Whether you’re looking to detox or simply investigating the latest health recommendations from your favorite celebrities, chances are you’ve heard of dry brushing. Touted for it’s ability to both improve the appearance of cellulite as well as help your body fight off infection, dry brushing has grown in popularity over the past several years.
What is Dry Brushing?
Dry brushing is the act of using a coarse bristled brush with a long handle and natural hairs, and gently brushing your own skin from your hands and feet up towards your heart in circular motions and long strokes. You’ll want to do dry brushing in the comfort of your own home, completely naked, and likely standing your tub so dead skin cells and dry skin can easily fall the ground and be washed away.
While this activity might seem an odd thing to do to boost your own health, it’s actually been around for centuries and is even offered at some high-end spas and resorts.
What Are the Health Benefits of Dry Brushing?
Dry brushing boasts many health benefits that effectively support both your outside appearance as well as your inside circulation and natural detoxification systems.
Boosts Lymphatic Drainage: Your comprehensive network of lymphatic vessels, ducts, lymph nodes, and organs which help your body filter out and eliminate toxins and infectious microbes actually requires muscle contraction and relaxation to keep going (unlike your circulatory system that operates by the pumping of your heart). Dry brushing improves the natural flow of lymph fluid through this system helping you to naturally detox and strengthen your own immunity.
Exfoliates Your Skin: Ridding your body of the hundreds of millions of skin cells which die on it every single day is made simpler with the exfoliating powers of dry brushing. By scrubbing away built up dead and damaged skin cells as well as dry skin flakes and pore-clogging impurities with dry brushing, you naturally enhance the tone and texture of your skin, as well as minimize pores and even potentially the appearance of cellulite.
Increases Blood Circulation: Applying brush strokes and pressure to the tissues right under your skin all over your body helps to stimulate blood flow and relieve skin congestion. This allows vital nutrients to better circulate around your body as well as unclogs the skin and pores to more readily absorb skin care products like moisturizers and toners.
Alleviates Stress Tension: Similar to getting a deep pressure massage, dry brushing routinely in a quiet, calm space can be meditative and help relieve muscle tension in the neck and back as well as quell feelings of stress and muscle tightness. The soft feel of your skin coupled with a rejuvenated glow can boost your own self-confidence and feelings of self-worth too.
How Do I Get Started with Dry Brushing?
Not sure how to even start a new dry brushing routine? Don’t fret! Follow these simple steps:
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Find the best body brush that will work for your own dry brushing needs. Maybe it is just a long-handled body brush to start, or a shorter face brush as well. Brushes can vary, long and short, one or two sided, so shop around.
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Pick a time in your day, or two times, in which you can fit in a routine dry brushing.
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Start slow to get used to the sensation of the bristles rubbing your skin. Begin at your feet and ankles and brush upwards in long strokes towards your heart, increasing the pressure as you go along.
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Use the brush on your legs, bottom, back, shoulders, arms, and stomach, driving strokes towards your chest, but be sensitive to not rub too hard.
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Avoid brushing over open sores, sites of inflammation, sunburns, etc.
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Shower afterwards to wash away all the dead and dry skin you have sloughed away with the dry brush. Make sure to fully dry your skin afterwards and moisturize with a hydrating lotion.
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Dry brushing may just be your key to supporting your body with the detox and stress relief it’s looking for!
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