From healing a broken heart to finding more confidence, an astrologer has revealed how crystals could help you solve life’s big problems.
While crystals may long been associated with witchcraft and tarot cards, in recent years they have become a staple of wellness, with social media obsessing over the idea of alternative healing.
The popularity of crystals skyrocketed during the pandemic, so much so that the tag on TikTok has over 2.5 billion views, with collectors from all around the globe jumping on the trend.
Whether you’re looking to harness your feminine energy, get better sleep or desperate to get over heartbreak, British astrologer Bex Milford says there’s a crystal that can help.
Bex is an astrologer, crystal healer and spiritual social media influencer, who boasts thousands of followers on Instagram and runs crystal healing and chakra courses for beginners.
Here, Femail reveals the uses for ten common crystals to reveal exactly which you should pick based on your desire.
TIGER’S EYE
For: Confidence
Tiger’s Eye helps with courage and self-assurance and helps inspire passion for projects and people
Tiger’s Eye is a little gold-banded nugget of confidence, helping you blaze your way into the day with courage and self-assurance.
Harness the Eye of the Tiger by carrying this stone with you and repeating the mantra ‘I Control’. As a stone of luck and empowerment, it helps inspire passion for projects and people.
I love the fact it encourages bravery to pursue our dreams while also delivering a dose of assertiveness. If you’re always pleasing others and find it hard to say no, then this crystal helps us set boundaries.
Need a little encouragement to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk? This is the stone for you. Go get em, tiger!
ROSE QUARTZ
For: Love
Rose Quartz is effective in attracting new romances and developing intimacy as well as promoting self-love
As the stone of Unconditional Love, you’d be hard pressed to find a more powerful (and popular!) heart healing stone than Rose Quartz.
It’s a gorgeous crystal to promote self-love, open us to love, and give us the ability to show love.
It is also effective in attracting new romances and developing intimacy. I find the calming, soft pink glow helps during stressful times and its powerful energy helps to restore trust.
It’s certainly a hit with celebrities – Miranda Kerr is said to keep a piece in her bra (near her Heart Chakra) while Jenna Dewan bathes with it!
AMETHYST
For: Sleep
Amethyst is known as the ‘Great Awakener’ and is a stone that connects us with our intuition as well as helping us to relax and sleep
If you find gazing at the violet glimmer of amethyst soothing, there’s a good reason. It’s one of the most calming crystals you can use, opening up the Third Eye and Crown chakras and promoting relaxation and a calm mind.
If you suffer from nightmares of insomnia then this is the stone to keep by your bed, as crystal healers believe stimulates the pineal gland to produce more melatonin – essential for a good night’s sleep.
Amethyst is known as the ‘Great Awakener’ and is a stone that connects us with our intuition, allowing us to make links with a state of higher consciousness so we have the capacity to realise there is something more beyond the physical world.
CITRINE
For: Passion
Citrine is the stone of joy, creativity and confidence. It’s also known as ‘the Merchant’s stone’ and is thought to attract wealth and abundance
One of my absolute favourite crystals, Citrine is the stone of joy, creativity and confidence. The name comes from the French word for lemon, and as such we can imagine that it’s giving us a true zest for life, lifting our spirits and making us believe the best can happen!
It unblocks the Solar Plexus Chakra – the zone that connects us to our power and is located just below the ribs.
It’s essentially giving us a real ‘fire in the belly’ passion for life, and – much like the life-giving sun – it sparks a ray of hope and happiness.
It’s also known as ‘the Merchant’s stone’ and is thought to attract wealth and abundance, so I highly recommend keeping some on your desk or near a place of commerce. What’s not to love?!
LAPIS LAZULI
For: Truth
Lapis Lazuli is known as the ‘Stone of Truth’ and gives us the ability to communicate our thoughts effectively and with authenticity
The mystical blue of this precious stone has been revered for centuries – just look at Tutankhamun’s Death Mask to see how much the Egyptians valued it – and this is partly for spiritual reasons.
It’s known as the ‘Stone of Truth’ and as such it gives us the ability to communicate our thoughts effectively and with authenticity – crucial for the leaders (or would-be leaders!) of the world.
