Are Jade Rollers Really a Magical Anti-Aging Skin-Care Tool?

Jade rollers aren't a new beauty tool-in fact, they date back to seventh-century China-but they're certainly trendier than ever if our Instagram feeds are any indication. In the past few years, they've slowly transformed from a somewhat obscure skin-care device to a mainstream must-have for beauty junkies. It makes sense; they promise to solve a slew of common skin woes, including wrinkles and puffiness, all in a pretty jade package that fits in with the ever-growing natural beauty and healing crystal trends.

So are the claims legit-and should you go buy one ASAP? Here's everything you need to know.

What Is a Jade Roller?

Simply put, a jade roller is like a little rolling pin for your face, made of the gemstone jade, which can vary in color from very pale green to a deep turquoise. It's been used as a skin-care tool for centuries in China, where jade is commonly found. Jade rollers been a secret weapon of estheticians for years. Before the modern-day roller iteration, "jade rollers were used throughout history in egg forms," explains dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, Purvisha Patel, M.D.

The power of jade is, in part, because it's a cooling and nonporous stone-meaning it won't retain bacteria, says Dr. Patel. While you can find facial rollers made of other materials with similar properties, like rose quartz, the OG jade version is thought to have some unique healing and spiritual properties: Jade is known as the stone of eternal youth.

"Jade is a calming stone, and is thought to help relieve the tension in the face," Dr. Patel adds. As a bonus, jade is a good luck charm that can bring prosperity and fortune into your life, according to healing crystal experts-and that's gotta help with those worry wrinkles, right?!

The Skin-Care Benefits

So, what do derms think about the real skin-care perks? "Facial rollers help with puffiness since they help decongest the fluid found in the lymphatic channels," Dr. Patel says.

Jade rollers can be especially helpful when used under the eyes for this reason, adds Mona Gohara, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale Medical School. While jade remains cool naturally, she recommends storing your jade roller in the fridge and using it in the morning to eliminate puffiness (in the same way you'd use a cold spoon).

When it comes to the wrinkle-erasing claims, Dr. Gohara says jade rollers can help, at least in the short term. "Using a jade roller to massage the skin will stimulate circulation in your face, so you can plump up and lessen the appearance of fine lines," she says. Still, don't expect Botox-like results.

There's another bonus: "Using a jade roller after applying other products may help enhance penetration of active ingredients into the skin," says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Sadly, when it comes to other alleged benefits like refining pores or eliminating those cursed genetic dark circles, a jade roller likely wouldn't help, Dr. Gohara says.

Bottom line: A jade roller isn't a miracle product and it's not a replacement for good skin care, but there's certainly no downside either, Dr. Zeichner says.

How to Use a Jade Roller

There is a right way to use a jade roller to make sure you're reaping all of the skin-care benefits. "Start in the middle of the face, working your way down the neck to help to promote lymphatic flow," Dr. Patel says. "Make sure to roll up and out in order to draw fluid away from the face," adds Dr. Gohara. And don't forget areas like your lips and neck-often neglected areas that can show signs of aging.

Be sure to apply gentle but consistent pressure to help with de-puffing-if it hurts, you're pressing too hard, Dr. Patel adds. Use it in the morning or evening-and be sure to keep it clean with soap and warm water.

Where to Buy a Jade Roller

If you're interested in trying out the trend, luckily, you can do so fairly cheaply. Jade rollers are available on Amazon for less than $5. While cheaper versions should offer the same skin-care perks simply from the fact that you're rolling something cool across the skin, Dr. Gohara says, just be aware that you may actually be buying a knock-off version that is made from glass infused with green dye.

To be sure you're getting authentic jade, opt for a slightly pricier version that comes with a jade certification from brands like GingerChi ($24; gingerchi.com) and Herbivore Botanicals ($25; herbivorebotanicals.com)-no two stones will look alike but they're sure to be the real deal.