From diamonds to rubies and sapphire to rose quartz, beauty brands are incorporating crystal healing powers into their formulas for restorative and energy-boosting crystal skincare products.
They have been used in holistic healing for centuries for improving energy, calming nerves and balancing the body and mind. But when it comes to beauty, it isn’t a new thing either.
It was said that Cleopatra bathed in water infused with rose quartz because of its strong healing and anti-ageing benefits. Kristin Petrovich, who with her mother, Karen, launched US brand Själ in 2001, was the first person to incorporate gemstones into skincare.
Their ability to conduct energy, she believes, is the source of their therapeutic powers. Detailing how her own struggle with thyroid issues convinced her of their curative abilities, while delving into the history of their use and the science behind their popularity, she explains, "crystals and precious minerals have been used for thousands of years in Eastern medicine, and they are now being incorporated in Western medicine."
Working at a higher frequency, they vibrate in our body to gravitate towards the weaker cells, helping to balance and harmonise. This energy transfer can confer beauty benefits too, and in skincare, whether in micronised-powder form, nanoparticles in liquid suspension or as massage tools, they are believed to amplify the effect of other ingredients.
Washing up with a rose quartz-infused cleanser such as Själ Skincare’s Balans Deep Pore Cleanser will keep your skin balanced, and free of redness and irritation from the stress of a workday gone wrong, or a hot and humid heatwave.
Other crystal-infused skincare products include Chantecaille, Gold Recovery Mask, which is infused with 24 karat gold and silk extracts for a beautiful glow, 111Skin’s Celestial Black Diamond Cream which utilises rare diamond particles that slip below your outer layer of skin to deliver the brand’s firming and tightening NAC Y2 formula, and This Works’ Evening Detox Clay Mask which contains exfoliating Malachite and fruit acids to deeply cleanse below the surface and increase cell turnover.
Another facet of gemstone-infused beauty is in the field of exfoliation. Tata Harper’s Clarifying Mask contains fine quartz-sand microcrystals that tackle pore clogging debris and are massaged in at the end of treatment for further purification.
La Prairie’s rose- scented Cellular Mineral Face Exfoliator features rounded diamond and quartz crystals alongside meteorite dust for gentle, mineral-rich resurfacing, and Herbivore’s Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish leaves skin soft and smooth thanks to finely-ground amethyst crystals.
Crystals mimic professional microdermabrasion, they don’t scratch the skin and are extremely effective on fine lines, pigmentation, acne, uneven skin tone and roughness.
Crystals also have the indisputable power to illuminate. The iridescence of youth can be achieved with Rodial’s Pink Diamond Instant Lifting Serum, a pink-tinted potion containing real diamond powder to reflect the light and create an ethereal glow, or Omorovicza’s Illuminating Moisturiser which is enriched with ruby crystals to diffuse light and blur imperfections.
Semi-precious stones can also be used to restore circulation through massage, which helps skin to produce collagen. Gua Sha and Facial Rollers gained notoriety in Chinese medicine and beauty rituals due to their concerns of premature ageing being caused by poor blood circulation.
Gemstones are filed and carved mirror-smooth and used in conjunction with a massage oil help to work the skin and stimulate blood flow, aiding lymphatic drainage and calming puffiness and inflammation for a sculpted, toned and lifted complexion.
The more perpendicular a Gua Sha is held to the skin, the more effective the tool becomes at massaging and breaking up tissue, allowing it to release and relax. Meanwhile, the more parallel the tool and softer you press, the more you address the body’s lymphatic drainage system and detoxify. Try cooling your facial roller in the fridge to intensify the rollers effect on your complexion, a must for tired eyes first thing in the morning.
Our favourite crystal skincare tools are Omorovicza’s multi-tasking dual-ended Rose Quartz Roller which can be used on the face, body and eye area, or Nurse Jamie’s UpLift beauty roller which is set with 24 tourmaline quartz stones designed to mimic facial massaging techniques upon application. This hexagonal- shaped tool stimulates blood circulation to instantly revive, uplift and improve your overall complexion.
THE CRYSTAL DIRECTORY
