Dry Brushing Skin Benefits

Most people are concerned about nurturing their facial skin by regularly exfoliating, cleansing, and moisturizing. But they ignore the skin on the rest of their bodies. Look at any spa menu, and you will find an offer that mentions dry brushing in most of the menu. Does dry brushing skin sounds strange to you? The practice – which involves scrubbing down your dry skin with a scratchy brush – is not only good for your skin’s aesthetic appearance, but the benefits of dry skin brushing go beyond skin deep, offering whole-body benefits to your health.

Your body’s skin too needs care, and by adding one simple step to your morning routine can greatly improve its health – dry body brushing.

What Is Dry Brushing For Skin?

Dry brushing skin is precisely what it sounds like – brushing the skin in a specific manner with a dry brush, typically before showering or taking bath. In dry brushing, you need to brush the skin in a particular pattern – starting from the feet and hands towards the chest and heart.

Dry Brushing Benefits

A critical function of the skin is facilitating optimal detoxification. But if your skin is choked with toxins or dead skin cells, it cannot excrete wastes from your body effectively. It’s where dry body brushing becomes a facilitator, not only in brushing off dead skin cells but also keep in functioning waste ejection through your lymph nodes. Besides these, there are many other benefits, including:

1. Incite Your Lymphatic Support: Lymphatic system plays a key role in your body’s immune system. The lymphatic system function is to eliminate cellular product wastes. It facilitates collection of wastes from your tissues and transport to your blood for elimination, a process called as lymphatic drainage. By stimulating your lymphatic system and helping in eliminating toxins, dry brushing skin detoxifies your body naturally.

2. Exfoliation: Dry skin brushing, i.e., the process of running natural bristled brush over the body clears the clogged pores, helps loosen and slough off dead, dry skin cells, and allowing your skin to “breath”. It will make your skin much softer, improve its appearance and let it hydrate more effectively when moisturizer is applied afterward. Dry brushing is one of the easiest and most natural ways to exfoliate the skin.

3. Increase Blood Circulation: When you dry brush your skin, it increases blood flow to your skin that promotes the elimination of metabolic waste. Some skin experts say as dry brushing increases circulation, it increases energy too. So, it’s recommended that you make dry brushing a part of your morning routine.

4. Reduce Cellulite: Although it’s not scientifically proven, regular dry brushing may help to soften hard fat deposits underneath the skin and dispense fat deposits more evenly. As dry brushing assists in eliminating toxins, many pros believe it can even out those unsightly lumps and bumps for good. Anyways, the dry brushing feels amazing and makes skin softer, thus there doesn’t seem to be any downside in trying it!

5. Stress Relief: The process of dry brushing works as meditative (particularly, if you perform it in a leisurely manner) and relax your muscle tension, pacify your mind, and ease stress.

Selecting A Dry Brush

Look for a good quality brush – it should be firm and made from natural materials. The natural bristles should feel stiff but not excessively hard. Ideally, choose a brush with a long handle, which allows you to reach your entire back, and easily brush the bottoms of your feet and the backs of your legs.

How Do You Dry Brush?

Dry skin brushing should be done at least once a day for best results. Consider including it into your normal daily routine, preferably in the morning before showering. If you like you can do it twice a day, one in the morning before taking bath and again after work. Make sure not to do it too close to your sleeping time, since it will leave you feeling energized.

1. While dry brushing, always brush towards your heart/chest area, since this way it works best for circulation and your lymph flow. Brush your whole body, starting at the feet (including soles of the feet) work your way up your legs in smooth strokes.

2. Repeat the process with the arms, starting with the palms of the hands and brushing up the arm toward the heart/chest area.

3. Repeat the process on your stomach and back.

4. Either avoid dry brushing face or use a brush specially designed for delicate skin. Don’t brush your genitals, any areas with irritations, abrasions or varicose veins.

5. Avoid scrubbing, just apply a little firm pressure – but not painful. You can brush for as long or as little, as you desire.

Natural Beauty Tip: Avoid brushing too hard. Brush with a soft and smooth stroke. You will find your skin gets a little pink after brushing- make sure it should not be red or sting.

Try dry brushing your skin to get glowing, tighter and revitalized skin! After dry brushing you will have invigorated feelings. Share your dry brushing experience with other readers…