Brushing for Beauty | Dry Skin Brushing

If you look at a Supermodel, besides their insanely good bodies, you will notice something else – great skin. Their skin is generally tanned and wrinkle/blemish free, but even those supermodels on the paler end with freckles still have great skin. Why? Because they glow. Here’s how you can achieve radiant supermodel-like skin, in a few easy steps…

What is Dry Brushing?

Well, it’s just that. You take a body brush (choose one with firm, natural bristles and a long handle) and use it to gently massage your body in an upward motion. This improves the appearance of your skin and also makes your moisturizer more effective because it sloughs off dead skin.

How do you do it?

To dry brush properly, begin by making sure that your skin is completely dry. Starting at your ankle, move your brush up your calf using long, upwards motions avoiding back and forth motions. Every brush motion should be directed towards your heart. Continue brushing from your knees all the way up your thighs. Then brush the torso with upward strokes (avoiding your boobs completely). Finally, make long strokes from the wrists to the shoulders and underarms. This should take no more than 5 minutes and will leave you feeling totally invigorated! A slightly firm pressure is all you need and when you’re done your skin should be slightly pink. Remember that some areas might be more sensitive than others. When this happens, apply even less pressure and take your time. The best time to dry brush is right before you shower. After you rinse off, slather on a moisturizer to lock in moisture.

Why should you do it?

Aside from leaving you with glowing skin (as if that weren’t enough), dry brushing helps improve skin’s texture and elasticity, boost circulation and lymphatic drainage. Our lymphatic systems don’t have a pump (like our circulatory system, which has the heart), so the flow of lymph is dependent on things like deep breathing, massages, and regular exercise. Many people don’t practice these so dry brushing actually helps move lymph through the body when it otherwise would be stuck. Now let’s talk about the detoxification benefit. Did you know our skin is often referred to as our “third kidney”? That’s because it’s our largest organ with the main purpose of waste elimination. Without regularly exfoliating our skin, pollutants build up and clog our pores. These clogged pores make it impossible for the skin to release the necessary toxins, and in turn, these harmful toxins are recirculated into our bloodstream. Some people even swear that their cellulite is less noticeable after dry brushing! Dry brushing makes hard fat cells under the skin softer, helping to more evenly distribute them. Since dry brushing helps rid the body of toxins, it removes specific toxins that cause connective tissues below the skin to break down, resulting in stronger connective tissues and less cellulite bulges. Are you heading out the door right now to get a dry body brush?

How Often should you do it?

Dry brushing can leave your skin feeling a little sensitive initially (it is a total body exfoliation, after all), so it’s up to you to decide how often you can do it. If you have  ultra-sensitive skin, you should aim for once every week. For everyone else, you can get your dry brush on daily or a minimum of twice a week. Don’t forget to wash your brush with baby shampoo at least twice a month (think of all the dead skin that builds up).

Now that you know some of the amazing benefits of dry brushing, do you think you’ll give it a try? I am getting myself a brush this weekend!