Reasons Why You Should Dry Brush Your Skin!
Do you brush your body?
Just like you brush your hair and teeth to keep them healthy, dry body brushing is used to keep your skin healthy. Taking care of the skin on our body is equally important as taking care of the skin on our face and hands.
Dry brushing is not a new concept. It has been around for ages now. This technique just became trendy now because of our easy access to information these days.
Dry brushing is exactly what it sounds like. That is, brushing your skin with a bristle brush when it’s dry. Ideally, it is done before taking a shower.
Many of the celebrities are using this technique to keep their skin healthy and younger looking.
If you are familiar with facial brush exfoliators then you can easily understand the concept of dry brushing as well. Facial brushes like Clarisonic are used to remove dead skin cells and cleanse the skin, but we don’t use it dry (Ouch!). But body brushing is done on dry skin.
Why Should You Dry Brush Your Body?
There are many benefits and claims of dry brushing out there but I will discuss the few main ones.
Exfoliates
This is the most obvious benefit. Dry brushing removes dead skin cells that are stuck on the skin, revealing new skin from underneath. It can get rid of bumpy skin because we are not letting dead skin sit on our skin for long, That is why it makes our skin appear healthy and glowing.
Cleanses
The method of dry brushing is helpful in deeply cleansing the pores of the body. When used regularly, dry brushing can reduce ingrown hair because it is cleaning the pores deeply. It can also reduce bacne (acne on the back) because of regular pore cleansing and removing dead skin cells.
Softer Skin
Because of exfoliation and cleansing benefits of dry brushing, the skin on our body starts to appear smoother in texture and lead to baby skin.
Increases Blood Circulation
Dry brushing also improves blood circulation. The message provided to the body while dry brushing will increase the circulation of blood to the skin that helps in the formation of new skin cells. This also contributes to making our skin feeling smoother and beautiful.
The increased blood circulation also provides you with an instant boost of energy and refreshes you for the day.
Youthful Skin
The dry brushing method is used as an anti-aging method for the skin by celebrities. Since it improves blood circulation and generates new skin cells and gets rid of the dead skin cells. This contributes to younger and healthier skin. If you dry brush before every bath you take, it will show quicker results.
Gets Rid Of Toxins
Brushing your body with a light, gentle pressure hits the pressure points all over your body that help in getting rid of toxins. Detoxifying properties of body brushing can be seen after the long term use of this method.
Improves The Lymphatic System
The method of dry brushing improves the flow of Lymph. Lymph is a fluid that has infection-fighting white blood cells and other matter. Regulation of lymphatic fluid is a sign of a healthy body. But there is not enough evidence on dry brushing helping in the lymphatic system.
Reduces Stress
Dry brushing regulates the blood flow in the body. This leads to reducing stress and tension and relaxing the muscles. It also helps in maintaining good gut health because of stress relief benefits.
How To Dry Brush
After reading the benefits, I bet you want to know the exact method of dry brushing so that you can add it in your derm rituals.
So here it is:
- Dry brushing should be done before taking a bath.
- You need a soft bristle brush to start with preferably with a handle to reach your back easily. As you get used to dry brushing, you can choose harder bristle.
- Start by brushing your feet in an upward direction towards your legs.
- Apply gentle pressure and don’t be too harsh or else your skin will get irritated.
- Always brush towards the center of your body, this way you are providing a gradual increase in blood flow towards the heart. This is beneficial for heart health as well.
- Then brush your arms in short strokes.
- Brush your thighs, hips, back, and tummy in a circular motion.
- A little redness and tingling are normal. This is an indication of increased blood flow.
- I don’t recommend using the brush for your body on your face. Just use facial brushes instead(not dry) like you would exfoliate with a cleanser normally.
- Don’t hurry with this method or else it won’t be effective. Take your time with it and relax.
People with sensitive skin should be careful when starting out with dry brushing. If the skin is too sensitive then skip the brushing, instead, use a dry towel to scrub off the dead skin.
Never brush over skin that is broken, which includes cuts, scrapes, lesions, sores or burned skin, including sunburns. Don’t ever brush over areas of infection, redness or general irritation, inflammation, cellulitis or skin cancer. Stop dry brushing if skin becomes irritated or inflamed.
How Often To Dry Brush?
You can use the method of dry brushing daily for full and faster results. Dry brushing should not be done in a rush. Just take your time with it for best results. So, I recommend dry body brushing at least once a week if not daily.
But for sensitive skin types, my recommendation is once every 3 weeks.
To Conclude:
- Dry body brushing has many benefits for the skin like getting rid of dead skin cells and cleansing it out.
- This is a completely chemical free treatment with no side effects.
- It is a relaxing process. When feeling stressed out, try dry brushing and you will feel much better.
- This single method is a great way to take care of the skin on our body.
- This is a great skincare ritual to be added in your derm rituals.
