Hayo’u’s Gua Sha Tools Turn Your Daily Skincare Routine Into a Powerful Act of Self-Care

I have to admit that before the pandemic and lockdowns began, I was not very good at maintaining a consistent nighttime beauty routine.

But last spring, that all changed, and my nightly wind down has become an essential act of self-care. It always involved washing my face before applying the proper mists, serums and moisturizers, but it was missing one crucial step.

While I'd heard a lot about the mood and skin benefits of gua sha in the past, I hadn't had the opportunity to try it for myself. That is, until recently, when I was sent some incredible tools from the self-care brand Hayo'u. I've now been using them for a couple of weeks, and I've been very pleased with the results.

The Brand

Hayo'u was founded by Chinese medicine practitioner Katie Brindle, harnessing the ancient practices of gua sha to help everything from poor digestion and unhealthy skin to fatigue and anxiety. The brand revolves around self-care and the fact that we often have the power within ourselves to heal minor ailments. The practices used by the brand have been around for thousands of years, and represent a holistic approach to health and wellness.

Hayo'u sells special tools, as well as oils and washes, to make this possible, and includes self-care rituals for each product that take only a few minutes each to practice. The jade, clear quartz and rose quartz tools—each said to have their own unique properties—include beauty restorers, body combs, precision tools and compresses. When used on the face and body, these tools are said to support lymphatic drainage, improve energy levels and make you feel better in general.

For my review, I was sent Hayo'u's Jade Body Comb (£38), the Face Beauty Oil (£33) and the Rose Quartz Beauty Restorer (£38).

 

The Products

Jade Body Comb

My bundle of Hayo'u goodies arrived well before my bedtime routine would kick in, so I decided to start with the Jade Body Comb. The comb is pure jade, but is much more lightweight than it appears, and comes in a velvet pouch. It can be used to massage your body through your clothes or against bare skin. According to the included pamphlet, it can be used to invigorate the scalp, promote hair growth, boost circulation and lymphatic drainage and target cellulite and water retention while smoothing skin. Knowing that, I was excited to jump right in.

I started by running the comb over my scalp, which immediately had the effect of a gentle, soothing head massage. Immediately, that process made me feel more focused and grounded. I followed that up by trying the rest of the body comb ritual, which involved sweeping the comb down the sides of my arms, then across my waist, buttocks and thighs, eight times each. This was a ridiculously relaxing process, and felt so good I immediately repeated it—and I've since returned to it daily, leaving me feeling calm yet concentrated.

But the comb isn't just good for the included rituals. The smooth side also feels so good pressed against the skin (especially when it's cold) and is great for massaging tense areas, while the comb edge gives a great massage pretty much anywhere on the body. It's become a beloved ritual in my household, and I don't think we'll stop using it anytime soon.

(via Hayo'u)

 

Hayo'u Beauty Oil

The Hayo'u Beauty Oil is designed to use in tandem with the facial gua sha tools, but I think it's a great face oil even on its own. It smells incredible thanks to the inclusion of ingredients such as lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang while also being rich and hydrating. It makes my skin feel great, though it does maintain a slightly oily consistency for longer than some serums. That's because it absorbs more slowly than most oils in order to protect skin during powerful facial massages with a beauty restorer. I use it with my nightly routine, and I have zero complaints.

(via Hayo'u)

 

Rose Quartz Beauty Restorer

Though I love the beauty oil on its own, it's even better when used along with this Rose Quartz Beauty Restorer. It also comes in a velvet bag and the rose quartz feels slightly heavier than the jade comb, and also seems to stay cooler longer, but has a different shape with different benefits.

After applying the face oil, I followed the included beauty ritual, pressing the tool under and over my eyes to calm skin and reduce puffiness, and saw an instant change to my under eye bags. Next, I pressed and stroked the restorer on either side of my throat, and then across my chin, cheeks and forehead. This did cause a bit of redness on my skin, but it only took a few minutes for it to go away, and the process left me feeling relaxed. Last, I pressed on acupressure points with the grooved edge of the tool. I wasn't quite sure if I saw any specific effects from this part of the ritual, but I still enjoyed going through the whole process.

Since then, I've adopted this routine not just for nights, but for mornings as well. I love the way the ritual makes me feel, and especially the visible changes to my eyes. Though I can't speak directly to whether the process makes me feel more energetic, I do feel less stressed when I take the time to invest in a little self-care, and I'll keep practicing it as long as it continues to benefit me.

(via Hayo'u)

 

Bottom Line

While I do believe that the effectiveness of gua sha might be something that varies from person to person, I've adored incorporating these rituals into my daily routine. Each step feels amazing and makes me feel great, and while I can't specifically say that's a result of the Chinese medicine taking effect, I do know that these practices work for me—most acts of self-care do. Hayo'u's tools are also a little bit pricey and won't be within everyone's budget, but if you're curious about gua sha and its power, I definitely recommend them.

 

Curious about unique practices? Click HERE to find out what happened when one of our editors received a socially distanced reiki healing.