Jade Roller Benefits 101: Does Rolling Actually Work?

Marne and Anna are My Subscription Addiction reviewers who've tried their fair share of beauty, lifestyle, and fashion products in subscription boxes over the years. Find their reviews and many more right here!

Greetings from Pittsburgh, readers! Sure, it's gray and cloudy here, but thanks to our new🌟🌈✨JADE ROLLERS✨🌈🌟, Marne and I have been feeling like SoCal wellness goddesses.

We got our rollers from FabFitFun's Winter box, which is $10 off with our code, MSA10, and CAUSEBOX's winter box, which is $15 off through Cyber Week with code CYBERWEEK. (Props to CAUSEBOX for that easy-to-remember code!)

It's easy to give jade rollers the side eye, especially if you're not a fan of the Goop-ier, "wellness" side of the beauty business. We totally get it. But trust us when we say that they really did add some extra luxury to our skincare routines! We'll give you the 411 on what people say jade rollers do, what they actually do, in our experience, and how to use them. 

Do you love beauty trends as much as we do? Have the latest "it" beauty items delivered to your door with one of these reader-favorite beauty subscription boxes, or treat yourself to one of these awesome women's lifestyle boxes (featuring makeup, gifts, and more)!

What is a jade roller, anyway?

Jade rollers are little skincare tools made from real stone. While Instagram might make you think otherwise, the Chinese practice of jade rolling has been around since the 7th century, according to Vogue. Jade rollers typically have a "head" at both ends—one wide head and one narrower one—and a handle connecting the two. Each head is essentially a big bead on a metal spoke (kind of like a smooth crystal push mower), letting you gently roll the bead across your skin.

Oh! One big FYI that we didn't expect—the metal spoke can be very squeaky. Dropping a little oil (just some face oil) down the hole in the bead helps a bit, but be prepared!

As the name suggests, they're traditionally made from jade, but we've also seen versions made from rose quartz and even amethyst. Each material supposedly serves a slightly different purpose, but you'll catch no shade from us if you pick yours based on color alone. In fact, as rolling newbies, the difference between say, a jade and a rose quartz roller is pretty imperceptible.

What does jade rolling actually do?

After copious internet research, here are some of the most popular claims about the benefits of jade rolling:

• Reduces inflammation and puffiness
• Calms problem skin
• Slims and even contours the face
• Increases circulation
• Stress relief
• Helps skin absorb product more easily

Sounds great, right? But according to the Cut, some of those claims may be more legit than others. Massaging and relaxing? Oh yes. Inflammation-reducing? Maybe. And apparently, the product absorption bit is also a bit of a stretch.

But that's not to say that a jade roller isn't worth it. In fact, we've been loving our new jade rollers. We may not be able to roll away our problems or sculpt them, Play-Doh-like, into de-puffed perfection, but we're already big fans of the benefits these tools do provide.

Let's walk through how we've been using them, and then we'll give you our full review.

How do you use a jade roller?

1. Clean your jade roller! Since this thing is going to be up close and personal with your skin, you owe it to yourself to take a few moments to wash your new roller with soapy, warm water. Do the same thing once you're done using it, so that bacteria and other yucky stuff doesn't linger on the stone (and end up on your skin later).
2. Prep your skin. The best time to use a jade roller is as part of your skincare routine. We like using ours after we've cleansed our skin and topped it with something nourishing, like a favorite serum or even some lotion. The main point is that you don't want to go in dry, or you can stretch your skin and stress it out more. Even just a little vitamin E oil will go a long way.
3. Roll up and out. The most legit benefit of jade rolling is the lymphatic drainage it provides. Lymphatic drainage is basically your body's natural cleaning system, and massage can help it along. The Cut has a great tutorial on where the sweet spots for lymphatic massage are, but a simple rule is to roll outward from the center of your face and upward, never downward. Think of rolling up your cheekbones from your nose to your temples, or up your jawline from your chin to your ears... moves like that.
4. Take a pic for Instagram! C'mon, you know you want to.
5. Clean your roller again! Sorry to nag you about this, but it's important! And once your roller is all clean, keep it in a dry, tidy place so that it stays that way.

Our best tips for jade rolling bliss

We're no Gwyneth Paltrow (GP, call us, girl—let's get matchas!), but we've figured out a few things that take jade rolling to the next level:

• Store it in the fridge! The cool stone is key to de-puffing, and plus, it makes us feel like we're getting a fancy ice facial.
• Get it a buddy! One jade roller is more than enough. But if, say, you get rollers in a few different subscription boxes this month, you should put them both to work at once! The feeling of TWO rollers working (up and out) symmetrically over your face is *chef's kiss*
• Chill out! Jade rolling feels great no matter when you do it, but it's particularly rewarding when you give yourself some time to relax into the process. Take it to the couch with you, kick on an essential oil diffuser, close your eyes, and lean into the whole spa-like self-care experience of it all.

So, what's our verdict on jade rollers?

That's easy—we love 'em! Are they the miracle product we've all been looking for? Not necessarily. But we totally understand why jade rollers have become so darn popular. They're relaxing, soothing, and make spreading on your facial oils and serums a lot more luxurious. Chill your roller, and it'll help puffy skin settle down in the same way an icy eye mask or cool cucumbers calm under-eyes. Plus, hey, our jade rollers look absolutely gorgeous sitting on our vanities. It's hard not to feel pampered when you're using a dreamy, pastel-colored tool like this one!

Want to get your own jade roller (and SO much more)? FabFitFun is offering one in their Winter box  ($10 off with our code MSA10) as is CAUSEBOX, which is $15 off through Cyber Week with code CYBERWEEK.

What subscription box trends should Marne and I try next? Do you have any jade rolling tips of your own to share?