I Tried TikTok’s Viral Jade Roller Hack

I want to get better about using my jade roller. I keep mine in my freezer, which means that I don't remember I have it until I'm pulling out a frozen meal to throw in my Always Pan when I'm too hangry to consider pressing a cold stone to my face.

Still, when I do take the time to use a face roller — gliding pressure from brow bone to hairline, then into my cheekbones and around my jaw — I always feel less puffy and more sculpted afterwards. So, when I saw the latest TikTok beauty trend involved hacking a jade roller as a makeup blender, I thought: Okay, this might help make face rolling more habitual.

For inspiration, I watched a video of makeup artist Avonna Sunshine applying her foundation using a rose-quartz roller. She explained that unlike a makeup sponge or brush, the stone roller doesn't absorb any of the foundation, which means that you can use less product and achieve a fuller coverage finish.

Curious, I tried the hack. I pulled my own roller from the side door of my freezer and used the cold stone as a vehicle to blend my SPF tinted moisturiser.

The point about not needing too much product is right on the money. I used a teeny bit of tinted moisturiser, less than normal, and because there was no product absorption happening, I was able to use the roller to achieve my desired level of coverage...but it took awhile. Rigorous skin rolling was required to get the makeup evenly blended over my entire face — which, if you're considering the hack for its face-massage benefits, might be a good thing.

I liked using my jade roller like a paint roller for the face, but it's not a hack for everyone. Makeup artist Cara Lovello tells me it's "too messy" and doesn't offer enough precision. "There is no way to evenly get your foundation in all the harder-to-reach places," she explains. Still, some TikTokers have found a way to implement the roller technique with some tweaking. Rachel Rigler, for example, uses her jade roller as a first step to blend her foundation and then uses a makeup sponge to get into "the crevices," like around the nose.

Makeup artist Charlie Riddle notes that an alternative method: Use your jade or rose-quartz roller right before foundation. "If you opt to try this technique as is, it's going to give you more coverage, but your foundation is going to sit on top of the skin more so than if you were to apply with a beauty sponge or brush," Riddle explains. "I’d recommend, instead of foundation, try this technique with a primer."

Me, well — I'm going to experiment a little more and relocate my jade roller from the freezer to my vanity to give myself a fighting chance at becoming a more regular massager.