12 Creative Ways to Use a Jade Facial Roller

What’s the scoop on Jade Facial Rollers?

Jade facial rollers were used for beauty purposes by Chinese empresses and members of high society as far back as the 7th century. Using jade rollers for a lymphatic massage is said to be an Ancient Chinese secret that every skincare ritual benefits from. It helps get rid of toxins, reduce puffiness, and improve blood circulation to even out skin tone. Also choose to combine with facial oil and other skincare treatments to allow the products to move more deeply into the skin, deliver more nutrients, and increase skin benefits. Semi-precious Jade stone is historically one of the most beautifying healing stones. Jade is known to soothe tension and stress, ease anxiety, and balance chi—all of which are crucial ingredient for having clear, smooth skin.

Jade rollers come in many different varieties, but the most versatile and effective jade rollers have two roller heads with varying sizes. The larger head is used to massage the face, particularly the larger surface areas such as cheeks, forehead, chin and neck. The smaller head is used to massage around the eyes, nose, and the mouth. To use it, you roll the tool from the center of your face going upwards and outwards while changing the pressure according to your current skin, muscle, and/or lymphatic needs.

Benefits of Using a Jade Facial Roller

Gently massaging the face with the roller can help with the following: relax facial muscles, increase circulation in the skin, remove bags and dark circles from under the eyes, plump up the lips, chase away fine lines, stimulate collagen production, tone slackening muscles, drain congested lymph nodes, clear the sinuses, remove toxins from the body, improve skin elasticity, give you a mood boost, clear acne and blemishes, even skin tone, and help your products to penetrate deeply into the skin. The naturally cool stone is also soothing for the skin. The result is a brighter complexion and overall healthier skin. In the long term you delay the development of wrinkles and other signs of premature aging.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, anxiety, fatigue, pain and many other physical and mental symptoms indicate that your qi is out of balance. Jade rolling can remedy this through the properties of jade. Being a gemstone, jade protects against negative energies, heals and purifies the aura, balances your qi, helps with feelings of self-confidence, and supports lymphatic drainage. Note that you must make sure your jade roller is authentic jade because many companies sell "jade" rollers (sometimes unknowingly) that are actually polished marble or glass. It can be one of these two types of jade: jadeite or nephrite. It also better be ethically sourced!

The jade roller is particularly good for helping the lymph to move. Lymph is the colorless fluid that surrounds tissues and moves through the lymphatic vessels under the skin. It drains into lymph nodes which can get blocked. Lymph is not pumped by any mechanism, it simply moves by activity, therefore, stress and tenseness can restrict its movement. Throughout the entire body, tight clothes such as bras, under pants, socks, dresses and jeans can restrict its movement as well.

How to Use a Jade Facial Roller on Your Face

1. Store your roller in the fridge overnight so that it can help to depuff the face in the morning.
2. Cleanse the skin and apply your favorite face oil or hydrating serum.
3. Starting at the decollete and base of the neck, roll upwards. Do this 3-5 times.
4. Next do the jaws. Start from the jawline and roll up to the middle of the cheek.
5. Next work on the cheeks: Start from the middle of the chin and roll up to the ear. Do this on both sides of the face.
6. Next roll from the chin up over the lips up to the bottom of the nose.
7. Then roll from the bridge of the nose out towards the ear. Do that on both sides of the face.
8. Gently roll upwards under the eyes using the smaller roller. Do that on both sides.
9. Roll upward on the forehead, starting from the eyebrows and ending on the hairline.
10. Lastly roll from the middle of the forehead to the temples.

Repeat each area between 3 and 5 times. Remember always to roll upwards or outwards to drain the lymph. Never roll back and forth.

Different Ways to Use a Jade Facial Roller and The Benefits of Each

And now for the creative ways to use jade rollers! Though it is often marketed as just a facial roller, jade rollers can be used in several other effective, invigorating ways.

Foot Rolling

The jade roller reduces swelling on the feet and stimulates tired feet. Add the rolling massage to a pedicure, especially for someone who has lymphedema. Apply a bit of pressure with the roller over the ball of the feet, then roll towards the heel. Repeat several times.

Leg Rolling

You can roll the jade roller on the calves to reduce swelling after a workout, a stressful day, an injury, or even an operation with permission from your doctor. To facilitate the flow of lymph, start from the ankle and roll towards the knee. Repeat each section 3 times till you have covered the lower leg. This can also reduce swelling and bruising and speed up recovery. There are accounts of people having rolled immediately after knee surgery who have found relief. If you have hip muscle or ligament pain, roll several times across the hip, one section at a time, 3 times per section. You can follow that with the muscle on the inner side of the thigh.

