The main things people think jade rollers, and now their rose quartz counterparts, do when it comes to skincare are reducing puffiness and wrinkles by way of lymphatic drainage and promoting blood circulation. Some facial roller creators say their products boost natural collagen and tighten pores, as well. It’s not that I’m anti-jade–in fact, I have a beautiful jade turtle my parents got me on vacation once–I’m just wary of the way people have elevated jade rollers to the level of skincare essential. To decipher if the quartz and jade rollers you’re seeing all over your social feeds are pseudo or legitimate skincare practice, I spoke to Cynthia Rivas, a medical aesthetician at NYC’s Monica Halem, MD. Rivas expressed that quartz and jade rollers can have a real effect on reducing facial puffiness and fine lines, but the tools are not the quick-fixes and miracle cures people seem to expect. “Something that is very important is you need to know the proper technique to drain the lymph. For it to be effective you can’t just roll your face in any direction and expect it to work,” she explained. “You have to drain and roll towards your lymph nodes and for a prolonged period of time.” While the quartz and jade rollers may, through the proper motions and when done for 20 minutes or longer at a time, show results, Rivas has an easier option for you–and it’s free. “Something else that is helpful with the puffiness is that the stones the rollers are made of tend to be naturally cold,” she says. “This helps with de-puffing but, to be honest, it isn’t much different than rolling cold ice cubes on your skin or putting spoons in the freezer and applying that on the face.” As for fine lines, Rivas emphasizes the rollers’ place as a complementary step to more potent anti-wrinkle efforts. She says, “I believe the most effective way to treat [forehead furrows and lines between the brows] is with number 1. Botox. Botox is the best option to remedy this problem. Number 2. Facial massage, and lastly number 3. Rolling.” If you want to try one of the tools out for yourself, they’ve become ubiquitous on beauty, wellness and lifestyle sites. You can try Herbivore’s sea-foam green Jade Roller ($30; sephora.com) and baby pink Rose Quartz Roller ($40; sephora.com), Biodara’s seaweed-hued Jade Roller ($18; freepeople.com), or Skin Gym’s Millennial pink Rose Quartz Roller ($28; urbanoutfitters.com). But just remember, these can be additive tools rather than stand-alone remedies, and they’re only worth trying if you’re going to invest the time and energy into the proper quartz and jade rolling technique. If nothing else, quartz and jade rollers will look pretty on your vanity, and rolling the smooth stones around your face will probably feel good and help you relax. As a final note, Rivas adds, “I rather recommend micro-needling at home to penetrate your products, and come see me for a professional facial treatment to help with circulation, muscle relaxation and collagen stimulation. Or your dermatologist for Botox.”
