bone: stay very gentle

This area needs light pressure.

• Do tiny, light strokes around the orbital bone (not on the eyeball area).

• Follow with a few smoothing strokes that lift outward and up.

This can be helpful if you wake up with eye puffiness.

Brow bone massage: slow and soothing

Using one edge of the tool:

• Trace around the brow bone with small movements.

• Pause where it feels tight.

A lot of tension lives here, especially if you squint often or hold stress in your forehead.

Forehead lift: upward strokes into the hairline

Using the flat edge:

• Glide upward from brow toward the hairline with upward strokes.

• Add a small wiggle at the top if it feels good.

This is where you often notice a visible “lift” effect, especially around the brows.

The “11s” (between brows): short strokes, then lift

For the lines between the eyebrows:

• Use short back-and-forth strokes.

• Then smooth upward.

Keep the pressure light. Think “polish,” not “press.”

Double chin work: lift under the jaw, then drain

This part targets fluid retention and helps define the jawline.

• Use the curved edge under the jawline.

• Glide along the underside of the jaw with upward intention.

• Finish by draining down the side of the neck.

Repeat on both sides.

Lips (optional add-on): plump and lift with tiny strokes

Don’t do this on dry lips. Use balm first if needed.

1. Upper lip lift

• Use small upward strokes on the upper lip area.

• Focus on lifting that area gently.

2. Lower lip strokes

• Stroke from the center outward.

• Add small upward lifts at the corners.

3. Inward strokes

• Use short strokes moving inward on both top and bottom lips.

This can make lips look a bit more awake and full, especially around the corners.

Quick Gua Sha Face Lift Routine recap (so you can remember it tomorrow)

1. Activate lymph nodes (armpits, collarbones, throat, nose, ears)

2. Apply oil to chest, neck, and face

3. Chest strokes (optional)

4. Jawline glide and drain

5. Under-jaw short strokes

6. Neck upward strokes, then drain down

7. Smile line strokes up and out

8. Cheekbone lift

9. Under-eye smoothing

10. Brow bone massage

11. Forehead lift to hairline

12. “11s” short strokes and lift

13. Under-jaw lift (double chin focus), then drain

14. Lips (optional)

If you only do the face steps of this at-home Gua Sha routine, it can fit into about 7 minutes once you know the flow.

Aftercare: clean your tool and store it safely

When you’re done:

• Wash your gua sha tool with your face wash.

• Dry it and store it wrapped in a clean microfiber cloth, which can help prevent breaks if it’s in a drawer.

Helpful extras and watch-next resources

If you want a companion guide on what to avoid, this facial gua sha mistakes video by a TCM practitioner pairs well with the routine.

Conclusion

If your face looks puffy, tired, or tense, a consistent Gua Sha routine can help with facial rejuvenation, reduce puffiness, and reveal a natural glow without a big time commitment. Apply light pressure, always use facial oil, and don’t skip the drainage steps.

Do Gua Sha a few times a week, and pay attention to how your jaw, cheeks, and under-eye area respond. Save the video and follow along until the moves feel natural, then make it your own.

This routine is for educational and informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. Don’t use it to diagnose or treat a health condition, consult a qualified health care provider for questions or concerns.