An Overview of the Aura Collection

THE ORIGINS OF THE AURA COLLECTION & BODY GUA SHA

With Gianna de la Torre, MS, L.Ac. at the helm of Wildling, our mission is to empower people to help care for their well-being. The Aura system uses ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy appended with Ayurvedic knowledge, herbalism, and additional healing modalities. Gianna is uniquely positioned to help formulate these products and rituals as a trained acupuncturist with a Master’s degree from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. She has co-founded Wildling with beauty industry and product development expert Jill Munson, as well as holistic esthetician, Britta Plug. Together, they endeavor to bring the rewards of a regular bodywork practice — benefits that can be achieved with do it yourself body and facial gua sha — to more people than they could ever reach one-on-one. 

At Wildling, we pay homage to gua sha and acknowledge the 700+ year old practice with roots in ancient China. While our techniques and tools are informed by Traditional Chinese Medicine with a focus on healing modern ails, some are derived from gua sha while others are informed by Dr. Vodder’s MLD (Manual Lymphatic Drainage) teachings. Some have been created by the founders themselves after years of using the tools and techniques on their patients and clients, and others still are some combination of all three. 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACIAL GUA SHA & BODY GUA SHA

While the Traditional Chinese gua sha ritual doesn’t actually make a distinction between facial gua sha and full body gua sha, we do. You may know Wildling for our first line of products, the Empress Collection, specifically designed for performing gua sha on the face. Facial gua sha is a method of rejuvenating the skin that was adapted from Chinese bodywork techniques as well as lymphatic drainage and fascial manipulation. Using a gua sha stone and natural skin care products developed to specifically support these rituals, facial gua sha is known to help with lymphatic drainage, anti-aging, under eye circles, skin congestion, headaches, and more.

Body gua sha more closely resembles the original, Traditional Chinese practice of gua sha. Based on our studies and research, we have developed a range of products for the body called the Aura Collection. The tools are designed with a larger surface area and different edges for the skin of the body, and the products are also specifically formulated to address body concerns.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE AURA COLLECTION

Meet our Aura Collection! This four-part bodywork system was designed to deliver real relief and results, which you’ll see and feel immediately as well as over time with continued use. Below is an introduction to each part of the process, a brief description of how each product is made, instructions for use, and the exciting results you can anticipate with continued use.

THE AURA COLLECTION WAS DESIGNED AS A SYSTEM. 

For best results, we highly recommend using all products in the system together. We’ll tell you why: Our co-founders — an herbalist and experienced beauty product formulator, an acupuncturist and ancient Chinese medicine expert, and a facial gua sha pro — collaborated on every aspect of Wildling, from the architecture of our stone tools to the whole plant ingredients in our products. The products and tools were specifically designed to complement and work with each other. 

AURA SWEEPER: A HANDHELD TOOL FOR DRY BRUSHING 

Ingredients: Tunisian Olive Wood & Agave Plant Fiber Bristles

As the first step in our Aura Ritual, the Aura Sweeper is a body brushing tool designed to help stimulate lymph flow, boost blood circulation, and energize the skin. Ideally, dry brushing is followed by a bath or quick shower, but that is not a necessary step in the ritual. No oil is needed to dry brush — naked skin is best for most! 

What is dry brushing and where does it come from?

Dry brushing is an ancient ritual practiced for centuries by various cultures including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, East Indians, Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Russians, Turks, and Scandinavians. It invigorates and stimulates the lymphatic system, which is thought to help with flushing out toxins and waste from the body. Dry brushing also exfoliates the skin, which feels silky soft and supple as a result. A daily brushing ritual helps reduce the appearance of rippled skin (cellulite) by bringing blood flow and qi (pronounced “chee” — a word that describes life force and energy) to the area regularly.

How our dry brushes are made.

Each artisanal brush is handcrafted in Germany, one by one. Known for its visible patterned grain, the brush components are carved from olive wood sustainably harvested in the Mediteranean region of Tunisia, Northern Africa. The handle is designed to provide sturdy base and easy grip for holding while you brush, which helps to give you more leverage and pressure control than brushes with a long handle or brushes with a leather slide.The bristles, called Tampico bristles, were sourced with care from the fibrous agave plant. When dried and finished, they have the optimal “bend” for skin smoothing and stimulating the lymphatic system. Bristles gently scrape and scuff the skin to help generate new collagen production and boost circulation. While they are quite stiff to start, you can break them in if they are feeling too abrasive for your skin by letting them sit in hot water for a few minutes and brushing them over a towel. 

Read more about the Aura Sweeper, our dry brushing tool.

AURA ACTIVATOR: A HYDRATING, FIRMING BODY SERUM

Ingredients: French Seaweed, Organic Eastern White Cedar & Organic Tulsi

After dry brushing (and ideally a shower), apply the Aura Activator generously to the body or the areas where you would like to perform body gua sha. This body serum primes the skin with ultra-hydrating French Seaweed extract while Eastern White Cedar helps boost circulation.

