A few months ago, I received a rose quartz face roller. I was excited to try the beauty tool that survived trend so it could be a staple in most vanities. I cleaned it with some disinfectant and kept it in the refrigerator. I read somewhere that the cooling sensation closes up pores.
The story would end right there had I not realized something that perhaps a lot of us forget: Crystals aren’t just your average skincare devices. Behind their power isn’t just the physical massage they can perform. Crystal beauty tools are, for the believer, also about their metaphysical qualities.
“Crystals act as tools for us to get centered, to feel protected, or to heal from frequencies and energies that come our way,” says Belle Mapa. A crystal enthusiast since 2013 and a friend, I often spot Belle’s Instagram Stories that indicate when it’s best to charge your crystals and make some moon juice.
She says that there is no harm in incorporating a gua sha or a face roller into your skincare routine. If you do want to take their benefits a step further, though, you should be aware of the energies that they carry with them along with their practical implications. “I’m so conscious about the sourcing of crystals. They’ve risen in popularity over the past five years, so crystal mining has become a huge industry in Madagascar, Congo, Brazil, India, and China. I won’t get too nitty-gritty it but the working conditions for miners are awful. There’s an article on ‘The Guardian‘ all about it.”
‘Vogue‘ also explored how the gua sha tool is but a marketing ploy. Gua sha refers to the massage technique—scraping—that can be done with a spoon or your hands to release the toxins in your body.
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Giving in to the woo-woo
Nevertheless, every other Instagram beauty feed is without a photo of these pretty stones in their velvet cases, sold with serums usually. They do still make for a good massage tool. You can also go all-out with a eye/face mask made of crystals!
Belle says, “Crystals heal our auras. And to me that’s valid. You’re incorporating this into your self-care ritual. You’re putting a good intention into your day. Part of my practice is bringing little acts of empowering magic into my life, and being intentional and positive with skincare can be a start.”
You’re raising your eyebrows right now. It all sounds woo-woo and wishy-washy Instagram positivity. I’m a skeptic but also eternally curious. I also think that if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it to the best of your abilities. All I am saying is: How exactly do I get the most out of my rose quartz roller?
I brought the question to Kimberly Aganda, proprietor of Made by KCA. The shop is for those who want a little sparkle in their life via a healing crystal that can be worn as a pendant or a ring.
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She told me that indeed there are several shady sources when it comes to crystals. A lot of jade rollers are made of adventurine, a green quartz that’s respected in the crystal world but doesn’t boast the same price tag a true jade does. And that’s where one can get duped. “Some jade rollers are even made of plastic!” she says.
Kimberly upped the ante of the crystals she makes by hand when she studied Reiki Healing and Angelic Healing at Mysterium Philippines. “I thought since I spend so much time making these crystal necklaces and rings, I imbibe my energy into each piece. So why not make sure I know how to do it properly and with the best of my intentions?”
She gave me a quick guide on how one can cleanse a beauty crystal. Again, it sounded silly to someone like me. On the other hand, I’m not inflicting any harm unto others nor to myself with these acts. Nor are these cleansing rituals cumbersome. So why not do it out of perhaps getting clearer skin? Have I not prayed over a mask to get rid of a zit overnight? Have I not held my breath and whispered to myself at the derma’s clinic, hoping the pain I feel while getting pricked and lasered is worth the results?
Cleanse your crystals
Here are the simplest ways to cleanse your crystals, according to Kimberly:
1) Wash your crystal under running water or rainwater for at least 15 minutes. As you do this, give happy thoughts and good intentions to your crystal. Think: “This will be the tool that will make me look younger, erase my wrinkles, and give me a clear complexion.”
2) Leave them under the sunlight between 6 am to 8 am, for an hour or two. This is applicable to most crystal tools, except for those made of rose quartz as they can lighten under the sun.
3) Leave them under the moonlight, making sure you wake up early enough to take them inside before the sun comes out. You don’t have to wait for the full moon to do this, but it is said the full moon is more powerful.
4) Light some incense and pass the crystal through it until you every part of it is touched by the smoke. Some opt to do it with a sage bundle.
5) Put it beside a Himalayan salt lamp overnight.
Choose your adventure
If we’re giving in to the belief that crystals carry a serious load of intentions, then let’s educate ourselves on what stone best suits our goals.
Belle likes to keep it intuitive. “My tip generally is to pick by color. The one that catches your eye first is usually the crystal that resonates with you most. Go for what calls out to you.” She trusts the following brands for her crystal needs: Hima, Mala Tree, and 5D Healing Crystals.
She also handed out hacks on how to use your crystals more. “I’ve placed a rose quartz crystal in a spray bottle with rose water toner. It adds a little extra spark to my routine. I have a friend who [slathers on] Lush Sleepy Lotion and then places an amethyst under her pillow to sleep better.”
Kimberly says that jade, rose quartz, amethyst, and clear quartz are best for beauty tools. “Jade is well known to remove toxins in the body, rose quartz is a high vibration crystal that exudes love and beauty, amethyst is well known for its calming effect and it is good for skin that has a lot of redness, and clear quartz is also known as the master healer. It can potentially do the function of any other crystals.”
As for me, I rescued my rose quartz from the refrigerator and I’ve cleansed it. Heeding Kimberly’s advice, I use it more often. “Crystals are alive so their energies fade if you don’t use them regularly.”
On the practical side, the piece of advice still fits. I always try to make the most out of the skincare tools in my collection. Why should a crystal be any different?
Photo courtesy of Herbivore Botanicals on Instagram
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