Explainer | What is a pranic facial? A chemical-free, no-touch stress reliever – part of the energy healing wellness trend that has Kim Kardashian and Prince Harry’s attention

Instead of massage and lotions, pranic facials use crystals that ‘absorb’ negative energy to target physical and emotional stress and make the face look younger

They’re a form of energy healing some celebrities swear by – Prince Harry wrote about it in his memoir, Spare. Practitioners explain the wellness trend

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Neha Singh Ishawasya, an India-based pranic healer, uses a crystal pen and a crystal ball in her pranic facials to combat stress and make the face look younger. Photo: Neha Singh Ishawasya

Published: 11:15am, 5 May 2023

Facials at salons, where dozens of products are used, are a common part of people’s beauty routines. But have you tried a pranic facial? The no-chemical, no-touch, no-massage treatment is a go-to wellness trend for many.

With the coronavirus pandemic having nudged some people towards a chemical-free, nature-based lifestyle, more are looking for sustainable wellness solutions. A pranic facial is one such option, say practitioners.

Instead of using products to rejuvenate the skin, a crystal pen is used to transmit energy, a crystal ball to hold energy and a bowl of salt water to cleanse the aura.

“Pranic facials involve pranic healing, which was developed by Grand Master Choa Kok Sui of the Philippines. It uses prana, the Sanskrit[-derived] word for ‘life force’, which keeps a person alive and in good health,” says Neha Singh Ishawasya, a certified pranic healer based in the northern Indian city of Varanasi.

Ishawasya holding a crystal ball and pen. She says that pranic facials use prana, or “life force”, to promote good health. Photo: Neha Singh Ishawasya

“During the facial, energy is transferred from the healer (who is a storehouse of energy) to the receiver, whose energy sources are low or depleted.”