Face Roller: How It Works, How to Do It, Benefits, and More

You’ve probably seen a face roller on social media or maybe even at a friend's house.

The little gadget is most commonly made from jade or rose quartz. Some have two roller balls, and some look like a tiny rolling pin with rollers of varying sizes fixed to both ends of the handle.

They also claim to offer major skin benefits.

So why exactly are people massaging their faces with a face roller? And is this trend here to stay?

The simple act of massaging your face with a face roller has a ton of benefits for your skin. It may even reduce stress and release tension, just like a body massage would.

Some of the benefits may potentially be real. Here's what the science says about it so far, though there's much we don't know yet:

Follow these steps when using a facial roller:

You can also perform facial massage or facial exercises, sometimes called "face yoga," without a roller. You can give yourself an at-home facial without any tools.

Face rollers are safe to use every day. Some studies indicate that you’ll see better results if you use it long term as well.

Even if you only have a few minutes, you may still be able to get some of the de-stressing and potentially de-puffing benefits.

A 2018 study showed that using a facial massage roller for just 5 minutes can increase blood flow to your cheeks. Using the roller for 10 minutes should be enough. Always stop if it starts to hurt. As with anything related to your skin, being gentle is key.

There are many big claims about facial rollers, but there's not a lot of evidence yet that they do much.

Let's discuss some myths about facial rollers.

There are many types of facial rollers on the market, so you may want to know where to start.

Jade is one of the more common stones you’ll find in rollers.

You’ll also find face rollers made of:

Jade and metal are naturally cold materials and will not need to be stored in the refrigerator to give a cooling sensation to your skin.

Rose quartz can hold its temperature (hot or cold) for a long period of time. So if you want a colder roller and are planning to use it for more than a minute, your best option is quartz that's been cooled in the fridge.

Jade is a softer stone than rose quartz, so a quartz roller may last longer and not break as easily if dropped.

Jade may also not be as smooth as some of the other stones, but this added friction may be especially helpful for contouring.

Traditionally, amethyst is said to help purify your skin, and it may help to treat acne. However, research is needed to support this claim.

There are two types of genuine jade:

Most rollers are made of nephrite jade, as it's a less precious stone in comparison to jadeite. That characteristic makes it less expensive.

However, some rollers that are sold as jade aren't jade at all. They may be made of another stone that's been chemically dyed or treated with polymers to look shiny. It's better to keep those materials off your face.

Here are a few ways to check if your jade roller is real:

Using a facial roller to massage your face may be relaxing, and it might have some potential benefits for your skin.

Gently rolling or massaging the delicate skin on your face, neck, and clavicle can help to increase blood flow and reduce stress.

There are many types of facial rollers to choose from, and all of them can be beneficial. Just make sure to know the signs of a fake stone and clean your roller regularly.