Long gone are the days of laying cold slices of cucumber on your eyes to calm puffiness. However, one of the latest beauty trends involves another chilly green tool, the jade roller. It might seem like just another fad, but the jade roller—which sort of looks like a mini paint roller with two smooth green stones on either end—is steeped in centuries-old Chinese history. Pinterest reported in 2017 that searches for facial rollers increased 345 percent, a clear indication that folks are interested in this long-used beauty tool.
While there’s a bit of mysticism surrounding jade (it’s thought of as “the stone of heaven” in Chinese culture), there’s a little bit of science, too. Jade rollers can do two things for your facial skin: first, it can increase circulation and stimulate lymphatic drainage throughout your face. When you keep the jade roller in the fridge and use it chilled, the cool stone can reduce puffiness and redness, though it won’t have long-term effects. Second, it can work treatment serums deeper into the skin, potentially for a better product effect.
There’s not a ton of research surrounding the use of jade rollers, but many people report simply enjoying the ritual of rolling the cool stone over their skin. Use the larger stone across your cheeks, forehead, chin, and neck, and glide the smaller stone around your eyes. Jade isn’t porous, so it doesn’t harbor bacteria; however, start rolling after you’ve washed your face, so you’re not pushing dirt or makeup deeper into your skin. While you might not see long-term effects in your skin, there’s something to be said for the destressing properties that the cool touch of jade can offer.