The newest release from kit:, and the benefits of full body gua sha

I like to think of self-care as a holistic practice – a full body process to be incorporated into daily life, no matter how short you are on time. And before you balk at that idea, it could be as little as replacing the mid-morning doom scroll with a few minutes of breathwork, or just taking the time to brew your best cuppa ever, one painstakingly careful step at a time! Taking time to attend to each part of your body has been said to provide a deeper sense of internal and external well-being over all, and for me it’s particularly easy to add into your routine if you tag an extra five minutes onto your daily bath or shower with a little body gua sha.
While gua sha is most often associated with the practice of facial care in a wellness and beauty context, the practice historically extends to the entire body. In fact, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, there has been little to no distinction between the two for centuries.
In China, it’s a generational remedy for a range of bodily maladies, being used for the removal of excess heat during a fever, as an aid for respiratory illnesses like coughs, and as a tool for the revival of consciousness. When it comes to at home self-care, full body gua sha can help increase circulation, hydrate fascia, drain lymph, loosen muscle knots, release tightness, and more.
One of the main things that regular body gua sha does is help restore and smooth the fascia. Over time, this can lessen the appearance of dimpled skin (AKA cellulite) as since fascia lies on top off and connects all your muscles, releasing tension in the fascia helps redistribute any fat under your skin, creating a more even visual appearance.
A regular gua sha practice can also help redistribute fluid in some parts of the body. Fascia is thought to be a cleansing mechanism for the likes of plasma and other fluids, and some researchers suspect it pours the excess waste into the lymphatic system, and then delivers fresh plasma and other fluids back into cells through osmosis. When your fascia is regularly stimulated, your lymphatic system just may work more effectively, and as for muscle tension and post-workout aches? Consider them knocked on the head.
All of which leads me to the latest body-focused release from Melbourne brand kit:. In July of 2022 they revealed a stainless steel Gua Sha Facial Tool, and it has since become one of the brand’s best-selling products. As of this month they now also offer a Gua Sha Body Tool, which they tout as a “remedy for busy, overworked bodies”. The kit: Gua Sha Body Tool is designed to “help form good habits, release pent-up tightness, boost circulation, and encourage lymphatic drainage” via sculpting massage, and it also looks super chic. With mindful routines at the forefront of what they do, it was only natural that they elevate their body care offering with an aesthetically pleasing tool that relieves tired, overstretched, and overworked bodies through a meditative and restorative body ritual.

Sculpted from non-porous, and easy to clean stainless steel, the Gua Sha Body Tool is shaped to glide over your unique body contours in various ways. The comb angle supports skin cell turnover and nourishes dull skin through massage, while the pointed tip lets you precisely massage in dimpled areas. The u-edge contours and sculpts smaller curved areas of the body such as arms, lower legs, and shoulders, while the wavy edge is the one to reach for if you’re looking at maximum skin smoothing to support lymphatic drainage.
After your shower, apply a body lotion, oil or balm for better slip before running the Gua Sha Body Tool against the skin in upward massaging motions. Experiment with pressure and different edges for desired results, and control how deep or flowing your strokes are according to your body’s needs on any given day. Store in the fridge for a cooling effect or run under warm water for a hot stone-like massage, and reap the benefits!
The kit: Gua Sha Body Tool is available now online at kitskinkind.com.au and in all MECCA stores and mecca.com.