It is a symbol of royalty, honour and wisdom, promoting honesty and compassion when speaking with others.
Lapis Lazuli is also wonderful for creative types such as writers since it helps stimulate ideas, while also allowing you to speak your truth. For this reason, I’m never far from my Lapis Lazuli necklace!
BLACK ONYX
For: Protection
Black Onyx is a powerful stone of protection and restores balance in the Root Chakra so we feel grounded, safe and secure
Black Onyx is a powerful stone of protection and restores balance in the Root Chakra so we feel grounded, safe and secure.
I love the stories that it was used for initiation rituals in Peruvian + Native American traditions because it inspires feelings of personal power that comes from facing your fears.
As a Stone of Transformation, we can use it to free us from the shackles of self-doubt, approaching our fears head-on with renewed sense of inner trust.
Within the opaque black of the stone you’ll notice thin bands of white and grey running through the darkness. Black represents the cool and still night skies, grey is the sky at pre-dawn and dusk, while white represents the light that breaks each day, no matter what.
It’s a reminder that no matter how dark the night seems, the light of day is certain to arrive.
MOONSTONE
For: Feminine essence
Moonstone is a wonderful tool in connecting us to our ‘yin’ feminine essence of receptivity, fertility and flow
Moonstone is a wonderful tool in connecting us to our ‘yin’ feminine essence of receptivity, fertility and flow.
It aligns the Sacral Chakra, which ignites our passions, imagination and sensuality. Moonstone encourages balance and healing, helping you tune into what you really need so you can release feelings of co-dependancy, heartache and obsessiveness.
Moonstone stimulates confidence, composure and helps calm us if we’re feeling fraught or overwhelmed.
When life seems to get too much, hold Moonstone to your chin and take some deep breaths. The chin is a powerful Moon Centre of the body so it should help you ride any emotional waves.
LABRADORITE
For: Transformation
Labradorite is known as the ‘Stone of Celestial Light’ and is the gemstone associated with magic, transformation and protection
It’s hard not to get lost in the hypnotic glimmers of Labradorite, with its peacock blue, neon green and amber-hued flashes – it almost looks like the Northern Lights have been captured within its mystical black depths.
Labradorite is known as the ‘Stone of Celestial Light’ and is the gemstone associated with magic, transformation and protection.
I use it to unplug from the world so I can connect to my intuition, as it helps with self-revelation, clairvoyance and divination.
The myth is that it contains the light from the dark side of the moon, the shimmering light of which can help illuminate the path to our destiny.
Labradorite is also a stone of curiosity and allows us to access inspiration and creativity. Use it during a Full Moon to tap into your own psychic abilities.
MALACHITE
For: Curing heartache
Malachite is known as the Stone of Transformation thought to help battle low mood and can also protect you from emotional blackmail
Suffering from heartache? Lovesick or feeling deeply wounded? Malachite is wonderful for Heart Chakra healing and can help with recovering from painful relationship experiences.
It’s a Stone of Transformation, encouraging us to take emotional risks and believe in our own power to pick ourselves up and love again.
The deep green hue and glorious swirls remind us of the incredible healing power found in nature. The bands on the surface are known as ‘eye stones’, believed to aid our visionary powers and offer protection.
Malachite is thought to help battle low mood and can also protect you from emotional blackmail.
Incidentally, malachite is also a protection stone for those who travel by air and can help with a fear of flying.
CLEAR QUARTZ
For: Clearing negative energy
Clear Quartz helps you radiate positivity, but it also brings clarity of mind and focus and balances all of our chakras
Need just one stone for your crystal toolkit? It has to be Clear Quartz!
Known as the ‘Master Healer, it has the ability to clear negative energy from your surroundings, and balances all of our chakras, since it contains the full spectrum of light.
It’s purity can aid in cleansing your other crystals, and it also amplifies the energy of your other gems, supercharging their power.
Not only does Clear Quartz help you radiate positivity, but it also brings clarity of mind and focus. It’s a wonderful crystal to meditate with, opening us up to a sense of higher purpose and awareness.
Plus it’s thought to help us detoxify, encourages cell regeneration and balance the adrenal system. Generally, a Must-Have in your Crystal Healing kit!