Arm Rolling

The idea is to increase lymph flow by rolling upwards. Start from the elbow and roll towards the shoulder. Repeat 3 times on each section till the whole upper arm has been rolled. Then do the lower arm from the wrist towards the elbow. Repeat 3 times for each section, always rolling towards the elbow. Experts say that you can relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel by rolling with light pressure over the meaty side of the lower arm, back and forth between the wrist and the elbow. This also can aid in tightening up those arms!

Breast Rolling

Breasts are surrounded by many lymph nodes located near the sternum and in the armpits. Because lymph can be restricted by wearing tight bras, rolling regularly will help the lymph to move freely. Lie down on your back. Use the roller from the nipple to the center of the sternum. When you are done with that section, roll the upper lateral quarter of the breast from the top of the nipple to the armpit. Do it 3 times. Next roll the lower lateral quarter of the breast from the nipple to the side of the chest. This technique is useful for breast soreness linked to menstruation, breastfeeding, and reportedly even breast cancer. Others have used it for speeding recovery from surgery.

Scalp Rolling

The muscles that are hiding beneath your hair often feel left out. Give them some TLC by using a jade roller on your scalp to offer them relief and enliven your thoughts. Massage via rolling has also been known to stimulate hair growth and strengthen follicles, especially when mixed with hydrating hot oil treatments. If you experience tension headaches or migraines, using a jade roller straight out of the refrigerator to massage these areas can offer much-needed reprieve.

Spa Treatments and Massage Therapy

Many certified estheticians and massage therapists have caught on to the trend of jade rollers due to their efficacy in their treatments. For a holistic facial, have your facialist use a chilled jade roller while applying treatments to help them penetrate the skin while offering a breadth of other benefits that have already been mentioned. Masseuses also may offer jade rolling, particularly for problematic areas of the body. To stimulate circulation after a deep tissue massage, a barbed jade roller can be an especially useful tool.

Intimate Use

Jade is a gemstone of intimacy with symbolisms found throughout the Kama Sutra and Eastern artworks. Your newfound knowledge of the benefits of jade rollers can help lead you to new discoveries of its countless uses in an intimate setting. Even a simple back rub or light touch massage with the inclusion of a jade roller moving from the different chakras can be a most loving gesture to your partner.

Infants and Children

Infant massage is a proven method for stimulating both mind and body at a very young age. The cooling jade stone with varying head sizes can be a perfect tool for all the loving mamas to deliver these different sensations to their little ones. Older children can benefit from jade rollers in similar ways that adults can. Whether a tummy ache that you help relieve by rolling your favorite digestion essential oil on your child, or rolling their tired faces to help them go to bed, the opportunities seem endless. Note that they are not to be used by your children without your supervision because they are not age appropriate. Also be sure to consult with your child’s pediatrician.

Recharge at Work

There’s no such thing as too much jade rolling. Take a break from your computer and roll your face to give you the energy and relief you need to continue the tasks at hand. Roll your scalp to help with mental blocks. And even roll your hands and arms to relieve aches from typing.

Gemstone Healing

Jade stone is not only a beautifying stone, but a healing stone known to soothe tension and stress, ease anxiety, and balance chi. Place it like you would crystals around your home, office, or special spaces when not in use to experience its positive vibrations.  

During Pregnancy

Bodies can seem like they are going haywire when carrying a new life inside of you. Jade rollers can be a subtle, non-invasive, holistic way to aid in the treatment of common pregnancy ailments such as headaches, sore backs, tense shoulders, hurting belly buttons, round ligament pain, swollen feet, pregnancy “mask” (hyperpigmentation), and hormonal acne. Be sure to check with your doctor or midwife if you have any questions.

Relief of Bed Sores

Rolling can prevent development of bed sores for bedridden patients and the elderly. Roll the back and sides lightly 2 or 3 times per week. Be sure a physician is aware of this treatment.

Time For You to Get Creative with your Jade Roller!

You may have bought it for facial rolling but now you know you can use it for many other areas of the body as well as many seasons in life. For maximum benefit, roll your face and any problem areas at least once daily. Then once per month have it done by a skin care or massage professional while you relax on the massage table ;)

Psssst… Be sure to properly clean your facial roller by removing and soaking the heads in a natural, non-irritating cleansing disinfectant. Frequency depends on just how creative the ways you decide to use it are, but at a minimum, clean your roller once every two weeks.

Let us know all the new ways you discover for using your jade roller!