As for my personal skincare routine, I settled on bare-hand lymphatic massage after experiencing side effects from Gua Sha massage haha.

Last year, when gua sha massages were all the rage, I also bought an expensive ceramic gua sha tool hoping to define my jawline and reduce swelling. I remember a time when I scrubbed my face vigorously every night, haha. Watching YouTube videos, I slathered on plenty of oil and passionately scraped under my chin, cheekbones, and neckline. At first, it felt refreshing and seemed to give my complexion a healthy glow, so I was thrilled. However, after about a week, red breakouts actually started appearing along my jawline, and I even developed tiny bruises. ㅠㅠ

It turned out that my skin is sensitive to friction, and I had damaged my skin barrier and burst my capillaries by applying too much pressure. Since then, I sealed away my gua sha tool deep in my vanity drawer and have now settled solely on gentle lymphatic massage using my bare hands. Haha. It causes no irritation and actually has a more definite effect on reducing swelling. After cleansing, when applying cream as the final step of my skincare routine, I gently press and loosen the lymph nodes in the hollow area below my ears using my index and middle fingers.

Never rub hard; instead, gently sweep down along your neckline toward your collarbone, feeling as if you are lightly pushing the skin. Gently press the hollows inside your collarbones as well, as if opening up a path for waste to drain out. If you invest just about 3 minutes to lightly massage like this before bed, you can visibly see that your facial swelling is significantly reduced and your complexion has brightened the next morning. You don't need any expensive tools; all you need is your hands and moisturizing cream. For those who have suffered from side effects of gua sha, please avoid strong friction and try this bare-hand lymphatic massage!