Our skin changes with age as a result of collagen depletion and a reduction in elasticity.
However, while these changes are normal and inevitable, many mature women are keen to stave off further signs of ageing and even turn back the clock.
Vicky Derosa, a content creator, beauty enthusiast and former model, took to TikTok with some skin care advice for women in their 50s and beyond.
Sharing her "secret to smoother, tighter skin", Vicky (@vicky.derosa) told her viewers that she "refuses to live without" her gua sha tool - "it's always in my bag".
Gua sha: 'It's always in my bag'
TikTok / @vicky.derosa
The skin care enthusiast claimed that it has helped her escape the "11 lines" that often appear on the forehead with age.
Vicky explained that she washes her hands and then uses a gua sha tool to "lightly" work in her eye and face serum, emphasising that she is particularly "gentle" with her under-eye skin.
She incorporates this into her skin care regime alongside facial massage, which is known to boost circulation and collagen production.
As defined by the experts at personal care company Dermalogica, gua sha is a "traditional Chinese medicine technique that has been around for centuries". It combines the words "Gua", meaning scrape, and "sha", meaning sand.
The centuries-old idea was that gua sha could break down stagnant energy, "reducing inflammation, increasing blood flow and stimulating the lymphatic system to promote healing in the body".
More recently, it has been adopted as a skin care practice to "re-energise the facial tissues". Using a lighter pressure than the more "intense" traditional body work, gua sha helps to "promote skin regeneration".
Gua sha stones are usually available in jade, rose quartz and black obsidian. According to the experts, your gua sha routine should start with a double cleanse and exfoliation.
Then, a skin-boosting serum should be applied before you "work [it] over with your gua sha technique".
Finally, ladies can complete their regimen with a layer of moisturiser, followed by SPF if it's the daytime.
The experts added: "To look after your gua sha stone, gently wash with warm soapy water and carefully dry after each use."
The skin gurus at Nivea confirmed that gua sha has an array of benefits including clearing stagnation; easing puffiness; improving microcirculation; toning and smoothing skin; destressing the skin; reducing inflammation; easing away discomfort, tension and puffiness; and breaking down muscular tension.
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Gua sha helps to 'promote skin regeneration'
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There are many expert guides out there to help elevate your gua sha game - just ensure you are doing it safely.
It's important to apply a serum before practising gua sha to help the tool glide smoothly across the skin.
Importantly, ensure you are using gentle or medium pressure rather than pressing hard on the skin.
In another video, Vicky Derosa shared a cosmetics hack that helps her look her best. The former model revealed that she never leaves the house without completing two eye makeup tasks.
