5 Benefits of Dry Brushing (And Why You Should Be Doing It!)

Imagine an easy routine that only takes a few minutes each day but leaves your skin glowing, has wellness benefits and costs virtually nothing. Dry brushing is the best-kept secret to feeling great and having glowing skin. I’ll show you why everyone should know what dry brushing is and the benefits of it.

 

 

Dry brushing is a natural skincare routine that has been around for a very long time, but is virtually unknown nowadays! It’s time to resurrect this skincare routine and reap the benefits of dry brushing. I started learning about dry brushing in an effort to help remove toxins from my body and improve my skin appearance. I have found the benefits to be numerous and it is really easy to incorporate into my daily routine. It just takes a few minutes before my shower each day.

To understand better, let me walk you through as to how dry brushing works.

What is dry brushing?

For centuries, dry brushing has been used as a method of skin exfoliation practiced worldwide in many cultures. Dry brushing aims to slough off our dead skin cells via an exfoliation brush, leaving the skin in a smooth texture. You can practice it at home or if you are looking to be pampered, then you can always book a dry brushing session at a spa by a professional. I recommend doing it often at home.

Dry brushing helps our largest organ, the skin, to excrete toxins and unclog pores. Since the skin is responsible for excreting 1/3 of the body’s toxins, daily dry brushing can be really helpful.

 

Benefits of Dry Brushing

There are 5 main benefits of dry brushing that are well worth the short amount of time it takes to dry brush each day:

1. Stimulates the lymphatic system – Your skin works to help the body eliminate toxins, however, if there are too many dead skin cells then it can’t do its job properly. Dry brushing can help keep skin healthy so it can eliminate toxins properly which ultimately also helps keep you from getting sick.
2. Reduces cellulite – Cellulite is the appearance of cottage-cheese-like skin on the thighs, buttocks, stomach and back of the arms. No one likes cellulite and dry brushing can actually help reduce it. Skip the spendy cellulite creams and try dry brushing instead. Cellulite is often caused by fluid retention, weak collagen structure, lack of circulation, genetics, toxicity, and increased body fat due to poor diets. Dry brushing may help stimulate the cells and break down toxins underneath the skin causing it to be a natural remedy for cellulite.
3. Exfoliates dead skin – As you age you may find yourself with skin that doesn’t look so glowing and fresh anymore. Dry brushing a couple of times a week can help remove dead skin cells and give your skin a fresher, healthier appearance. As you are dry brushing, be sure to be gentle so you aren’t damaging the skin. Exfoliating too much can also lead to dry skin which is the opposite of what we want so keep an eye on your skin and adjust your dry brushing routine accordingly.
4. Stress relief – In the same way that a massage relieves stress, dry brushing does as well! Dry brushing helps you relax and is cheaper than a massage because you can do it yourself.
5. Unclogs pores – Pores can get clogged with dead skin cells, cosmetics and environmental toxins. Dry brushing helps to remove these pore-clogging particles which in turn, helps the skin absorb more nutrients. This promotes healthy skin and leads to more glowing skin.

 

 

Brushes For Dry Brushing

I found this Dry Brushing Body set that comes with 100% natural boar bristles on Amazon and that is the set I have been using for dry brushing.

This brush is made with 100% natural boar bristles for deep yet safe exfoliation and lymphatic drainage. Moreover, with a three-piece set, it leaves you with a choice using a different brush each time to cover all parts of your body. It also includes a facial exfoliator for your facial spa treatment giving you a glowing skin with no dead cells. The facial brush was a bit stiff for me but use your judgment.

For all those women with acne problems, I would highly suggest you use this dry brushing set as it will not only leave your skin acne-free but stimulate and enhance lymphatic drainage that will rejuvenate your skin. Its proven effects include cellulite-free skin making you feel fresh every passing day.

Now that you know what dry brushing is along with its benefits, let me teach you how to dry brush the proper way using this dry brush.

 

How to Dry Brush

Start with your feet and then hands, as you brush upwards, pulling in a few firm strokes and then moving in a circular direction. You always want to be brushing TOWARDS your heart. If you are covering your stomach area use a clockwise direction. Repeat the set for at least three to five times making sure to cover every area. Avoid brushing over genitals or breasts as the skin in these areas is more sensitive.

Do this before your shower, and bathe normally. See the graphic below for a map of how to dry brush.

I think it goes without saying that you don’t have to wet the brush. Make sure you do not adopt an aggressive brushing technique since it can damage your skin if you brush too hard. Be gentle.

Clean the brush after every use by running it under water and hanging it up to dry. I keep a hook right in the shower for this.

After this round, you might want to complete your mini-pamper session with a hot bath using this DIY Bath Salt Recipe. It does wonders for my mood.

You might also want to watch this video on how to dry brush, for some visual learning.

 

 

If after reading all this, you’re itching to try out dry brushing then check out my favorite dry brushing set. It comes with a lifetime warranty.

 

Dry Brushing For Cellulite

Let me tell you one secret that you won’t hear from any skincare brand: any sort of body lotions that aim to eradicate cellulite have almost terribly failed to produce desired results. The most they can do is to improve our skin tone and help make it smoother. However, dermatologists claim that our problems are embedded deep within – deeper than the reach of these creams.

You might be surprised to find that adopting a regular dry brushing routine in your daily life can work wonders for your skin!

 

As you can see, it is well worth the few minutes a day that dry brushing takes. You can reap numerous benefits and even get more youthful, glowing skin as a result of adopting this into your routine!