Adele. Kim Kardashian West. Kylie Jenner. Bella Hadid. Victoria Beckham. Madonna. Katy Perry. Miranda Kerr. Naomi Campbell. Anne Hathaway. Jennifer Anniston. Gwyneth Paltrow. Reese Witherspoon.
Yes, we get it… celebrities love healing crystals. One may go as far as to say that they are addicted to healing crystals.
Adele believes all the technical issues that ruined her Grammys performance were a result of losing her crystals. Victoria Beckham carries black tourmaline (wards off negative energies) and rose quartz (encourages love and self esteem) backstage for all her fashion shows. Katy Perry would sleep with a rose quartz in her hand to heal from her breakup with Russell Brand (“I didn’t stay single for long). Kim Kardashian credits healing crystals with helping her recover from the Paris robbery.
And it’s with good reason. The healing powers of crystals have been well documented in almost every system of holistic medicine, including Ayurveda, Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Hopi Native American and even biblical texts from the Old Testament.
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How did crystals become the hottest rocks on the block?
Personally, I have always been attracted to crystals. As a child, my mother remembers me reaching for anything with a twinkle of rose quartz. Which now makes sense, since the stone of unconditional love and acceptance would be intuitively very grounding for a child whose parents were constantly moving across continents due to my father’s work.
Growing up in California, my stone of choice was pyrite – the “fools gold” found in the deserts of Nevada – a huge block of which still sits on my desk. I find myself reaching for it whenever work needs an extra boost.
And with every shiny, sparkly, pretty stone that I place around my home, in my pocket, under my pillow or in my handbag, I find myself understanding the healing powers of crystals a little more.
They have nothing to do with magic or miracles. In fact, it all boils down to the science of vibrations. Nicholas Tesla and IBM’s Marcel Joseph Vogel, two pioneers of modern science, are just some of the scientists whose deep belief in the healing power of crystals led them to research and advance the field considerably.
This is how it works: Everything in the universe has a specific vibration, including humans. And the earth. And crystals.
Crystals, in fact, literally hold the earth’s DNA, being millions of years old and forming alongside the earth itself. Created from the most ancient minerals, laid down deep underground, subjected to enormous pressure, they have evolved with the energies of the earth. And their unique, lattice-like atomic structure means they hold this energy at the core, continuously vibrating at a certain frequency that is unique to each kind of crystal.
For humans who mindfully engage with these vibrations, crystals can act as a tuning fork to recalibrate the mind, body and soul, helping us become more balanced.
Science explains this as “piezoelectricity”: The electric charge that accumulates in certain solid matters. And it’s this piezoelectricity that is responsible for the abundance of crystals in the field of electronics, with uses ranging from holding heat to boosting vibrations in computers and watches.
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Beauty and crystals: Overhyped? Or major healer?
So, yes, I feel the energy of crystals is real. But as more and more beauty brands turn to crystal therapy, one can’t help but wonder… does popping rose quartz into a moisturiser actually help our skin? Will filtering that serum through a chunk of amethyst help it moisturise better?
Informed beauty experts definitely think so. From Kora and Aveda to Själ, Dr. Brandt, Herbivore Botanicals, Therapie, 111, The Body Shop, Sisley, Nails Inc, Eve Lom, Tata Harper, Glossier, Nurse Jamie, Tracie Martin Beauty, Espa and Dr. Hauschka, it seems every beauty brand in the world is devoted to healing your skin and hair with crystals.
And the rationale makes sense: When crystals are part of the ingredient mix, they act as a conduit for healing, helping your cells thrive on an energetic level. They allow positive, healing energy to flow into the body, while pushing negative, toxic, disease causing energy out, thereby curing skin problems at the root.
Still a sceptic? Look at it this way: Most crystal-infused skincare products tend to be ultra-natural, sustainable and hand crafted. So even if you’re not sure about the crystals, you’re getting a product that’s clean and made with ingredients that are far better than harsh chemicals and plastics. That has to count for something, right?
How to use healing crystals in skincare
So, how do you use crystals for skincare? I mean, it’s not really viable to melt down our collection and pour it into bottles, right? Thankfully, it’s far easier than you may think.
