What the heck are healing crystals? Do they actually do anything?

If you grew up in the early ‘90s, there’s a solid chance you owned a rose quartz choker (along with a couple mood rings and a floral skater dress). Twenty-something years later, crystals—and that hippy-dippy-sounding concept of crystal healing—are back. Celebs like Adele, Miranda Kerr, and Kylie Jenner have all plugged these ‘power’ rocks, which are believed to help positive, healing energy flow through the body.

Here’s the claim: Crystals have energy properties that can work within our own energy systems. So if your love life is out of whack, you’re feeling unsettled in a new job, or you can’t shake a bout of stress, crystal fans believe keeping these rocks close instills a sense of balance in the body and mind. (Adele reportedly lost her crystals right before her Grammys performance this year, and believes it may have triggered all those technical issues, The Sun reports.)

Now for the reality: There’s zero scientific evidence that crystals can do anything to heal the brain or the body, and just about any M.D. will tell you crystal healing is B.S. But here’s the thing—if you believe crystals will make you feel better, that all-powerful placebo effect and the power of suggestion could help you feel just that.

“I used to find this kind of stuff irritating and weird, but I’ve become more open-minded,” says Eden Fromberg, D.O., an osteopathic physician based in New York City. “If my patients are connecting to something and it improves their symptoms, I can’t roll my eyes at that.” However, you should always seek help from a medical professional for physical or mental ailments—because crystals definitely won't cure you.

So if you want to rock out with crystals (because you really have nothing to lose, aside from a few bucks, and hey—they look hella pretty), check out these starter tips from Peyton Sandler, a wellness consultant and crystal specialist at Maha Rose Center for Healing in Brooklyn, New York.

Before you even walk into a crystal shop, think about what aspect of your life you’d like help with. A bad breakup? A move across the country? Then trust your intuition as you browse the crystals, noticing which colors and textures you’re attracted to. There should be descriptions next to each crystal in regards to what it’s most useful for (more on that below), but Sandler says it’s equally important to recognize which crystals you naturally gravitate toward.

If you’re not feeling pulled any which way, pick a stone based on its description. Smokey quartz is for feeling grounded, safe, and secure; rose quartz opens you up for love and romance; citrine is for success and prosperity; amethyst is for soothing the mind and emotions…the list goes on.

“You want to rid the crystal of any energy it picked up before you bought it,” says Sandler. “An easy way to do this is to soak it overnight in a salt bath, or burn sage, a cleansing herb, in the air around it.” In other words, invite your girlfriends over and have a fun night in with sage-burning and red wine.

It’s important that while you use your crystals, you actually think they're working (otherwise that placebo effect is basically a moot point). Sandler says you can place crystals strategically along parts of the body while focusing on their healing powers: “Put the rose quartz on your heart and imagine it melting away any sadness,” he suggests. “Or, if you’re having trouble with public speaking, place a kyanite blue crystal on your throat and imagine it’s releasing anything that’s keeping you from speaking your truth.”

Another way to use crystals is to line the stones up with the seven chakra points (or energy centers) along the body, according to The Chopra Center. For example, while meditating you could place a stone just below your stomach to stimulate the sacral chakra, linked to creativity and sexuality. Or, if you're looking for clarity on an issue, you could place one between your eyebrows, as it's where the anja chakra (the center of intuition) is located.

Some people find that keeping a crystal in their pocket or bag (or wearing it as a piece of jewelry) is an easy way to score some extra confidence throughout the day. “Put your hand around it in your pocket to remind yourself that you’ve got this,” says Sandler. You can also plant crystals around your house (in case you want your apartment to feel more grounded and safe) or next to other sacred objects (like a special ring from your Grandmother) to create a meditative zone at home.