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Jade rollers have gotten popular recently, but these devices have been used in China for centuries and are known for their cooling, anti-inflammatory benefits.
Most jade rollers are double-sided with a large stone on one end to be used around cheeks and jaws, and a smaller piece on the other end for eyes. Other rollers might just be one-sided.
Jade rollers have reached peak saturation - they're on your Instagram feed, touted by experts as a miraculous, fix-everything solution. But they're far from being just a fad - jade rollers have been popular in China for centuries, long before social media influencers existed to plug them in sponsored blog posts.
While no skin-care gadget can answer all your skin concerns, massaging your face with a jade roller can have numerous benefits. Jade rollers are said to help reduce inflammation, help skin-care products soak into the skin better, cut down on puffiness, and loosen tight spots that form from repetitive motion, like furrowing that brow as you squint at your phone). Most are double-sided, with a smaller stone for harder-to-reach spots and a wider one for massaging the cheeks, jawline, and neck.
But no guide to buying jade rollers would be complete without a little gemology lesson in the stones first. There are only two types of true jade - nephrite and jadeite. Most rollers marketed as "jade" are made from Xiuyan (or Xiyuan) jade, which is actually a type of serpentine crystal. Its composition is fundamentally different from nephrite and jadeite, but it can have different shades of green that make it look like jade. It can't accurately be categorized as jade but historically and culturally, Chinese people include Xiuyan jade under the larger "jade" umbrella. Nephrite and jadeite are also extremely valuable, expensive, and belong in museums, so if we're being honest, there's no way the real deal would be incorporated into skin-care tools that cost $60.
But despite these "jade" rollers not being made out of made of nephrite and jadeite, the rollers still work exactly the same way. They'll still have the same depuffing and relaxing benefits if you use them regularly with an oil or serum, and your skin will still feel fresh and rejuvenated.
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Jade rollers are tough to shop for because they're virtually identical and all claim to do the exact same thing. Many of them have mixed reviews because everyone is looking for something different. The Mount Lai De-Puffing Jade Facial Roller is made of quality jade and is sturdier than many similar models I've used.
This Xiyuan jade roller is instantly cooling on the skin, but you can also keep it in the fridge to make it even colder. Most jade rollers squeak a little as you work them across the face, but this one is far less noisy than other models I've personally tried. It also comes in a beautiful satin-lined box with grooves to keep the roller secure it's not in use.
It's double-sided with a wider stone on one end for the cheeks, forehead, and down the neck, and a small stone for under the eyes, between the brows, and other targeted areas. Mount Lai also offers a mini version for $20.
The brand recommends using the roller with a serum or oil to help it glide smoothly over the skin without tugging.
Editors are Cosmopolitan and Allure also recommend Mount Lai, and it has an average 4-star rating on Sephora, based on more than 140 reviews. One shopper writes, "The stones are beautiful and appear higher quality than some of the cheaper ones I have seen [...] These have done wonders for my sinus headaches/stuffiness and I notice a major difference if I don't use this before bed."
Pros: Xiyuan jade, natural cooling effect, beautiful keepsake box, comes in mini and standard sizes
Cons: can be squeaky (which is typical of jade rollers)
Jade rollers are ideally paired with serums or oils to help cut down on friction. Plus, the action of massaging with the stone can help products absorb into the skin.
The GingerChi Anti-Aging Jade Roller is both for the price of one — an Amazon top-pick facial roller that comes with a sample-sized serum so you can start rolling as soon as the package arrives.
This roller is made with Xiyuan jade and silver nickel. It comes with a cute storage bag and a small vial of Regenerating Face Serum made with coconut oil, antioxidants, and essential oils. Use a few drops of the serum before starting your massage regimen to get the full benefits.
Editors at Women's Health, Allure, Shape, and Town & Country vouch for the quality of this roller, which also has a 3.9 star-rating based on nearly 400 Amazon reviews. "I really like this roller. I researched quite a few online before choosing this one [...] This one rolls easily and feels great. I appreciate the fabric pouch it comes with, the instructions, and the oil sample," writes one shopper.
Pros: made with Xiyuan jade, serum sample, travel pouch, double-sided
Cons: the serum is not ideal for oily or acne-prone skin
The roller claims to be made of "jade" and while we've clarified the term earlier, some shoppers are dubious that the stone is even close to "jade" due to the low cost and the fact that the type of stone is never actually specified. If you're curious about facial rollers but don't care about the quality of the stones or want to commit price-wise, reviewers say this is a solid option. You can always refrigerate the roller for a more pronounced cooling effect.
Like most rollers, it's double-sided with larger and smaller stones on either end. While the design isn't quite as elegant as some pricier picks, most shoppers agree that it does the trick as far as soothing and depuffing goes.
"This was the one addition to my beauty routine I didn't know I needed! My face is always puffy in the morning so the roller really helps out and wakes me up and feels amazing!" writes one Walgreens shopper. Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan editors list this among one of their top rollers recommendations.
Pros: affordable, double-sided, decent quality for the price
Similar to microneedling, a textured roller can supercharge your circulation. Both sides of this roller are roughly the same size, so you can use either one on whichever parts of your face need a boost. I'd be careful pressing too hard with the textured side, especially on the face.
The brand recommends using the roller for five to 10 minutes daily to see the benefits, textured side first, then following up with the smooth stone.
"I love this face roller! I have pretty bad seasonal allergies and it has helped in making my face less swollen, an added bonus! I would say the only downside is the size of the smooth roller for my eye area," writes one Nordstrom shopper.
A Byrdie editor writes, "This dual-textured face roller has a smooth side for boosting circulation and a textured end to effectively massage away tension." It's also been featured by Cosmo.
While other rollers specify that they're made with Xiuyan jade, Skin Gym doesn't call it out. But like with our Revlon pick, that doesn't mean you won't get the depuffing benefits as the roller will still work the same.
Pros: two different types of rollers can provide more benefits, textured side can help release tension
Cons: some shoppers had issues with breakage, type of jade is not specified
The benefits of a roller can work for the entire body and the Esker Beauty Allover Jade Roller is designed for just that purpose.
The stone is textured and very large compared to other rollers, so I wouldn't recommend using it on the face. Instead, it's an amazing tool for tension-relief on the arms, legs, chest, and back. This one is not double-sided, but it has a broader handle for an easier grip.
At $65, this is absolutely the priciest roller on this list, but it's also made with a large piece of Xiuyan jade to cover more skin at once. The size difference between this and the other facial rollers justifies the price.
"The ridges made the experience slightly more intense than when I use my regular roller, in a good way," writes Well + Good beauty editor Zoe Weiner. Cosmopolitan recommends using it right out of the shower with body oil or moisturizer.
Pros: made with Xiuyan jade, textured, larger stone for full body
Cons: expensive, can't be used on face
What else we considered
Herbivore Jade Facial Roller ($30): Herbivore's facial roller is similar to our top pick from Mount Lai, but the customer reviews are much more mixed, with some people reporting issues with breakage and squeaking.
White Lotus Anti-Aging Luxurious Jade Roller ($49.99): This jade roller from White Lotus has a rounder shape that makes it unique from other designs. The main downside is that it's not double-ended, and there's no smaller stone for getting under the eyes — which is one of the areas that often benefits the most from massaging.