From easing stress to boosting confidence, crystals are the must-have accessory of the moment
Victoria Beckham won’t open her fashion shows without the positive vibes of pink quartz and carries a black obsidian skull crystal in her handbag ‘for strength’. Naomi Campbell swears by protective black tourmaline, while Jennifer Aniston wears a moonstone necklace.
Victoria Beckham carries a black obsidian crystal in her bag ‘for strength’
Known for their healing properties as well as their natural beauty, crystals are the accessory du jour.
While traditional Chinese medicine has long incorporated crystals (rose quartz-tipped needles for acupuncture are said to speed up the healing process), their use is becoming more widespread in Western health and beauty treatments.
Think of them as ‘a bespoke toolkit’, says Emma Lucy Knowles, author of The Power of Crystal Healing. In the same way that a favourite lipstick gives us an extra lift, different crystals resonate with your energy.
‘Whether you need a confidence boost before a presentation or to mend a broken heart, there’s a crystal to support and heal you,’ says Emma Lucy.
Crystal healing harnesses the power of crystals to realign our energy by placing the right crystal on the right area of your body, explains Emma Lucy.
For example, rose quartz by the heart promotes love and self-acceptance and citrine by the solar plexus eases tension.
From left: CITRINE PENDANT, £30.50, Decadorn, from notonthehighstreet.com. AGATE TEALIGHT, £26, Oliver Bonas, oliverbonas.com. CRYSTAL BOX, £35, Crystal Muse, crystalmuse.co.uk. ROSE QUARTZ BOOKENDS, £89.50, Decadorn, from notonthehighstreet.com (Bookends photograph: Amr Moharram)
Healthy-living advocate Jasmine Hemsley and her friend Toni Dicks recently launched Sound Sebastien, a pop-up workshop that uses crystal bowls to create a ‘sound bath’ designed to send participants into a meditative, relaxed state.
Meanwhile, Katie-Jane Wright, a former footwear designer at French Sole, left her job to pursue a long-held dream of becoming a crystal healer. Eight months ago she launched Crystal Muse, an online boutique that offers a bi-monthly subscription box containing crystals such as amethyst and citrine, as well as handwritten notes on how to use them.
‘The popularity of the boxes has astounded me – they sell out within days,’ says Katie-Jane.
As for beauty, stars including Katy Perry love the uplifting effects of crystal facials. Plus there’s a growing demand for tension-relieving rose quartz-infused skincare and skin-calming jade face rollers.
With crystals featuring on necklaces, infused in perfumes and encased within water bottles (great if you want to add a touch of love to your drink, says Emma Lucy), being crystal-curious couldn’t be more on trend.
Not On the High Street seller Decadorn, which specialises in crystal jewellery and decorations, reports a 40 per cent growth in sales year on year, with its much-lusted-after rose quartz bookends a bestseller.
‘We try to leave them in their raw form as much as possible,’ says founder Helen Bailey. ‘Our customers feel drawn to a particular stone or piece – it’s so enjoyable to see them connecting with the products on more than just an aesthetic level.’ Emma Lucy agrees: ‘I’m all for lots of crystals at home.
They look beautiful and add a magic energy, too. I place rose quartz by photos of my family to keep them safe and send them love.’
The Power of Crystal Healing by Emma Lucy Knowles will be published on 8 March by Pop Press, price £12.99. To pre-order a copy for £10.39 (a 20 per cent discount) until 11 March, visit you-bookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640; p&p is free on orders over £15.
Sound Sebastien has a six-week residency at Re:Mind Studio, London SW1, from 2 April. soundsebastien.com
Emma Lucy Knowles selects your rock starter kit
Clockwise from top left: Hematite for focus and concentration, particularly when you’re feeling challenged; TIGER’S EYE is my go-to stone. It’s about confidence, self-discipline and inner strength, which I think we need a lot of at the moment. ROSE QUARTZ is the stone of the heart – promoting and optimising love – is the centre of everything for me. CITRINE for abundance and success. Citrine burns off negativity and enriches your purse. CLEAR QUARTZ This is a common crystal that shouldn’t be discounted – it allows us to rise to a heightened state of connectivity. AMETHYST is great for sleep and for soothing you. I use it to calm me at the end of the day. PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Celebs in the stone zone…
In 2016 after being out of the limelight for four years, ADELE was ‘nervous about my comeback show and panicking. But it was one of the best ones I’ve ever done and I had crystals in my hand.’
KATE HUDSON says, ‘I have a crystal my mother gave me for Christmas years ago – I take it everywhere with me. It’s a heart-shaped rose quartz and represents love.’
KIM KARDASHIAN got into crystals after being robbed in Paris in 2016. ‘Friends would come over and bring me healing crystals. I started to dig deeper into the meanings behind them.’
Model MIRANDA KERR carries a rose-quartz crystal in her bra. She says: ‘It’s known to encourage love and open the heart chakra. It’s also supposed to have healing powers.’