Why do you need a body serum? 

The truth is that you don’t need a body serum, but it works wonders to help heal and revitalize the skin. We’ve formulated it to deliver hydration and mineral enrichment to the skin. It’s especially effective after a shower, but can be used any time of day.

How our body serum is made.

Our body serum is made with three key ingredients that are harvested as sustainably as possible. Our product development expert, Jill Munson, is also an herbalist and takes great care to ensure that ingredients are certified organic, wild harvested, and picked at peak season whenever possible. We use whole plants rather than dried ones, which we believe infuses each product with the true essence of the plant. We choose each plant intentionally for its effects on the body and the mind.

French Seaweed

Helps to mineralize the skin, helps promote cell detoxification processes, and aids the body in breaking down fatty deposits (often the cause of cellulite, which can be a sign of overworked fascia) naturally.

Eastern White Cedar

Tones and energizes skin, helps to boost circulation, and stimulates the lymphatic drainage process. 

Tulsi

Restores skin with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Read more about the Aura Activator, our signature body serum to complement dry brushing.

AURA OIL: A NOURISHING, SMOOTHING BODY OIL

Ingredients: Wild Rose Pepper, Wild Mastic, Organic Helichrysum

Apply a few drops of Aura Oil to the area where you will be performing gua sha once the Aura Activator has absorbed to lock in hydration and provide slip for body gua sha.

Do you need body oil for gua sha? 

Yes! We recommend using oil for all of our gua sha rituals unless noted otherwise (e.g. scalp techniques). Oil helps provide just enough slip to reduce friction while using the stone. While you can use almost any skin-friendly oil, ours has been formulated specifically to complement the ritual of full body gua sha.

How our body oil is made.

Just as with the Activator, our Oil is made with love and great regard for the land from which it came. Whenever possible, ingredients are wild harvested, certified organic, and picked at the peak of the season when they are most potent. Instead of using dried plants, we create infusions with the whole plant to capture the essence of its living qualities. Each plant plays an important role in benefits for the skin, but also the mind and the spirit.

Read more about the Aura Oil, our signature body oil for gua sha.

AURA STONE: A GUA SHA STONE DESIGNED FOR MYOFASCIAL RELEASE

Ingredients: 100% sustainably sourced Bian Stone

According to folklore, Bian stone was created when a meteor struck a mountain in ancient China. It is believed to have special healing properties as a result of the cosmic impact. The stone is used to break up adhesions and tension in muscles and fascia.

How our Bian stone works.

While the Sweeper helps prime the skin for moisture, our Aura Body Ritual requires a stone tool to deliver whole plant actives from the products into deeper layers of the skin, yielding increased absorption and efficacy. Our stones are sustainably sourced and naturally infused with minerals known to benefit the skin.

Read more about the Aura Stone for full body gua sha.

HOW TO PERFORM BODY GUA SHA ON YOURSELF? 

Practicing the Aura Body Ritual — another way of saying our own version of body gua sha — will help to stimulate lymph flow, facilitate muscle release, and work to smooth rippled skin, which may be an indicator of stagnation. For optimal results, use the products as a system, as they were designed to play together.

Detoxify with the Aura Sweeper:

Dry brushing with the Aura Sweeper stimulates lymphatic flow and warms up the tissues for gua sha. It's an essential step in activating the skin and maximizing results. Use before a shower.

Results: Revs the body’s circulatory systems using manual techniques that stimulate lymphatic flow. 

Activate with the Aura Activator:

French seaweed-infused Aura Activator body serum hydrates, plumps, and enriches the skin with minerals. Use after a shower, or directly following the Aura Sweeper if you’re skipping the shower, and before the Aura Oil. 

Results: Replenishes the skin with essential oil free hydration from active botanicals. 

Nourish with the Aura Oil:

Aura Oil is a powerful whole plant oil infusion that boosts circulation, promotes activation of lymphatic processes, and helps to contour the skin. Use after the Aura Activator has absorbed for hydration and/or to prepare for gua sha.

Results: Primes the skin for gua sha while imparting nourishment to multiple layers of the skin, and locking in the moisture imparted from the Aura Activator.

Release & Smooth with the Aura Stone:

A multi-action tool crafted from sustainably sourced Bian stone massages whole plant actives into the skin while stimulating the tissues of the body, releasing tension more effectively than hands alone.

Results: Sculpts appearance of the skin by breaking up stagnation in myofascial systems & melts muscle tension with myofascial release trigger points.

HOW DO I LEARN MORE BODY GUA SHA TECHNIQUES?

Visit our Instagram page where we post new, free body gua sha tutorials, how-tos, tips and tricks every week.