Infuse your beauty products with crystals: This can be as simple as dropping a piece of rose quartz into your current moisturiser; and as DIY as making a gemstone elixir. The latter involves putting your crystal in a jar of carrier oil (I use Mason Jars and olive oil), then placing them in sunlight for 3-4 days. The crystal’s elemental energies will gradually imprint onto the oil, which can then be used for the face, body or hair.
Water-based elixirs: These can be drunk or used as a spray to heal and balance the body from the inside out. And these “high vibration” waters aren’t new by any standards… history shows that the ancient Greeks dropped gemstones in the bottom of their water jugs.
How to make a water elixir? Place your crystal in a glass jar of distilled water. Put this in sunlight for 7-8 hours, then gently scoop out the crystal and store the water in your refrigerator. But be careful: Always remember to check the crystal’s toxicity and solubility before making a water elixir.
Plate it: Another simple way of infusing your beauty products with the healing energy of crystals is to place all your tubes and bottles on a crystal plate. My vanity, at this point, is basically just slabs of rose quartz, amethyst and selenite, the three crystals I resonate with the most.
The science of touch: You can also use crystals for massaging the skin, thereby transferring the stone’s healing energy to the body. This is evidenced by the immense popularity of jade rollers and rose quartz gua-sha tools, which promise to energise and lift the skin by releasing tension and draining the lymph nodes of accumulated toxins. Some DIY options? Massaging a moonstone on your scalp to boost hair growth and rubbing a damp amethyst over blemishes to help calm them down.
Grind it down: This one requires some professional help, and usually makes for a great exfoliator that pulls out negative energies and toxins from the skin. That’s where brands like People for Plants come in, micro-grinding the crystals into the products on their own. Game? I am a personal fan of Aquarian Source’s Rose Quartz Face Polish, which follows from the ancient Egyptian practise of using these pretty pink crystals as a softening buff.
Make it up: Then there’s the makeup. Again this comes from a long line of crystal history… ancient Egyptians used malachite and lapis lazuli to produce makeup, which was believed to have healing properties. And as Glossier’s Haloscope Highlighter, whose outer ring of micronised topaz proves, nothing sparkles like actual crystals. Ditto for Nails Inc Mindful Manicure Polish, which contains flecks of citrine, rose quartz and tourmaline. My favorites, though, have to be Peridot Cosmetics’ Loose Gemstone Highlighters, which come sprinkled over tubs of clear quartz, rose quartz, citrine, lodolite or goldstone. I’ve never seen prettier powders.
Navigating the crystal maze
Like with all ingredients, different crystals do different things and you need to do your research. Malachite, for example, is believed to combat UV damage by raising the level of gluthathione, a “master antioxidant”, in the skin.
Rose quartz, on the other hand, softens fine lines, buffs away dead cells and impurities, and calms redness.
Stuck in the crystal maze? Let’s make it easy for you with a ready reckoner.
Amethyst: Combats EMF (electromagnetic fog), detoxifies, brings down inflammation, calms the skin, soothes acne, itching and other skin irritations
Malachite: Combats UV damage and free radicals, deep cleanses
White tourmaline: Revitalises the skin, imparts radiance, anti-ageing, shields against environmental stresses, increases blood flow
Black tourmaline: Calms stressed or irritated skin
Moonstone: Soothes sensitive skin, hormonal breakouts, imparts youthful glow, stimulates hair growth
Jade: Balances combination skin, boosts circulation, shields against environmental stresses
Ruby: Nourishes ultra-dry skin, detoxifies, heals acne, cleanses the blood
Turquoise: Combats pollution
Diamond: Smoothes away wrinkles, strengthens nails
Rose quartz: Softens fine lines, buffs away dead cells and impurities, calms redness
Emerald: Deep cleanses, detoxifies, balances combination and irritated skin
Hematite: Energise tired eyes
Aquamarine: Soothes eczema and rosacea
Scolecite: Boosts circulation, relaxes the skin tissues
Clear quartz: Bring the body into balance, neutralises toxins and electromagnetic smog
Do you believe in the healing power of crystals? Which one’s your pick?
I love using crystals in my skincare. I personally use rose quartz face rollers.