Move Over, Jade Rollers: the Kansa Wand Is Here to Brighten and De-Puff Your Skin
"The Kansa wand has been around since before the jade roller," says Michelle Ranavat, founder and CEO of Ranavat Botanics. The material itself is a metal-based mix of copper and tin or aluminum that purportedly has a balancing effect on your skin (and is the same alloy used in Tibetan gongs, BTW). "Kansa is an incredibly pure metal, known to be more pure than gold or silver and has virtually no lead content," says Ranavat.
In Ayurveda, the Kansa wand is revered for its detoxing powers and used in "lymphatic detox protocol," says Shrankhla Holecek, Uma oils founder and Ayurveda expert. "To use it, you gently glide it over areas where lymphatic drainage can be very powerful, so around the face and neck region," she says. "It'll quickly de-puff skin and make it appear rested with less fluid retention around the eye area." The bonus of massaging your face with this on the reg? "Longer term, you'll see benefits like greater energy when your lymphatic system is properly detoxed, and fewer blemishes on your skin," she says.
Although gliding a Kansa wand against your skin feels very similar to any other facial roller, the material is purportedly doing more underneath the surface of your skin. "It's not only providing lymphatic drainage, but it's detoxifying and repairing the skin as it massages." says Ranavat, pointing to the alloy's suggested pH-balancing properties. Practitioners who work with Kansa believe that it can balance skin that's become too alkaline or acidic. When either of these things happen, the skin barrier becomes compromised and things like dry skin, acne, or eczema can result.
When I get my hands on a Kansa wand, simply holding it to my cheek feels like a luxurious experience. It's heavier than a jade roller and the gold, round edge makes it look like I'm stroking my skin with a fancy bell. Ranavat says to pair it with a facial oil or a serum (she suggests one with a high vitamin and mineral content), so I slather on an antioxidant-rich oil, then get to work by moving the wand in circular motions across my face. "Make figure-eight circular motions across your forehead and upward strokes across the jaw area," she suggests. I do this, and it feels really cooling against my skin, yet I start to notice a slight flush, which is from the rush of blood circulation. "Massaging the skin brings fresh oxygen to the skin, reduces puffiness, and you see that beautiful glow from renewed oxygenated blood," she says.
My take? Even though I tend to be a minimalist with my beauty routine, I'm hooked to the practice of massaging my skin with my Kansa wand. After two week's of use, the Kansa wand has helped to make my complexion brighter and my routine more soothing. Plus, dermatologists are all about using facial tools in your skin-care routine. Check out what dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD says is her fave below:
Another Ayurvedic beauty secret is using a facial gommage for gentle exfoliation. And here's your guide to Ayurvedic herbs to incorporate into your cooking.
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